Author Archives: Jay Loeffler

Location: Venice Community Center (Doors open at 6:45pm)

Presenting: Vandas

Rafael Romero, Plantio La Orquidea, was born in Caracas, Venezuela and graduated as a biologist from the Universidad Simon Bolivar. He began working with orchids in 1986 with his father in law, Henrique Graf, owner of Plantio La Orquidea, the largest orchid nursery in Venezuela. Together with his wife Tina, Rafael started the laboratory at Plantio La Orquidea in 1986 where they produce the species and hybrids for which they are known. They moved to Sarasota in 2003 and started their nursery where they established a good sample of the species and hybrids produced in Venezuela as well as adding interesting species and hybrids from around the world.Rafael will be sharing his knowledge and experiences as well as answering questions and will have a great selection of his orchids available for sale. Plantio La Orquidea is one of our fine local growers and is located at 3480 Tallevast Road in Sarasota.

Location: Venice Community Center (Doors open at 6:45pm)

The Speaker will be Dr. Tatiana Arias

Presenting: What she and Selby Gardens is doing for Florida orchid conservation.

Award-winning botanist  joined the staff of Selby Gardens in November 2021 as an orchid researcher. An innovative scientist who earned a Ph.D. at the University of Missouri, Arias comes to Sarasota from her native Colombia, where she has been leading a research lab focused on orchid genomics, horticulture, and conservation.

Dr. Arias is a classically trained botanist who has kept up with modern methods. Her interest in pursuing novel approaches to science is refreshing. Tatiana brings to us a passion for orchids as well as broad connections to the botanical world and to the Andes, where the greatest region of orchid diversity is found.

Arias, has more than 15 years of experience working in plant sciences. She has been honored by the World Academy of Sciences and The Colombian Academy of Sciences, among other professional achievements.

“I am passionate about and committed to diversity in academia,” Arias said. “This position presents an exciting opportunity to do top-notch orchid science research in an environment of other accomplished scholars.”

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens provides 45 acres of Bayfront sanctuaries connecting people with air plants of the world, native nature, and regional history. For more information visit  selby.org.

Speaker – John Budree     

Topic – Bulbophyllums

Meeting starts 7:00 – Doors open at 6:30.
Venice Community Center

Ramnarine John Budree was born in Trinidad and Immigrated to Florida some 23 years ago. Back then he grew many different types of plants and orchids and took part in collecting, growing and showing them at many of the shows, but there was always something more; he wanted to learn more about orchids, and wanted more of a challenge.  He wanted to study, grow and flower them. So, when he came to Florida, he got involved with orchids at all different levels. Now he was able to grow all of those types of plants that he could only read about and even meet all of those people that grew and wrote the articles that he had read in the AOS magazines.  So, he started out on his journey and adventure. He started to go to many of the shows and of course, what you do when you go to a show, YOU BUY ORCHIDS, which you know nothing about, in the hopes you can grow or flower them [yea right].

He always liked Paphiopedilums but was told he couldn’t grow them. This became a challenge to him and he found these plants very interesting as well. He met some of the biggest and best growers in the orchid business, Jack Schendowich, Warren Kelly {Orchid World}, Bob Skully {Jones & Skully}, Mr. Frank Smith {Krull-Smith} and Sheldon Takasaki {Carmela Orchids}.

These people really know how to grow all types of orchids; Paphiopedilum, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, and Oncidium.  At the 19^th  World Orchid Conference, in Miami in 2008, he was the only hobbyist to do a table top display and also  had the opportunity to work with Frank Smith on the KRULL-SMITH display.  He  tried to absorb as much of Frank Smith’s knowledge as possible, and because this, this is what he considered an lesson in life that he will never forget.  He started to grow many different types of orchids, Paphs of course, and as of today, has grown over 3000 plants as well as other types of orchids. He  has also lost count of the ones he has killed. In short, he has been growing Orchids for about 40 years, from flask to flower and has accumulated about 75 AOS awards.

John will have plants for sale at our meeting.