March 27, 2025
Orchid Symposium Combined with Rare and Historic Plant Sale at Edison and Ford Winter Estates
FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 27, 2025) — On April 12 and 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Edison and Ford Winter Estates (EFWE) will hold it’s first historic and rare plant sale in conjunction with the annual Orchid Symposium as the theme for this year’s “Grow Fort Myers” event. During the event, experts will give presentations and share insights on cultivating rare plants. Admission to the event and presentations is free (does not include tours, museum or laboratory).
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.
“The Estates’ horticulturists have spent two years propagating the most unusual and historic plants specifically for this event,” said Karen Maxwell, horticulture specialist. “Orchid and rare plant enthusiasts will have the opportunity to learn cultivation and propagation techniques and best practices from rare plant experts during the two days of free presentations.”
Scheduled Presentation Topics:
Saturday
Summer Care for Palms – Karen Maxwell, EFWE
Care and Propagation of Unusual Staghorn Ferns – John Cassani, Cassani Nursery
Growing Vandas – Mickey Parnell, Blue Pagoda Orchids
Native Florida Cactus Tissue Culture and Habitat Restoration – Reed Gilmore, Florida Gulf Coast University
Growing Epiphyllums (Jungle Cactus) – Graciana Parker, Florida Greenery
Sunday
Conversations with My Orchids – Jim Davison, Jim-N-I Orchids
Fun with Orchids – Gary Sims, SWFOS & AOS
Growing Hoyas – Graciana Parker, Florida Greenery
Tillandsias and Cryptanthus (Growing, Mounting and Propagation) – Anthony Warfield, Tropiflora
My Favorite Orchids – John Hampton, SWFOS & AOS
Parking and admission to the event and presentations is free; however, a ticket is required for anyone wanting to tour the historic homes, museum, or laboratory. Guests are encouraged to bring their own garden cart, as only a limited number will be available. The event will also feature several food trucks. For more information about the organization, visit EdisonFord.org.
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