Million Orchid Project

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is planting rare, native orchids throughout South Florida, bringing back the species that grew here more than a century ago. 

Thousands of local schoolchildren, volunteers, and scientists are working together to propagate, plant, and protect the new orchids. The Million Orchid Project is unique in its large scale, its focus on urban landscapes, and its involvement of the local community.

Orchids produce tiny seeds that can only sprout under certain conditions that are extremely rare in nature. The Million Orchid Project Laboratory at Fairchild uses special technology to germinate orchid seeds and nurture seedlings until they are ready to grow outdoors.

Most of our native orchids grow on trees, where they live as epiphytes (air plants), obtaining water and nutrients from the air and rain. Our goal is to make our native orchids common on urban landscape trees throughout the region.