Founded in 1984, AgriStarts is a family-owned company specializing in wholesale tissue culture liners. 

The company produces contaminant-free starter plants using micropropagation techniques in its laboratory facilities. Its environmentally controlled greenhouses support large-scale production of true-to-type plants, and operations incorporate stabilized media and ebb-and-flood irrigation systems designed for water and fertilizer recapture. AgriStarts supplies plant material to a variety of horticultural markets and emphasizes rapid propagation and handling efficiency in its production methods.

Araceae researcher, enthusiast and curator with a focus on pendent Anthurium species.

Jason Hughes has lived for twenty years in Uvita, Costa Rica where he curates exotic species from his trips into habitat. He discovered Monstera cedenoi and was a co-author on the paper describing it.

SATURDAY ANNUAL MEMBER DINNER SCHEDULE

Lucas Garcia is a devoted horticulturist and has served as the Araceae family curator at the Amazon Spheres greenhouse since 2021. His passion for aroids began soon after he earned his Bachelors of Science in Plant Biology from the University of Washington in 2018. While he is still a relatively new face in the International Aroid Society, he is excited to be more involved and help revitalize the West Coast Chapter. Lucas maintains an Araceae collection of more than 2,000 plants from over 600 accessions.

Some of his favorite genera to cultivate include Amorphophallus and Anthurium. Additionally, he designs themed aroid displays, leads educational workshops, and collaborates with other horticulture experts and aroid enthusiasts to acquire new species for The Spheres and share plant materials to advance aroid conservation and research.

SUNDAY EXPO SCHEDULE

With an undying love for nature and its respective curiosities, there are few things Tyler’s brain isn’t obsessing over. Between his pursuits to crystallize the world, opalize everything, and hunt down some of the realm’s most unique plants, his passion to combine art and science every step of the way is his fire and fuel.

Chances are if you catch Tyler at a party, he’ll talk your ear off about exploring caves, growing minerals in his lab, playing Dungeons and Dragons, hybridizing new plants, electronic music, the importance of self-compassion, and just how amazingly beautiful and mysterious this whole wide universe is. Tyler has a wide range of projects under his belt including but not limited to crystallizing insects, creating some of the world’s first and only opalized insects and flowers, hybridizing plants and creating new cultivars, capturing the natural world through illustration, creating a series of scientific and strange alchemy inspired toys, and a few published books including “The Wisdom of the Furnace”, “Grow a Damn” and his next upcoming book “The Universe in 100 colors”.

Lynn is an expert in the industry, as well as a hands-on consultant and has been a star class speaker for many facets of the industry from Day Lilies to Palm Trees to farms or anything or anywhere you can think of!

Throw a dart on the map of the world- he has probably been there! Awards don’t exist for this unique amazing individual. Lynn is unparalleled in his profession and tirelessly and dedicatedly works to help everyone who needs it. We are here to improve and save the agricultural and horticultural communities across the world.

William "Bill" Rotolante is a lifelong member of the International Aroid Society (IAS), serving in numerous leadership roles, including Events Chair, Vice President, and currently President.

A second-generation nurseryman from South Florida, Bill owns Silver Krome Gardens Inc., one of North America's largest producers of rare Aroids. His nursery houses many plants in the IAS collection and has raised thousands of dollars for the IAS charitable contribution fund. Bill’s expertise in Anthurium breeding was featured in the Aroidiana publication.

Beyond the IAS, he has served as President of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA), a Farm Bureau Board Member, and on the Young Nurseryman’s Advisory Board for Farm Credit of Florida. His passion for Aroids has made him a leader in his industry as he tries to foster this same love in the newer generations of Aroid enthusiasts.