FIU showcases botanical research at nation’s largest orchid festival

A weekend surrounded by orchid aficionados, farmers and international vendors provided the perfect backdrop for Florida International University’s College of Arts, Sciences & Education (CASE) to showcase its latest research. Participating in the Tamiami International Orchid Festival from Jan. 16–18, FIU joined an event that has become Miami’s largest and most diverse orchid show. This year marked a major milestone as the festival officially became the largest orchid show in the United States, featuring more than 100 international growers, exhibits and thousands of orchids for sale.

“Participating in the Tamiami International Orchid Festival was an inspiring and energizing experience for FIU’s Department of Earth & Environment,” said Amir Khoddamzadeh, horticulturist and chair of the department. “The level of interest we received, hundreds of visitors stopping to learn about orchid tissue culture, controlled‑environment growth chambers, conservation science, and to admire the stunning orchid paintings by our student, was truly remarkable.”

The FIU booth offered an immersive look into the world of botany including a 3D virtual look at orchids in their natural habitats. The booth also bridged the gap between art and science, including a coloring station for children featuring illustrations by graduate student Emily Jefferson. She also showcased some of her orchid paintings in the booth.

FIU’s scientific expertise was further highlighted throughout the weekend’s speaker series, which covered topics ranging from cultivation tips to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s Million Orchid Project, which FIU is a collaborator. Khoddamzadeh led a session on conservation horticulture and in-vitro micropropagation. The insights continued with Professor Hong Liu, who shared biological secrets of a favorite family of orchids.

Graduate students including Jefferson, Dominic Mellone, Luis Cendan, Milagros Munoz Salas and Victor Alvarado hosted a panel discussion on the life and experiences of an FIU botany student.

“This event was not only a tremendous success in showcasing FIU’s leadership in orchid propagation and conservation, but also a testament to the multidisciplinary and internationally recognized research strengths of our faculty and students the department, Institute of Environment and International Center for Tropical Botany,” Khoddamzadeh said.