In 1980, Weyman accepted a position with "the godfather of the flower industry" in Mexico. Eighteen months later he formed his own partnership and started a very successful flower operation called "Rancho La Joya". That lasted until 1989, when Weyman, growing bored of making money (for his partners), decided to go full time with a new company he had created "Save the Flora International". This company's objective was to promote ecologically sustainable development and salvage some of the millions of orchid plants he had observed dying over his many travels around the country and the tropical world (see article in 1983 AOS Bulletin). Plants were being lost by the millions, mostly from the slash and burn harvesting technique for lumber, without concern for other endemic species. He also stirred up a lot of mud with the Fish and Wildlife Department in Washington, D.C. and the Mexican Ercology Department over a dam in Oaxaca, and was officially instructed to cease his operations (see article in 1989 AOS Bulletin). Being the obedient fellow he was, he did, and has spent the last twelve years recovering from his efforts to publicly try to help the environment.
Meanwhile to make a living and pursue his life long ambition, he has continued to grow orchids, give talks around the country, and set up other orchid nurseries. All told, four of the six existing today in Mexico are due to his efforts. He specializes in Mexican species, has a laboratory for propagation, has created a line of Tropical flowering Cymbidiums and tries to grow any orchid that he doesn't kill, by accident of course!
Weyman lives part time in Mission, Texas where he has set up a new up and growing nursery under the name of "Abunda Flora" to distribute his Mexican produced orchid plants. He has a daughter, Laelia, and two sons, Robert and Dustin, and his wife of many years, Albaluz. Most of the time, Weyman claims to live in his pickup truck in Mexico.
An adventurer at heart, an orchidist to the core, professor of innovation and a great lecturer on Mexican orchids and tropical orchid growing, Weyman says anybody can grow an orchid. They can be obtained with a minimum investment and require only the right environment and lots of love. His notoriety has gotten him a brief mention in the Orchid Thief, the popular book by Susan Orleans that has now been made into a movie. He claims he hadn't been in Florida for 4 years prior to his encounter with the author, because of his painful losses caused by hurricane Andrew, and he was slightly misquoted in the book. You'll have to come and see his presentation to judge for yourself.
Afterwards, you will be able to purchase some of the plants mentioned in the talk at very reasonable prices and personally ask him how to care for them. As Weyman says, his company is not called ABUNDA FLORA for nothing!!! |
