Recommendations on where to purchase Specimen size orchids?

[Jebinmn]

I’ve been trying to find specimen size oncidium, Dendrobium, and Phals - but am struggling. I know that orchids.com has some - but their reviews are not great. I also know that many nurseries won’t advertise them because their quantity is so limited.

Any recommendations you have would be great!!👍
Thank you!

[Roberta]

First, Welcome!

Try Santa Barbara Orchid Estate - especially temperate Australia Dendrobiums. Cal Orchid may also have some of what you are looking for in Oncidinae and Dendrobdiums. Andy's Orchids also has some specimen-size plants. For Phals, have you tried Big Leaf Orchids? Peter Lin, the owner, is a Phal specialist, and with a very good reputation. In all cases, you'll need to contact the nurseries , not likely to find specimens online - both limited availability and high price. But a direct inquiry may yield better results.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Orchids Limited is in Minnesota.

Orchids by Hausermann in the Chicago area sells large Cattleyas and Phals, often in bud.

If you start with a first flowering Oncidium hybrid in a standard 3.25" pot you should have a large specimen within 2 years. I've never seen large specimens sold of these, probably because they take so much space.

[Jebinmn]

Thank you for your recommendations - I will definitely check them all out.

[Keysguy]

The best specimen plants I have owned I obtained from a fellow society member either directly or in an auction or as an estate liquidation or a grower who is retiring from the hobby.

Join a society (or 2 or 3) and you'll have access to lots of things you might not have expected.

[Darrieb]

I have puchased from them 4 or 5 times now. Every time the plant is huge, spiking even when not advertised as such, and so healthy it's amazing. All of the orchids I'm sharing were puchased as "Near Blooming Size". Within three weeks of arrival, they all started spiking.

Highly, highly recommend!

[Jebinmn]

Thank you! Palmer Orchids is definitely one of the best. Everything I've ever gotten from them has been wonderful.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board, Darrieb! It would be nice if both Jebinmn and you go to the Introductions - Break the Ice forum and tell us a little about yourselves - what you're interested in, how you got into orchids, your growing setup, etc.

And it would be great if you posted reviews of Palmer Orchids in the Vendor Feedback forum here. Lots of people look up vendors in that forum. We don't allow newcomers to post bad reviews for 6 months, but good reviews are always welcome.

Various forums are accessible from the left yellow menu, Forums.

[Jebinmn]

estación seca thanks for letting us know about the protocol for the board. I went ahead and put in my introduction and left a couple of reviews for different vendors.