Hi all,
Your posts have been so helpful to me, so I thought I'd post some of my recent experiences with orchid vendors. I've been in an orchid-acquiring phase lately
I'm in central NY, for reference.
First off, Orchids by Hausermann. This was my first online orchid purchase, and I've received several orders from them since. They are very slow to respond to emails, but otherwise very reliable. I have been delighted with just about everything that I've gotten from them, and in many cases they sent plants that were much larger than the described plant. What was supposed to be a 2 inch pot Brassoleila Yellow Bird came as a 4 inch pot overflowing with roots and growths. A Guilded Tower Mystic Maze that was not listed in spike showed up in a giant box with a two foot tall spike, what a thrill! Plants from Hausermann almost always are in need of repotting, but I prefer to repot anyway.
Many plants they sell are very tiny and years from blooming, but they are careful to state that, and almost all of these seedlings have done really well so far. For a new collector, it is sort of a thrill to get a range of different species at a low cost.
Next up is OrchidClassics4U. I admit their free shipping over 50 is just a touch tempting even if I know it is probably included in the purchase price, and they had some species that I've been eyeing. I did have a mixed up order but they were super quick to respond and sent the missing plant the next day, and when shipping was delayed due to the Texas heat (totally not their fault!) they sent free plant. I also had them send a few plants to my Dad when he was sick, and they arrived fast and in full bloom (as the website stated) and he was very impressed (he's an orchid lover too, but mostly has supermarket Phals). The Phal Speciosa and Hieroglyphica from my last order with them are super vigorous, the Speciosa had three spikes which are all blooming now and the Hieroglyphica is trying to grow right out of its pot, and they've only been with me less than two months. Also, since I'm located in central NY, shipping from Virginia is pretty quick, as long as the post office doesn't screw it up (which they do frequently).
As you can see I'm sort of into Phals, so of course I had to order from Big Leaf Orchids. They were very careful to ship to avoid damage from the Texas heat, but the plants were worth the wait, all beautifully grown. I've had them less than a month so it is hard to say how they will adjust from their lush greenhouse to my modest home conditions, but so far so good with two out of three showing fresh new root tips. I really love how accurate Peter's descriptions of his plants are, in some cases you are getting the actual plant shown, or one very similar.
And last but not least... Brookside Orchids. I just got this order, it was a back to school impulse purchase, and they had some plants I've been longing for with very reasonable prices. They were very prompt with their shipping (it helps that they are in a moderate climate) and the plants are all lovely and lush. This was the only seller which shipped plants in pots that didn't need repotting-- the media was fresh, moss was not compacted, and they were not in immediate need of potting up. This was especially appreciated for the Angraecum, which supposedly dislikes being repotted-- it came in what looks like relatively fresh bark and perlite, which is exactly how I would have potted it. I did repot the Phals, but only because I'm fussy and prefer clear pots, they would have been fine as is for another year.
OrchidClassics, BigLeaf, Brookside, Hausermann
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