International Aroid Society's Tropical Plant Expo

Thousands of rare aroids and other tropical plants fill a 49,000-square-foot marketplace with more than 80 international growers, specialty nurseries, artists and horticultural vendors. The 49th annual expo takes place Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20 at the E. Darwin Fuchs Pavilion at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo. Hosted by the International Aroid Society, the gathering welcomes collectors, researchers, growers and newcomers from around the world.

Educational sessions examine plant nutrition and disorders with tropical plant specialist Lynn Griffith, biological pest control with Anesia Jackson and Anthurium hybridization with plant breeder Jos Vanden Abeele, known as Captain Aroid. Missouri Botanical Garden curator Dr. Tom Croat discusses South American aroid research, while plant educator Dana Washington, creator of Leafy Diva, translates lessons from tropical habitats into practical indoor care. The program also includes hands-on workshops, the Aroid Awards, a People’s Choice vote and a silent auction supporting the society’s research, conservation and education initiatives.

Aroids After Dark, a separately ticketed Saturday evening fundraiser, features researcher Fraser Cook and Joey Santore, creator of the irreverent botany series Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t. The program combines an aroid-focused dinner with a live plant auction benefiting the International Aroid Society’s year-round work.