Decades ago, I lived in the Redlands. ogf is quoting S. Florida temperatures UNDER the shade trees. It's even hotter out in the sun, but the gift shop and auditorium at the Fruit & Spice Park where the speakers will be, is air-conditioned so you can sneak in and cool down. They also rig up big tarps by the food area with fans running. You will definitely need sunglasses, sunblock and a hat as well as lightweight summer clothing. Although it doesn't rain often during May, it's a good idea to pack one of those small folding umbrellas just in case of afternoon showers. As for the local plant nurseries, they will be at the show and often close down their retail locations. These are mostly mom & pop types and they don't have the staff to run both. But if you find their booth interesting, you can ask to drive over later on. Most are just a few minutes away. In general, S. Florida nurseries carry plants that do well in S. Florida. You will find an abundance of Cattleya Alliance species/hybrids, Vanda Alliance species/hybrids, many Oncidium intergenerics (Mickey's mostly sells small-growing Catt type hybrids). You will not find Pleurothallids since very few do well outdoors down there, and Bulbos and Erias won't be in abundance either in local nurseries since the demand is not there. However, there will be dealers from S. America there who will have oodles of Pleuro types; and dealers from Malayasia, Thailand, Philippines, etc. who will have lots of Bulbos and Erias and wee Den species. I have bought from these foreign dealers at Redlands for years and years and have always gotten good healthy plants which have thrived for me -- at least until I killed them. You are going to be in orchid heaven at Redlands. I don't recommend you preorder from the foreign dealers since they will be bringing a huge assortment of plants that will leap into your bag. Bring money. Bring lots of money. Bring lots of plastic. There are a couple ATMs brought in for the show, but they often run out of cash due to high demand by orchid addicts. As for the American dealers who will be there -- other than the small growers who are not on the Internet -- I can buy from them any time during the year so I concentrate on the foreign imports which I can't get otherwise. I can spend more than enough money just with them, lol.

You have a phalenopsis, one of many hybrids available. General care would be not too much light or heat. Google phalenopsis culture to get specific instructions. I keep mine in windowsills facing any direction but south. They do not like direct sun on the leaves but do need light. An office environment should be fine. When watering make sure no water goes into the crown of the plant (where the leaves join the stem) as rot can quickly set in. I water once a week but it will depend on the potting medium and ambient temperature.

Ellen 17 is right changing the climate can kill. I have bought orchids from Hawaii and they seem to decline till I figured a way around it. You might try to save some by vase culture. I have phals. growing in vase culture no medium just long fiber coconut husk put around to hold in moisture. When your plants are dying you really have nothing to lose but try things. I use RO water and make sure my TDS are around 115ppm or less . With this method I fertilize every few days with a very low rate keeping that TDS at 115ppm. You do need to water a vase plant everyday as it really has no medium. Being in a humid climate maybe you will just mist. I do not know. Right now we are cooler and I water the phals if the roots do not look wet. Vandas I mist everyday right now and cyms like phals only if they look like they are drying out. I do live in a very low humidity area, dry as a desert sometimes. Under vase condition I have new roots coming out right and left and already some have spikes and flowers. Vase lets you see exactly what is happening and holds even moisture. I just do not know how this will work for you being in a humid area. I would post a picture, but I had trouble and the system kicked the file out. I tried to download. Things I grow in vases cymbidiums (till I did this I could not keep them alive, never produced roots)( use large florist vases with long fiber coconut husk)now have lots of roots green tips, phals, vandas, phaps, phrags, The phaps and phrags both have stones halfway and then they are in a cypress bark, moss, and lava stone mix. I have roots like crazy and tall standing plants. I make sure after watering that I go back a few times and knock out all the water left at the bottom of the vase. Don't want rotten roots. Again I do not know how this will work for you in a humid climate. You could maybe try one and see if you could save it. Hot weather I fill vases and soak a little . Cooler weather I just mist them and the coconut long fiber husk and knock out the water. Plants like vandas I remove the fiber before night fall so they can breathe.

Hi I found these all along Bonita Beach in Southwest Florida (Ft Myers/Naples area) which is along the gulf coast near the bottom tip of Florida, its mid to late September. They were everywhere and they all have small sprouts. Well I brought a couple home and planted them, I'm not sure what they are and was wondering if anyone can identify them / knows what they are! Thanks for all your help