This year, the “Grow Fort Myers” event is going to be extra special, as it will be combined with the Orchid Symposium! The plant sale will feature a new twist with specimens that have historical significance to the Edisons, along with plants that are rare and hard-to-find. Plus, we will have several guest speakers conducting free presentations.
Discriminating collectors will not want to miss this unrivaled plant sale, which will include specimens that have been propagated from Edison’s historic collection. The horticultural staff will share a large assortment of houseplants, shrubs, trees and palms that Thomas Edison collected from six different continents and grew on his property here in Fort Myers.
Enhancing our own offerings will be several curated growers known for their commitment to responsible collecting and cultivation of rare species. These experts will have rare plants available for sale and some will give 30-minute presentations and share insights on the cultivation of rare plants including orchids, hoyas, jungle cacti, palms, tillandsias and more.
Entry to the event and presentations is free (does not include admission to the museum, lab, or riverside of the property). Seating under the tent for the presentations is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Several vendors will have booths with plants available for sale including A J Foliage, Blue Pagoda & Evolution Orchids, Calusa Palms Nursery, Cassani’s Nursery, Florida Greenery Tropical Plants, Florida Orchid House, Jim-N-I Orchids, Pelican Coast Farm, Premier Growers, Rachel’s Plant Paradise, Red Hawk Nursery, Sierra Madre Orchids, So Orchids, Sunland Orchids, Tropiflora, Yellow Green Exotics, and Jungle House Nursery. In addition, the EFWE horticulturists will host a booth with rare and historic plants, and the Southwest Florida Orchid Society will be available to answer questions.
Presentation Topics:
SATURDAY
10 am
Summer Care for Palms — Karen Maxwell, EFWE & Corey Bigler, Premier Palms
11 am
Care & Propagation of Staghorn Ferns — John Cassani, Cassani’s Nursery
12 pm
Growing Vandas — Mickey Carnell, Blue Pagoda Orchids
1 pm
Native Florida Cactus Tissue Culture & Habitat Restoration — Reed Gilmore, FGCU
2 pm
Growing Epiphyllums (Jungle Cactus) — Graci Parker, Florida Greenery
SUNDAY
10 am
Conversations with My Orchids — Jim Davison, Jim-N-I Orchids
11 am
Fun with Orchids — Gary Sims, SWF Orchid Society
12 pm
Growing Hoyas — Graci Parker, Florida Greenery
1 pm
Care, Propagation & Mounting Tillandsias — Anthony Warfield, Tropiflora
2 pm
My Favorite Orchids — John Hampton, SWF Orchid Society
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