Shaws Vision

Beloved Buds

A beloved tradition will return in a brand-new space when the Missouri Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show takes place this winter.

By Kristina DeYong

Cymbidium orchid Photography by Karen Fletcher

Where to find them: EMERSON CONSERVATORY

After a hiatus in 2021 and 2022 while the new Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center was under construction, the Orchid Show will be held in the brand-new Emerson Conservatory.

For most of the year, the Garden’s permanent orchid collection lives in greenhouses, where they are cared for by horticulture staff. Then, each winter, they migrate to the Orchid Show, where visitors can see them while they are in bloom.

The collection is vast, featuring well over 6,000 individual plants representing nearly 700 unique kinds of orchids. Nearly one in 10 orchids in the collection is threatened or endangered.

Different species bloom at different times, so the Orchid Show is constantly changing as new orchids come into bloom and are brought out on display. Visitors can also enjoy the new, permanent living collections that will surround the orchids in the new Emerson Conservatory. These plantings include species from Mediterranean climates around the world, such as California, South Africa, Western Australia, Chile and the Mediterranean itself.

The Orchid Show is open January 28–February 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is included with Garden admission. The Garden will also host two Orchid Nights from 6 to 8 p.m. on February 9 and 23, where guests can enjoy lighted viewings, drinks and live music. Top left: Paphiopedilum orchid, photography by Tom Incrocci Right: Cattleya orchid, photography by Claire Cohen Bottom left: Paphiopedilum orchid, photography by Mary Lou Olson