Plant Science Conversations: Conserving Native Orchids (Online Discussion)

Melissa McCormick, Director of the North American Orchid Conservation Center and Dr. Susan Pell, Executive Director, U.S. Botanic Garden
There are over 230 orchid species native to North America! More than 50% are threatened or endangered. However, through the collaborative work of scientists like Dr. Melissa McCormick, the North American Orchid Conservation Center, and botanic gardens like the U.S. Botanic Garden, we hope to conserve these amazing plants. Join Melissa and Susan as they discuss the tricky puzzle that is orchid conservation, the complex ecological relationship of native orchids, and how researchers and gardens are working to safeguard the organisms key to orchid survival.

This program is offered in partnership with the North American Orchid Conservation Center. It is connected to our 2026 joint orchid show “More Than a Flower: The Connective Power of Orchids,” in collaboration with Smithsonian Gardens.

Dr. Melissa McCormick

Director

North American Orchid Conservation Center

Dr. Melissa McCormick is an orchid ecologist and the director of the North American Orchid Conservation Center. Her work focuses on the interactions of plants with their mycorrhizal fungi and the environment and how these interactions affect plant distribution...(read more)

Jenny Harper

Executive Director

U.S. Botanic Garden

Dr. Susan Pell is a botanist, educator, and the Executive Director of the United States Botanic Garden. Susan has traveled the world collecting plants for scientific study. Her research has focused on the Anacardiaceae family which includes cashews, sumac, and...(read more)