Photography by Mary Lou Olson, courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden
The Missouri Botanical Garden’s much-beloved Orchid Show is back and better than ever. Opening this Saturday, January 28, and running through February 26, the showcase is a rare chance to interact with the encyclopedic permanent collection of the jaw-dropping flowering plants, which typically lives in greenhouses rather than on display. Here's what to know before you go.
The Space
It marks the first time the show will take place at the new Emerson Conservatory, at the recently opened Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center. “It’s great to have a wonderful new space,” says Pat Scace, supervisor of horticultural display. “It definitely has a different feel from the last space we were in.”
The new conservatory houses other permanent collections, including a variety of species from Mediterranean climates worldwide. While gazing through the glass walls, visitors can also take in sweeping views into the garden.
Photography by Claire Cohen, courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden
The Orchids
Unlike orchid shows at many other institutions, the Missouri Botanical Garden almost exclusively uses specimens from its collection, so the pieces stay in their original pots to maintain record-keeping. Thanks to the garden's wizardry (and lots of Spanish moss), you’re unlikely to notice.
As the show progresses, the weather is also progressing, so the living plants will be changing. As different specimens go in and out of bloom, they’ll be swapped back to the greenhouse early in the morning.
“We try to put everything on display that’s open, that’s ready to be shown,” says Scace. “The phalaenopsis right now are pretty light—they make a stronger showing toward the end. The cattleyas and cymbidiums are heavier at the front.”
The garden boasts more than 6,000 orchid plants in its collection, representing almost 700 species, with many of them threatened or endangered. Scace says the diversity and variance among the plants help make them a fan favorite. “Orchids have flowers anywhere from a pinhead to a football in size,” says Scace. Some are subtle and some are flashy. “I don’t really have a favorite—I probably gravitate toward lime greens and ones that are funkier.”
The Show's Popularity
Year after year, the Orchid Show is a big draw for visitors, including experienced and budding hobbyists. The Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis hosts a sale onsite on Friday from 5–9 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
“I think it’s that it’s February in St. Louis, and we want a little reminder that spring is coming,” says Scace. “It’s greenery in the winter, and everyone’s just itching for spring. And orchids are just cool!”
