Got my first order from Andy's Orchids!

[Royal]

OK, we joke about the OB being a bad influence -- but seriously, you make it hard to resist. So, I caved. I'd been eying Andy's Orchids website for a while now. I'm really into species, so I get lost for hours there (there are a few on my list I can not find ANYWHERE!). Great site! Sooo many to chose from. A little pricey for my taste, too. But I know some of you highly recommend them, so I was almost there.

Then, on Monday, I saw it... He actually had what I've been searching for! Caularthron (Diacrium) bicornutum. He didn't have it last month. SLO Orchids had it listed, but wouldn't sell me what they had. I found it at Floralia in Brazil, but I would have had to wait until October when they came to a show, get it mailed, 100 dollar minimum, yada yada. So, it needed a traveling companion, right?

I finally settled (more like closed my eyes and pointed) on Laelia gouldiana. First of all, it shipped immediately. It came expertly packaged. The C. bicornutum is mounted and is very well established, nicer than most all of my mounted orchids. Some roots dangling down about a foot were unharmed in the mail. Amazing! The Laelia is potted in a 4". It too, is very well established with several old bloom spikes and one just coming up! These both have clearly been grown very carefully and aggressively. I was literally stunned. No more ebay for me, I'm just gonna save up for Andy's.