Orchid Imports
 

Hey Y'all,
I made a new video discussing tips and tricks for orchid imports, specifically regarding Catasetums and Cattleyas.

Enjoy!

Imports! - YouTube

Thanks man! I haven't ever imported but nice to know that a 50% survival rate is normal!!

The Catasetums are tricky!! Cattleyas are much easier!

Absolutely incorrect!

In the distant past (1968-1977), when I worked for my dad, we would do imports of wild collected plants (Dendrobium, Paphiopedilum & Vandaceous) from Thailand & India via air freight, typically with 2+ week transit time: Survival rate would be in 98-99% range.

Currently I rent a greenhouse from a Taiwanese Phalaenopsis producer. They get shipments of blooming size Phals in every 2-3 weeks (in refrigerated ocean containers). After 30+ days transit time in closed boxes, the survival rate is 99-100%.

There is no justification for loss of Cattleyas with modern shipping methods. For Catasetums you have to time the shipment, so they ship while dormant.

Sounds like Kim has only seen at the good side of what is a broad spectrum.

There are several factors that affect import survival rate:

1. Particular type of plant.
2. Condition of the plant at its source.
3. Preparation and packing.
4. Promptness of shipping
5. Transit time
6. Transit conditions
7. Customs clearance time
8. Handling during customs clearance and inspection
9. Repacking job by inspectors
10. Transit time to destination
11. Conditions during that time
12. Care in unpacking
13. Care of the plant upon receipt.

A weakness in any one of them can adversely effect the survival of the plant, as can slight deficiencies in a few or several.

I used to import about 500 Chinese cymbidiums a month from Taiwan. Bare root, two old growths, one new, usually in spike or bud. Never lost a one; if I lost a bud, it was my sloppiness in handling them during unpacking and potting.

I imported cattleyas from Brazil when I was a relatively new grower. Long transit times meant some were quite desiccated when I got them. Took a long time to recover. Lost a few.

Imported a bunch of species from Indonesia. Small phals were quite desiccated and didn’t make the trip. Other stuff had few issues.

I imported a bunch of vandas from Thailand. Stuck ‘em in the greenhouse and away they went, as if they had not moved out of their origins.

Kim,
You should check out the video. William is talking about 50% survival rate for Catasetums after a couple of years of acclimation to the northern hemisphere. This is the rate I've achieved and the rate that Fred Clarke told me he's achieved as well. That's what the above comment is referring to. My success rate with Cattleyas is MUCH higher.

---------- Post added at 08:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 AM ----------

I agree! Luckily the imports I talk about in my video are those that come with vendors from South America as they travel to shows in the United States and then distribute from there. That way the individual grower who only wants a handful of plants (not 500 per month!) can get imports without purchasing Phytosanitary certificates and can avoid long transit times.