TOM Orchid Nursery

[estación seca]

You need more than a phytosanitary certificate. You need a USDA import permit. The seller has to put a green and yellow label on the outside of the box with your permit number on it so USDA/APHIS can inspect your plants on arrival. Read and follow the import rules or your plants might be intercepted and burned, and you assessed a fine.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by JenRiot321

I never actually went through with any orders, but both times I put a cart together but did not check out (most recently a couple days ago) I received an email from an employee of Tom’s Orchids thanking me for the order but said it wasn’t complete (obviously, because I didn’t complete it) so they sent me a PayPal invoice for the contents of my cart. I’ve never had a vendor do that before. They seem eager to take orders from people. I’m hoping someone can eventually testify to a good experience and assuage our concerns. I think a lot of people are buying from that site because it has a good selection and very good prices, even including the phyto charge. Until I get some positive reviews I’m going to keep importing from very reliable sellers in South America! (I have four orders coming in this month and next month. I totally do NOT need a fifth. Lol!. It’s too bad that more Thailand orchid vendors don’t seem able to get their plants over here as I know there are some amazing orchids there!

Jen

Thank you, JenRiot, for a great example of the kind of input a "new" member can make about a vendor without crossing that line in the sand.

[JenRiot321]

Originally Posted by estación seca

You need more than a phytosanitary certificate. You need a USDA import permit. The seller has to put a green and yellow label on the outside of the box with your permit number on it so USDA/APHIS can inspect your plants on arrival. Read and follow the import rules or your plants might be intercepted and burned, and you assessed a fine.

You only need an import permit if you are getting more than 12 plants, usually. Dealing with the USDA and writing international phytos for a nursery is actually my job.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by JenRiot321

You only need an import permit if you are getting more than 12 plants (as long as they’re not restricted/CITES). Dealing with the USDA and writing international phytos for a nursery is actually my job.

Thank you.

[Contactcasey]

Just new to growing paphiopedilum orchids and came across this site. I thought I was buying from Florida as their shipping fee was $10 for 7 to 10 days. Also they did not mention any need to get paperwork for these orchids, again making me think they were domestic. It was not till I was looking for their phone number that I found them located in Thailand. Looking up their positive feedback, I found none, but did find this site. Thanks for your post. I just contacted my bank to cancel the charges. Consider this a lesson learned. Will look up reviews prior to making my next online order