By Natasha Anderson
The Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will once again jointly host one of WNC’s most popular plant shows, the 22nd annual Asheville Orchid Festival. This will also be an American Orchid Society sanctioned judging event. The festival is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The North Carolina Arboretum.
World-class orchid growers and breeders along with regional orchid societies will exhibit for the annual show, with hundreds of orchids, including rare species and cutting-edge hybrids, presented in carefully crafted displays. Orchids will be for sale by vendors from Ecuador and across the US.
“We are sure to see thousands of orchids available to purchase, but I am also anticipating a big push of beautiful tropical plants from South America,” says Mims.
Workshops, demonstrations and lectures will take place each day, including A Walk Through the World of Orchids, at 10 a.m. each morning. This favorite with past showgoers is a guided tour through the orchid exhibits led by Marc Burchette, expert grower, American Orchid Society judge and curator of the Biltmore orchid collection.
“I enjoy discussing what makes the different species or hybrids unusual,” says Burchette. “With a story you can provide context, making the plant more relatable.”
WNCOS president and show co-chair Graham Ramsey will cover a critical aspect of growing orchids successfully with a re-potting workshop each afternoon at 2 p.m. Participants will learn the correct pot size, planting medium and watering method, as well as when to repot.
“If you pot orchids in regular potting soil, they will suffocate, and if you water them like a houseplant, they will drown,” says Ramsey. “In the clinic, we will cover all you need to know to re-pot your orchid with confidence.”
Numerous lectures will also take place by participating vendors, including Native Orchids of Ecuador presented by a representative of Ecuagenera Orchids.
All orchids exhibits, programs and educational lectures each day are included with a $5 per person admission fee. Children 12 and under enter free. All admission proceeds benefit WNCOS, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and help expand the society’s mission of “sharing the excitement and joy of cultivating orchids and promoting orchid conservation.”
The North Carolina Arboretum is at 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville. Learn more at WNCOS.org.
