About Meke Aloha Orchids
The purpose of Meke Aloha Orchids is to promote and share SCHOMBO-LOVE with growers who are already converted as well as new converts. The American Orchid Society (AOS) has created an Annual Best Schom Hybrid of the Year Award. We encourage and the AOS welcomes tax-exempt donations in any amount to support this award which nurtures future outstanding Schom hybrids.
Although they are hobbyists, Paul and Mary Storm are known throughout the orchid world as some of the leading experts on Schomburgkia/Laelia and Myrmecophila with a passion for anything “SCHOMBO” and their nursery in Sarasota, Florida holds what is believed to be one of the largest collections of Schomburgia/Laelia and Myrmecophila species and hybrids in the world.
In the past Paul was a leading presenter at the Mid-America Winter Orchid Conference in Ohio, the Symposium on Orchid Species sponsored by the Coalition on Species at Fairchild Gardens in Miami, the Merrit Huntington Symposium in Virginia, the Schomburgkia Extravaganza in Arruba/Curacao and the six society Orchid Tour of Texas. Paul was the featured speaker for the Orchid Symposium in St.Croix, Virgin Islands and his article “Schombo-Fever” was published in the AOS ORCHIDS magazine.
Paul is the botanical author of several RHS accepted nothogenera, the RHS Registrar has created Stormara, Paulstormara, and several other nothogenera. Also, a few orchid nurseries and hybridizers have registered orchids named after Paul in honor of Meke Aloha’s ‘Schombo-Mission’.
Some orchidphiles affectionately call Paul “Mr. Schomburgkia” and credit Paul and Mary with the current popularity of Schombs and Schombo-hybrids but Paul and Mary give all the credit to the fantastic vitality, variety, and ease of culture of Schoms and their hybrids – “They were just sitting in the orchid world waiting to be discovered and we were just their Talent Scouts”!
In advance of Orchid Society programs Paul and Mary welcome ‘pre-orders’ (mekelohaorchids.com) and they also bring Orchiata with them for those who have already discovered ‘the best orchid growing media available at this time’. Anyone who wishes may reserve their Schom or Orchiata order ahead of time. They also wish to remind members attending their programs that they are not set up to accept credit cards so please bring checkbooks or cash and plan to enjoy shopping a very large sales area with an extensive variety and display of species, hybrids, seedlings and blooming plants as well as Orchiata!! Paul and Mary are always looking forward to meeting ‘Schombo-Fans’ as well as hopefully converting new ones and making new friends.