American Orchid Society

What American Orchid Society does

The American Orchid Society (AOS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1921 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, dedicated to orchid education, research, judging, and conservation. It serves a global membership base of more than 10,000 orchid hobbyists, accredited judges, and educational participants across at least seven countries (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Germany, and Brazil). The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees and supported by a lean staff of 1-10 employees.

The AOS operates an interconnected portfolio of products and services centered on a proprietary digital platform. Its flagship publication, Orchids Magazine, has been continuously issued since 1932 with 13 issues per year and a digital archive dating to the inaugural volume. The OrchidPro Online Database is a proprietary, member-exclusive system containing over 100,000 photographs of award-winning orchids along with related charts, taxonomy, and award documentation, accessed at op.aos.org. Complementary offerings include a library of over 200 educational webinars, an Orchid Marketplace vendor directory with member discounts, the Lindleyana scientific journal, the Orchid Care educational resource library, and the AOS Awards & Judging Program supported by global judging centers and an affiliated societies network. The technical stack is conventional web infrastructure with payment processing via Authorize.net, Stripe, and PayPal; there is no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

The AOS generates revenue through five streams: annual auto-renewing membership subscriptions (the primary recurring stream), publication and merchandise sales, marketplace vendor participation, transactional fees for awards and judging, and tax-deductible donations. Membership is sold via a self-service portal at secure.aos.org with individual, gift, and youth tiers and a 30-day refund window on auto-renewal. Go-to-market is education-led content marketing through the website, Orchids Magazine, webinars, the Orchid DealWire email newsletter, Facebook and Instagram, and in-person events including the annual Spring Conference and Orchid Culture Day. Strategic partnerships with the American Horticultural Society (Reciprocal Admissions Program) and Krull-Smith (Apopka International Spring Orchid Festival) extend the organization's reach without requiring additional direct distribution investment.

Name

American Orchid Society

Legal name

American Orchid Society, Inc.

Website

https://www.aos.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The American Orchid Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1921 that serves over 10,000 orchid hobbyists, judges, and educators worldwide through its flagship magazine, proprietary OrchidPro database of 100,000+ award photos, educational webinars, judging programs, and affiliated society network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticultural Education & Membership Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Protected Cultivation of Specialty Crops (Orchids, Bonsai, Exotics) (AFAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Greenhouse Floriculture (Cut Flowers) (AFAGAHAD)

Keywords

• Orchid education
• Horticulture publications
• Membership nonprofit
• Plant conservation
• Orchid judging

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership with auto-renewal providing access to Orchids Magazine, OrchidPro database, webinars, discounts, and other member benefits. The primary recurring revenue stream for the organization.
2. Orchids Magazine and Publications: Sale of Orchids Magazine (13 issues per year), Annual Supplements, Lindleyana magazine, and books. Members receive complimentary magazine subscription with digital archive access.
3. Orchid Marketplace: Vendor marketplace platform where orchid and supply vendors list products. Revenue generated through vendor participation and listings.
4. Awards and Judging Fees: Fees charged for award applications, show fees, and judging services.
5. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from members and supporters supporting conservation, research, and education programs.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The American Orchid Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that delivers orchid education through its flagship Orchids Magazine (13 issues annually plus a digital archive dating to 1932), the proprietary OrchidPro online database of 100,000+ award-winning orchid photographs, 200+ expert-led webinars, a vendor marketplace offering member discounts, and a global orchid awards and judging program. The organization also funds conservation initiatives and operates a worldwide network of affiliated orchid societies.

Product overview

The American Orchid Society (AOS) is a membership-based nonprofit organization dedicated to orchid education, research, and conservation since 1921. The AOS offers a portfolio of interconnected products and services centered around orchid knowledge and community. The core offerings include: Orchids Magazine (the flagship award-winning publication with digital archive dating to 1932), OrchidPro Online Database (a searchable database of over 100,000 award-winning orchid photographs), Orchid Webinars (hundreds of educational video presentations), and the Orchid Marketplace (vendor directory with exclusive member discounts). Additional services include orchid care education resources, an awards and judging program, affiliated societies directory, and youth education programs. The AOS operates as a platform serving over 10,000 members worldwide with both digital and print content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AOS Annual Membership An annual auto-renewing subscription that grants individual members access to Orchids Magazine, the OrchidPro database, 200+ webinars, exclusive vendor discounts, judging opportunities, and access to expert orchid advice through Ask the Orchid Doctor.
• Orchids Magazine The AOS's flagship award-winning monthly publication covering orchid cultivation, species, hybrids, and award-winning specimens, with a digital archive accessible to members dating back to 1932.
• OrchidPro Online Database A member-exclusive searchable proprietary database containing over 100,000 photographs of award-winning orchids along with related data, charts, and award details.
• Orchid Webinars
• Orchid Marketplace
• Lindleyana Magazine
• AOS Awards & Judging Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 13 issues of award-winning Orchids Magazine annually with digital archive access
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Horticultural Society (AHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReciprocal Admissions Program partnership allowing AOS members to access gardens and benefits through the American Horticultural Society's garden network. Joint conservation and education initiatives supporting orchid and plant conservation efforts.
• Apopka International Spring Orchid FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAOS partners with Krull-Smith to host the Apopka International Spring Orchid Festival in conjunction with the AOS Spring Conference in Florida.
• Affiliated Orchid SocietiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of local orchid societies and clubs affiliated with AOS, providing regional community support, events, and local orchid education. The AOS provides resources, judging standards, and organizational support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Urban botanical garden with membership programs, plant education, and conservation. Comparable in audience and education/conservation mission, though focused on a wide range of plants rather than orchids specifically.
• Kew Gardens (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew): World-leading botanical institution with research, conservation, education, and memberships. Highly relevant comparability in plant science, conservation, and educational mission; vastly larger scale and broader plant mandate than AOS.
• Smithsonian Gardens: Public garden division of the Smithsonian with horticultural exhibitions, education, and plant collections. Comparable in education/outreach mission; differs in being part of a larger museum complex and covering plants broadly.
• Longwood Gardens: Major public garden with memberships, educational programming, and plant conservation. Comparable audience (hobbyists, conservation supporters) and membership-driven revenue, but with a physical visitor attraction model.
• New York Botanical Garden: Major botanical institution with plant collections, conservation programs, education, publications, and membership tiers. Overlaps with AOS in conservation, public education, and horticulture research, but operates at much larger scale across all plants rather than orchids specifically.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Large botanical garden with membership, education, conservation, and a research program. Comparable in mission (plant education, conservation) and member-based revenue model, though significantly broader in botanical scope.

Direct peers

• Royal Horticultural Society: The UK's leading gardening membership charity with a similar model — paid membership, flagship publications, judging/awards programs (e.g., Chelsea Flower Show awards), affiliated local societies, and educational resources. Directly comparable as a horticultural membership organization with publications and credentials.
• American Horticultural Society: US-based plant membership nonprofit offering publications, education, and a reciprocal garden network. Already an AOS strategic partner; comparable in operating model, audience (hobbyist gardeners), and educational programming focus.
• Cactus and Succulent Society of America: Specialty plant membership society with publications, affiliated local clubs, and an awards/show system. Closely parallels AOS in serving a narrow specialty plant hobbyist segment with similar education and community structure.
• African Violet Society of America: Specialty plant society running memberships, a magazine, judging programs, and conventions for African violet enthusiasts. Mirrors AOS's product mix (magazine, judging, affiliations) on a similar narrow-hobby footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/americanorchidsociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/americanorchidsociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-orchid-society-libr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Orchid Society