Why So Few Clowesia?

[Rowangreen]

Bulbofett, you say you get outbid at the last moment? Is that because the bid goes too high or because you don't have time to bid again?

Giving up secrets here, but I'm a 'sniper' in eBay auctions. I just about always make one bid in the last few seconds. I decide how much I'm willing to pay, and bid that amount: sometimes it's a lot more than is showing. Because of eBay's automatic bidding system, it won't bid more than you need to win. Eg if the current bid is £10 (and that person has actually bid £10) and I bid £20: if no-one else bids I get it for £10.50. If someone else bids over £20 last minute (or the previous bidder has) they beat me. As long as you decide what you are willing to pay you should never see someone else get it for less than you were willing to bid (OK... unless your computer crashes, which has happened to me... but even then there are aps out there which will bid for you!)

Agree with ordering through shows though. Here in Europe we don't have any growers of catasetums etc: they all come from out of the area. I've still managed to build up a big collection, (including Clowesia Grace Dunn and several Mormodes hybrids) I've got some off eBay, and some from sellers coming to shows: Peruflora and Jumbo orchids.

[Bulbofett]

Originally Posted by Rowangreen

Bulbofett, you say you get outbid at the last moment? Is that because the bid goes too high or because you don't have time to bid again?

Giving up secrets here, but I'm a 'sniper' in eBay auctions. I just about always make one bid in the last few seconds. I decide how much I'm willing to pay, and bid that amount: sometimes it's a lot more than is showing. Because of eBay's automatic bidding system, it won't bid more than you need to win. Eg if the current bid is £10 (and that person has actually bid £10) and I bid £20: if no-one else bids I get it for £10.50. If someone else bids over £20 last minute (or the previous bidder has) they beat me. As long as you decide what you are willing to pay you should never see someone else get it for less than you were willing to bid (OK... unless your computer crashes, which has happened to me... but even then there are aps out there which will bid for you!)

Agree with ordering through shows though. Here in Europe we don't have any growers of catasetums etc: they all come from out of the area. I've still managed to build up a big collection, (including Clowesia Grace Dunn and several Mormodes hybrids) I've got some off eBay, and some from sellers coming to shows: Peruflora and Jumbo orchids.

Sometimes it is because the bid goes too high and sometimes it is because the current bid will be $40 with 1 minute left to go. I wait until there are just a few seconds left in the auction and go big like $60. It never fails that I miss the auction by 1 or $2. That's what happened the most recent time I tried to buy a division. I bid $60 and some jerk bid $61. Such is life I suppose lol. I just don't bid on his auctions anymore. I asked if there was a way I could just outright buy a division from him, but he said no

[brsucculents]

I just looked at Jumbo Orchids website. They have some nice stuff but no prices. I don't think they come to the US anyway. I was curious about the Jumbo name. Now I know the origin. I came to the conclusion a while back that anything with Jumbo in the name was really nice. Their gallery is amazing!
I'm not the biggest fan of ebay. Don't get me wrong, I've gotten some great things off ebay. Most nurseries sell on ebay too. I find it strange that many times the ebay price is higher than the website price. I guess people get caught up on the bidding aspect.
Bulbofett, some of those white Ctsm pileatum are incredible. Stephen Moffitt had 'KG's Porcelian Doll' on his last list that was breath taking. It was only $18 but of course sold right away. Fortunately he's not selling everything on ebay.
This brings up another interesting thing. What's happening with all these plants that are sold? Plants should multiply geometrically, right? In theory the supply should outpace the demand eventually. Are people killing them? Not propagating them? or what?

[brsucculents]

Did I piss everyone off with my ebay comments?

I just saw that Bela Vista Orchids has Cl. rosea and they will be at the Redlands Show next year. Orchidues del Valle had warczewitzii and they will be at redlands also.

[reliablefool]

*sigh* I hate that I'm addicted to catasetinae in general because I haven't found what works for me with them yet. Heh. There are definitely some breathtaking clowesia and I wish they were more readily available as well.

Also, I can't tell if Bela Vista comes to anything here in California...my guess is they don't

[brsucculents]

Originally Posted by reliablefool

*sigh* I hate that I'm addicted to catasetinae in general because I haven't found what works for me with them yet. Heh. There are definitely some breathtaking clowesia and I wish they were more readily available as well.

Also, I can't tell if Bela Vista comes to anything here in California...my guess is they don't

I know!!! Damn these Orchid nurseries. I wish I had never heard Fred Clarke speak. Now I am addicted to Catacetum. And Stephen Moffitt is an enabler!!!

It appears that Orchidae del Valle was at the SF Show. They would be a good source for the finer Clowesia.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by brsucculents

And Stephen Moffitt is an enabler!!!

I got a couple of things from Stephen's new list. He had some good stuff!!

[katrina]

Originally Posted by brsucculents

It appears that Orchidae del Valle was at the SF Show. They would be a good source for the finer Clowesia.

ORQUÍDEAS DEL VALLE is a better source for catasetum than clowesia. When they were up here last November they only had one (warscewiczii) and I don't think they usually carry more than that one. ?? I got a really cool Ctsm discolor from them last November. I wanted a Galeandra divas but I was out of luck.

[brsucculents]

This post is off topic but wtf.

Ctsm. discolor is an interesting plant. All the flowers look female.

Both Bela Vista and Orchidues del Valle have a nice selection of Catasetum species.

I just found the flicker group catasetinae. There are some AMAZING pictures there, both species and hybrids.

[brsucculents]

Well I did email Fred Clark and he emailed me the division list and they had Grace Dunn and Rebecca Northen clone as well as Cl. warczewitzii but no rosea.

Did you get your plants Steve? I'm very happy with what I got.