Is that a rhetorical question? :-)

I want to get some feedback from perhaps someone who has got things from Madagascar in years past.

Briefly, I have been buying Malala plants for more than half a dozen years; first from Bert Pressman, and then later from Botanica after Bert's death.

Of last year's order (the plants come to $40 each approx when you add it all up), I lost 50% instead of the usual 20-30%; the reason being a few of the plants had been mauled during entry and died within a few weeks, and another had been fumigated and arrived with only one leaf -- and died within a few months. Others have slowly started some growth since and will survive.

There is no guarantee you will receive viable plants, unfortunately. That is the risk you take in joining into this big buy.

On the other hand, most of these plants are not available for purchase anywhere else. So I will continue to take the risk and order through Botanica to get the Madagascan species I really want -- a great definition of a true orchid addict.

But some of the species are fairly common here in the US, seed-grown, and already established. I guess it's whatever trips your trigger.

If I could find a source for Oeonias and Beclardia species they listed I would do so. My addiction told me I definitely needed those when I got Hillermans book.

I got a Beclardia macrostachya with my 2009 order. It arrived pretty much dead except for a few living roots down in the moss. Kicked off shortly thereafter.

In the same order, I got an Oeonia oncidiflora. It was a surprisingly nice plant, but gradually died over the next six months. I didn't feel to bad about it because Hillerman had said it was impossible to grow so I was in good company. My conditions seemed perfect for it, but alas. I have thought of trying again this order; hopefully the new plant would arrive in as good condition as the previous one as a start.

Wasnt Hoosiers growing that Oeonia species? I seem to remember it being listed on the old website. Ill have to ask Leon next time I talk to him and relay any information I gather.

I checked Hoosier's 2006/2007 catalog and don't see it there. I had placed a pretty-good sized order with them just before they announced their liquidation and probably would have gotten one had it been available -- assuming it didn't have a sky-high price. Filed away somewhere, I have their liquidation lists printed out as well.

I do see on Bert Pressman's 2005 Malala list that he had both Oeonia species available and the O. volucris only in 2006. I wonder if anyone had any long-term success with those plants. Wish I had bought more back then.

As an aside, if Hoosier had flasks, then Erich would probably have them.