Voice: Jim Cocos, Vice President of Horticulture

Resource: Public Relations fact sheet



I’m Jim Cocos, Vice President of Horticulture. This Garden’s orchid collection is one of the largest and finest in the country. We grow more than 8,000 plants in our greenhouse area called the orchid range. These plants make up our largest living collection, representing over 2,500 unique species, varieties and hybrids. We grow a number of rare and unusual specimens. Some of them are over 100 years old. Many of the Cattleya hybrids in this show are no longer commercially available. They were created many years ago, and growers no longer produce them.



Our collection emphasizes the types of orchids that can survive St. Louis’s hot summers as well as those that are winter bloomers. Their diverse colors and forms are valuable for our displays and educational exhibits.