Good Current Source for NZ Sphagnum?

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

I think high quality NZ sphagnum moss is very expensive for three basic reasons: (1) supply--it comes from New Zealand and there have been recent natural weather problems that have damaged sphagnum moss farms. (2) Demand--this product is superior (IMHO) to any other type of sphagnum moss available. It is widely used by Japanese and other SE Asia orchid growers and orchid nurseries. (3) Shipping--it is a long from New Zealand to the USA.

I use NZ AAA moss to wrap my orchid roots, and then I use long strand NZ AAAAA moss to secure the root ball in place. This is the way I grow my Neofinetia falcata. It seems to me that I have become so engrossed in Neofinetia that any thing associated with growing this plant is expensive!

And, I Matt, am positive you are right on all counts! Especially, since overseas commercial growing of Phals for export.....could barely get any bigger than it is in reponse to the marketplace, and many of those are potted in moss, incredibly, given what comes my way from the building, it seems potted in NZ! I am also stunned when I knock them out to observe this.

And Matt, celebrate your esoteric engrossment Not as if you are addicted to collecting Ferrari F-40s, right?

[Orchid Whisperer]

I know http://www.calwesttropical.com carries NZ moss.

[james mickelso]

Rocket J Squirrel posted a picture of some LF NZ moss a couple months ago which he says came from a pet store or hydroponics store. Characters are in Japanese. I got the same stuff he found in Texas. I'm in SoCal. Check with pet stores and hydroponics stores.

[katrina]

I've bought from CalWest too but it seems they've had a supply issue of late. WHen I needed it last time...they had none available. If they have it...they are also a good place to buy.

FWIW -- China also produces/grows a sphagnum moss. I suspect many of the asian growers are using the one from China rather than importing the NZ. I've never purchased it (to the best of my knowledge) but I hear it's a good quality sphag.

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by katrina

I've bought from CalWest too but it seems they've had a supply issue of late. WHen I needed it last time...they had none available. If they have it...they are also a good place to buy.

FWIW -- China also produces/grows a sphagnum moss. I suspect many of the asian growers are using the one from China rather than importing the NZ. I've never purchased it (to the best of my knowledge) but I hear it's a good quality sphag.

Now THIS....is INTERESTING! it would also explain the fine quality of the moss I find in the pots of many half dead Phals which come my way in the building! It appears to be NZ, but, I could never buy commercial growers would choose that, given what NZ must even cost THEM.

But some of those are not what people buy at big box or discount stores or supermarkets, they are clearly from our local florist who sells pretentiously presented, big (often cutting edge breeding) phals potted in clay with all the useless, cosmetic bells and whistles. He charges a fortune.

Having now learned about this Chinese moss, I now wish we had a source for it domestically, assuming logically, it must be far more affordable than NZ.