Melana Davison


Phone: 760-212-8919 Email: orchidiva@att.net
https://www.jim-n-iorchids.com/

SpecialtiesDendrobium, Catasetinae, landscape, cattleya and more
FormatOnline and in-person
Provides plants for sale?Yes

Biography

Operated by Jim and Melana Davison, Jim-N-I Orchids provides quality orchids for the novice to the advanced collector. Specializing in a diverse selection of exotic and showy genera, including Cattleya, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, Bulbophyllum and Catasetum. Plants for the novice are selected for ease of culture while plants for the advanced grower focus on the collectable species and contemporary hybrids. Jim and Melana are both accredited American Orchid Society judges, have garnered multiple awards for their personal collection, have a combined sixty years of orchid growing experience, and are always eager to share their wealth of knowledge to assure success. Jim and Melana Davison are AOS Accredited Judges. They have an extensive and diverse orchid collection that seems to be continuously growing. Not only involved in caring for their orchids, they are actively involved in several South Florida orchid societies. Melana is the current President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and past President of the South Dade Amateur Orchid Club. Jim is the past President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and the East Everglades Orchid Society. Jim’s appreciation for orchids stems from his scientific background. Before his recent retirement, he worked as a Nuclear Chemistry Manager at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. Melana is more interested in the aesthetic qualities of orchids, especially the ones that look strange and other worldly. She owns her own Orchid Maintenance business and is known as “The Orchidiva.” They are currently preparing a new greenhouse and shade area and have opened their own retail nursery, Jim-N-I Orchids.. Together, Jim and Melana have 7 grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Homestead with their 2 dogs, four of the five grandchildren and 5,000 plus orchids in their own collection, many more in the nursery. They specialize in Catasetinae, Florida natives, and collectable species and hybrids. Jim and Melana want you to be successful in your orchid growing. That is why they strive to provide fully acclimated and rooted plants for sale. Their plants can go straight from the nursery to your growing space without skipping a beat.

Talks and Abstracts

1

Brassavola: The Star of the Show

This talk provides an overview of the wonderful genus Brassavola. The popularity of these species and their colorful hybrids has been growing steadily over the past decade. This presentation reviews the 19 currently recognized species, shows how they fit in your collection, and pokes a little fun at the taxonomical gymnastics currently affecting the genus. This talk is new in 2023 and has already received a great response!
2

Phalaenopsis bellina and “Not so Novel” Phalaenopsis species

This talk describes the role of Phalaenopsis bellina and other species on the current resurgence in “novelty’ Phalaenopsis hybridization. The primary focus, however, is on the individual species and their culture and what they bring to the party.
3

The Catasetinae

This talk provides an overview on the culture and care of prominent Catasetinae species and their hybrids. This is an introductory lesson into the marvel of color and form of the Catasetum alliance, including Catasetum, Clowesia, Mormodes, and Cycnoches.
4

La Princesa

If Cattleya is the queen of orchids then Laelia anceps is the princess. This talk provides an in-depth review of the development of modern L. anceps cultivars and color forms. This talk provides the basics for the beginning orchid grower as well as breeding characteristics for the advanced hobbyist. Everybody loves L. anceps, a highly collectible and easy to grow species from Mexico.
5

Landscaping with Orchids

This talk, best suited for temperate weather zones, describes the best ways to naturalize, display, and care for orchids in the garden landscape.
6

The Latouria Dendrobiums

This talk provides an overview of the most common Latouria Dendrobiums suited for hobby orchid growers. These warm loving beauties from the Papua New Guinea region are strange and wondrous. Focus is on culture and care of the most common species and hybrids available today.
7

Hecho en Mexico

This talk provides an overview of the varied orchid species native to Mexico. Many hobbyists have Mexican species in their collections and may not know it. As many Mexican orchids have natural climates similar to our own they are very easy to grow and adapt quickly to our growing conditions. Focus of this talk is on the culture and care of collectible species.
8

The Four Horsemen

This talk provides an in-depth review of four Cattleya species, C. schilleriana, C. walkeriana, C. aclandiae, and C. nobilior. Why are they the four horsemen? Because they love to be mounted. Culture and care of these exquisite orchids is emphasized. This is a highly educational talk that everyone loves.
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