Dendrobium kingianum

Come Volunteer with OrchidMania

Learn Orchid Culture First Hand! Volunteer with us!

Current Volunteer Calendar now online!

If you love orchids and want to know more about orchid growing (regardless of whether you are a beginner or an advanced grower), OrchidMania offers many opportunities to develop horticultural skills in our San Francisco greenhouse. We work every Sunday throughout the year, and also on Saturdays from February through August. There is running commentary and lively conversation about every imaginable topic, but especially about orchids. We have an informal class every workday.

Our greenhouse volunteers get to work side by side with people of varied skill levels. In addition to many "ordinary" orchids, we have a chance to work with rare and unusual plant material that most people who grow orchids never encounter. We also maintain a permanent collection of rare and endangered species, and dabble in artificial propagation. We leave our egos and attitudes at the door.

Besides learning a lot about orchid growing, members of our horticultural team have a lot of fun, meet new friends, and get some great food. Past experience is not as important as committment. We expect volunteers to participate weekly for the first two or three months. Volunteers are allowed to buy plants after the first month. Fill out our volunteer questionnaire, then contact us for details.

Shopping at OrchidMania - Check the calendar to see if we're open, then call!

Volunteers who work with us on a regular basis get a discount on plant purchases. But you don't have to be a volunteer to shop at our greenhouse. You can visit us any weekend and help OrchidMania raise money to fight HIV and AIDS by buying plants at our greenhouse. We have a fabulous orchid collection with plants from all over the world. We have something to fit almost any growing conditions. For more information about visiting our greenhouse, and driving directions, visit our greenhouse page.

We're open each Sunday (except holiday weekends) from noon to 2pm. Often we are available outside these hours, too. Call us at (415) 841-1678 before you come by to make sure someone is available to show you around the greenhouse. Please note that we do not allow greenhouse visits for the purpose of shopping between April 1st and Mother's Day, as we prepare for our massive Annual Sale.

Other Opportunities to Help

If orchid-growing is not really your interest but you still want to help OrchidMania, we have opportunities in Administration, Marketing, Construction and Maintenance, Education, and Volunteer Development. Please contact us by e-mail with your full name and postal address, or phone (415) 841-1678.