Phillip Hamilton
Topic: “Phalaenopsis”
Phillip Hamilton grew up among orchids in his parent’s greenhouses in Kingston, Jamaica. His father, Claude, is known around the world for his work in breeding broughtonias, cattleytonias and schomburgkias – an orchid hobby that evolved into one of the major orchid nurseries on the island – Hamlyn Orchids.
Having collected orchids since a young boy, his orchid interest peaked when he attended his first orchid show away from Jamaica, the 11th World Orchid Conference in Miami, Florida at the age of eight. That experience inspired him to become more involved in orchid breeding, growing and exhibition.
In his early teens, he began participating in orchid judging with the Jamaican Orchid Society and was an accredited judge of that society before graduating from high school. He headed for college in the U.S. at age 18 and entered the AOS judging training program that same year.
Phillip has since received his udergraduate and graduate degrees in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Florida and has been an AOS accredited judge for almost ten years. Upon graduation, he worked as a grower for a large orchid production facility and is now managing an orchid production facility for Better-Gro Companies in Apopka, Florida.
His personal collection consists primarily of Phalaenopsis and more recently, Paphiopedilums. He also enjoys the challenge of growing large specimen plants, for which he has been recognized with several AOS cultural awards in recent years.