Photo: Vanda Pachara Delight by Joan Goodman

References for the Orchid Grower

American Orchid Society Culture Sheets
A popular reference for the care of several orchid varieties.

Internet Orchid Photo Encyclopedia
An online encyclopedia of orchid species, organized by genus compiled by Jay Pfahl. All listings include flower photo, fragrance, light and temperature requirements, blooming seasons, descriptions, and prior synonymous names.

The Orchid Mall
A listing of links to various informational and commercial sources about orchids.

Orchid Wire
A global database of vendors, societies, and organizations listed by country, and linking to their website or social media.

Our Commercial Members

Anything Orchids
Family-owned orchid nursery in Frankfort, Illinois.

B & H Orchids
Orchid nursery owned by Bob and Hellen Younghale.

Dr. Bill’s Orchids
Online store offering orchids, aroids, gesneriads and other exotic tropicals.

Klehm Growers
Arnold Klehm has registered hundreds of orchid hybrids, and is an American Orchid Society accredited judge.

Natt’s Orchids
Family-Owned nursery in Naperville, Illinois. Open to online and in-person sales. To plan a visit, please contact them directly.

Orquideas Katia
Nursery in Columbia specializing in Columbian species, and a regular vendor at Chicagoland Orchidfest.

Orchids by Hausermann
The largest orchid nursery in the Midwest, and family owned since 1925. Open to in-person sales, as well as online.

The Orchid Trading Company
Owned and operated by Terry Partin

Orchid Judging

The Chicago Judging Center
Growers can bring their plants to be evaluated for awards by American Orchid Society accredited judges.

Mid America Orchid Congress
Reference documents used in registering plants by judging class for AOS judged orchid shows.

Orchid Conservation and Research

Million Orchid Project
An educational outreach project of Fairchild Botanical Gardens, propagating and reintroducing native orchids into urban environments in South Florida.

Native Orchid Conference
Volunteer citizen scientist initiative of the Chicago Botanic Garden which monitors rare and endangered plant populations of the Midwest for research.

North American Orchid Conservation Center
A coalition of organizations dedicated to conserving the diverse orchid heritage of the U.S. and Canada, based at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland.

Orchid Conservation Alliance
Since its creation in 2004, the Orchid Conservation Alliance has raised over $650,000 to support the creation or expansion of 7 orchid reserves, and preserved nearly 4600 acres of pristine, primary biodiverse orchid rich habitats.

Orchid Conservation Coalition
A grassroots movement dedicated to raising money and awareness for orchid conservation. The Illinois Orchid Society is a proud participant in the OCC’s “1% For Orchid Conservation” initiative.

Orchids of Illinois
A guide to wild growing orchids in Illinois, by Dan Nickrent of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The Orchid Recovery Program
An undergraduate program at Illinois College providing students with hands-on experience monitoring, collecting, and propagating endangered orchids of North America and beyond. The program’s organizer and Illinois Orchid Society member, Dr. Lawrence Zettler, has applied his research on fungi to the development of a symbiotic propagation process for orchids. He has also worked extensively on the conservation of the Ghost Orchid populations in Cuba and Florida, and has donated Ghost Orchid plants to the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Plants of Concern
A volunteer citizen-scientist initiative which monitors populations of rare and endangered plants across Illinois and the Midwest, based out of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Midwest Orchid Societies

Batavia Orchid Society

Central Illinois Orchid Society

Central Indiana Orchid Society

Central Iowa Orchid Society

Eastern Iowa Orchid Society

Illowa Orchid Society

Michiana Orchid Society

Northeastern Wisconsin Orchid Society

Orchid Growers Guild

Orchid Society of Minnesota

Wisconsin Orchid Society

Recommended Links