美国德克萨斯兰花协会 HOTOS – 美国兰花协会德州中部附属分会

历史沿革

美国德克萨斯兰花协会（Heart of Texas Orchid Society，简称 HOTOS）于 1961 年 6 月在德州奥斯汀由 12 位发起人共同创立，最初宗旨是推动兰花爱好者之间的知识交流与品种分享。六十余年来，协会持续以教育者与推广者的角色活跃于德州中部，自 1972 年起每年春季在奥斯汀 Zilker 植物园举办年度兰花展与销售会，至今已累计举办五十余届，2018 年的第 47 届展会是迄今规模最大的一次公众展示。

宗旨与会员

协会是经美国国税局认证的 501(c)(3) 非营利教育组织，主要任务是激发公众对兰花的兴趣，覆盖兰花繁育、资源保护、日常养护、病害防治、命名规范与展览评价等环节。年费为个人 35 美元、同住两人 50 美元，会籍有效期为自然年，第四季度加入自动续至次年。会费及捐赠可享受税前抵扣，会员可参加每月例会、温室参观、年度拍卖、图书馆借阅、节日聚餐等活动。

月度例会与年度活动

协会每月第一个周二在 Zilker 植物园礼堂举行例会，6 点为社交时段、7 点正式开会，邀请国内外兰花专家现场讲演并携带植株销售；讲者名单包括加州 Oceanside Orchids 的 Tim Culbertson、佛罗里达 Bredren Orchids 的 Phillip Hamilton、迈阿密 Tarzane Group 的 Tomas Bajza 等。年度固定活动含两次温室参观、年度兰花拍卖、Enchanted by Orchids 大型展销以及面向儿童的栽培示范。

所属网络与官方资源

协会是美国兰花协会（AOS）约 550 个附属协会之一，与奥斯汀地区花园理事会（AAGC，23 个入驻 Zilker 植物园俱乐部的联合体）、西南地区兰花种植者协会（SWROGA，覆盖科罗拉多、堪萨斯、新墨西哥、俄克拉荷马、阿肯色、路易斯安那与德州七州）、兰花文摘（Orchid Digest）保持密切合作。协会同时托管 Alamo 兰花评判中心（AJC），每月第一个周日在 Schertz 公共图书馆为公众提供兰花评鉴服务。

联络与开放

协会向公众开放前三次例会免费旁听，此后需注册入会；访客需自行购买 Zilker 植物园入园票。例会面向公众，邮寄会费支票或现场办理均可，亦可通过 ZELLE（收款方 HOTOS26）完成缴费。最新例会日程、年度拍卖与展销通知均发布于协会网站及 Facebook、Instagram 官方账号 @heartoftxorchids。

官网：http://www.hotos.org

Photo credits: Heart of Texas Orchid Society

Our History

The Heart of Texas Orchid Society (HOTOS) was organized in June 1961 in Austin, Texas by twelve charter members who gathered extensive orchid knowledge and shared it freely with anyone interested. The society has served central Texas continuously for more than sixty years. Since 1972 HOTOS has held its annual orchid show and sale at Zilker Botanical Garden every spring; the 2018 edition marked the 47th annual show, our largest public event to date, with the tradition continuing into the mid-2020s.

Mission and Membership

HOTOS is a federally registered 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization dedicated to stimulating interest in orchid propagation, conservation, care and culture, purchasing, disease prevention, nomenclature, and exhibition. Annual dues are $35 for an individual and $50 for two members at the same address, with membership running on a calendar year (anyone joining in the fourth quarter receives the remainder of the year plus the next full year). Members enjoy monthly meetings, greenhouse tours, the annual auction, library loans, plant raffles, show-table displays and holiday gatherings.

Monthly Meetings and Annual Events

Regular meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the Zilker Botanical Garden Auditorium, 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas; social hour begins at 6:00 pm and the program at 7:00 pm. Nationally and internationally recognized speakers travel in from across the country, often bringing divisions of unusual plants to sell. Featured 2026 speakers include Tim Culbertson of Oceanside Orchids, Blake Kruse of Timbucktoo Orchids, Phillip Hamilton of Bredren Orchids, Tom Mirenda (AOS columnist) and Tomas Bajza of the Tarzane Group. The annual calendar also includes two greenhouse tours, the open HOTOS auction and the Enchanted by Orchids show and sale.

Affiliations and Resources

HOTOS is one of approximately 550 societies affiliated with the American Orchid Society, an active member of the Austin Area Garden Council (23 clubs based at Zilker Botanical Garden), the Southwest Regional Orchid Growers Association (SWROGA, covering Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas) and Orchid Digest. HOTOS also hosts the Alamo Judging Center, one of 26 AOS judging centers nationwide, which convenes monthly at the Schertz Public Library.

Visiting and Contact

Visitors are welcome to attend up to three meetings as guests before joining; standard Zilker Botanical Garden admission applies. Dues may be paid by mail, in person at a meeting or via ZELLE (payee ID HOTOS26). The current calendar of meetings, greenhouse tours and the annual auction, along with photographs of recent show-table winners, is posted on the society’s website and on the society’s Facebook and Instagram channels @heartoftxorchids.

Official Site: http://www.hotos.org