I've been happy with Mountain Orchids. Orchid Web sends OK plants but no different than most other vedors but at least twice the cost.

Carolina Orchids is a good source of hard to find Bulbos but very expensive.

Nick

If you are into phals, take a look at Big Leaf Orchids. Not cheap, but Peter has some very interesting hybrids.

If this post shows up twice I apologize, my computer was lagging very much today.

Thank you all for the additional sources :) I also had Botanica and Clown Alley written down but I know nothing of them.

I am curious as to how Orchidweb justifies their prices with so many other sources out there.

Gita I had forgotten about Big Leaf for phals; thanks for mentioning!

"I am curious as to how Orchidweb justifies their prices with so many other sources out there."

I rarely purchase from this business. On the rare occasion that I do, I get large, blooming size plants. My most recent purchase (2009) was a Cattleya maxima which I immediately divided!

--Stitz--

Gold Country Orchids = mini-catts

Hanging Gardens = less common (not rare) species, especially pleuros.

Stitz, I don't mind paying more for a bigger plant. It sounds like opinions vary on Orchidweb, but you got a great deal!

Boxer, do you feel that you overpayed for all of the plants that you have received from them? I'm wondering if they are just inconsistent with what they send out.

Philo thanks, I will check that one.

I think I read on this forum that there is one vendor that posts a photo of the actual plant that you will be getting? If this sounds familiar, is this a recommended source? I'm not sure why I didn't make note of it.

Please let's not leave out Carter& Holmes and Orchidview in
S.C. Oh and I think there is another one down there. Parkview is wonderful in P.A. Marriot Orchids seems like they have quality plants although I've not bought anything from them yet. I know there are others that I'm forgetting about.

I also would advise you to take the time and do a search on this site about virus. I really think it's worth your while to do the homework. ginnibug

White Oak Orchids, in California, is a favorite of mine. It is always a treat to bring home one of their pretty things (in spike or near blooming) from the big spring show. They have all been well nurtured, vigorous plants that proceed to bloom--and do, again, in every following year.

Sc

Hawk Hills Nursery in the San Francisco area has the best Masdies and Draculas in California.

Granite Hills Orchids in the San Diego area is becoming a great source of Brazilian plants esp the rupiculous Laelias.

Nick

Forgot to mention that Granite Hills is also a good place to get high quality/awarded Australian plants. They are the direct importer of Cedarvale Orchids in Australia. You can go to that web page and select plants which GH will import for you.

Nick

You can just go over to OrchidMall for listings of both US and foreign vendors. The link is to the US orchid dealers. Their home page has links to vendors of orchid supplies and other services as well.

As always, it's good to get opinions before you order from a dealer you don't know.

Here is a link that might be useful: OrchidMall

I forgot about Carter and Holmes gini, and at some point tonight I'll look thru this site about viruses.

Nick as soon as I get a chance I'll take a look at the other sources you posted. It's a shame, I think I'm drawn to South American species and the masdies which I've grown to like so much I cannot grow, at least not now. I'm glad you listed these sources.

CJ I remember using orchidmall once a couple of months ago and it is definitely a good source.

OrchidMall has links to just about every online orchid dealer in the country. I can't think of many others who have online catalogs who have not chosen to list themselves there. Just about every dealer mentioned in this thread so far who sells mailorder is listed and linked to at OrchidMall.

Remember when buying online, you only pay sales tax if the dealer is in your home state.

Oak Hill Gardens and Kawamoto Orchids are top notch. Al's Orchid Greenhouse is great too (it's relatively close to where I live).

Richard I missed your post way back, it's the first time I've heard of "hanging gardens". Thanks for posting, I'll check it out.

CJ thanks for the heads up. I'm like the woman in the "Orbitz" commercial; the one with the disability that never wants to click on the final sale, hehe.

Orchid I haven't ordered from Oak Hill yet. Their plants seem very reasonable. I might be hesitant because I feel that I will be getting something small.

Carter and Holmes used to state they were virus free. I order regularly from them and have not stopped to see if the designation is still there. Although I cannot image it as changing. They do a great deal of hybridizing so would make sense that what they offer would be clean.

Hausermann's is one that initially I had a lot of faith in until I read a few horror stories. I started my collection with them and now I'm afraid of what a virus test is going to tell me about what I currently have. One of them I initially suspected had a slightly visible crown infection. Now I would not hesitate to return an item like that.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss, but you don't want to throw $$ away. It's an emotional expense as well.

I've never had a problem with Hausermann plants. All been clean to date. Sometimes they are overgrown, which my trading friends or I don't mind!

Bullsie that's good news. I'm just crossing my fingers when I finally decide to test. In the meantime I'm purchasing from all different vendors.

I went to J & L yesterday which is an hour away from me, and it was much smaller than I thought. I tried to get a good feeling for the "climate" inside the greenhouse since they grow mainly pleurothallids. I couldn't compare it to any place that I have been to, since most places with that type of humidity is usually warmer. Definitely not the place to go after a haircut and blow dry :)

Maybe this is incorrect, but I seem to recall mixed reviews on Clown Alley.

For the additions below, I've either dealt with them or heard good things about them.

1. Owens Orchids.
http://www.owensorchids.com/

2. Pine Ridge.
Excellent plants and customer service.
http://www.pineridgeorchids.com/index.htm

3. Piping Rock.
Haven't ordered from them, but they're out there.
http://www.pipingrockorchids.com/

4. Seagrove Orchids.
Linda is great to work with, and she's sent me some lovely plants.
http://seagroveorchids.com/

5. Waldor Orchids.
http://www.waldor.com/

6. Wild Orchid Company.
http://www.wildorchidcompany.com/

Fender's Flora is another vendor.

I have received gifts of Phals from Normans and beside being overpriced, I suspect a number of them were virused. I didn't want to spend the time or money to test them. They looked beautiful when they arrived, but subsequent blooms had color breaks.

It can happen anywhere but I think the smaller growers have their livelihood at stake and probably take more precautions when selling their plants.

Velamina, the GWOS is having their 'once a year' auction and sale on Oct. 11 at the Harrison Center. Some top growers will be there selling their plants and there will be supplies for sale. Its free and open to the public. I would strongly suggest you try to attend. You can get some great plants at good prices.

I tried emailing you and the mail bounces back.

Jane

Thanks Jane.

Whitecat, I added your vendors to my list. I also took advantage of the sale at TOF and I'll be getting my first order from them next week (yay!)

A couple of weeks ago I ordered from Andy's and was really pleased. I just placed another order with him.

I remember reading on one of the threads here just recently that sometimes TOF packs a surprise with your order. I opened my box today with anticipation: a very cute cross Broughtonia negrilensis x Laelia crawshayana, I think nbs. That was really nice, and additionally all plants arrived beautiful.

Btw if there are any growing tips that I should know about with this cross besides brighter light please let me know. Thanks.

Has anyone ordered from Orchidaceae?

Here is a link that might be useful: Orchidaceae Orchids

Just emailed you. Did you get it?

I made an order recently from Seattle Orchids - I had never heard of this vendor before, but found some very desirable species. I was pleased with the size of the plants that were listed as 'BS' or 'overgrown' - they were really beasts.
Very nice packing as well. The website is sometimes a little hinky.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seattle Orchids

Never heard of Seattle Orchids but liked their site. found some things I may order. Definitely bookmarked their page.

Nick

I am assuming Seattle Orchids is the same as incredibleorchids on eBay. I just got a plant today that I had won on eBay, and Seattle Orchids was the return address on the box.

Anyhow, the plant I got is healthy and happy, exactly as described and pictured. Good communication. Can't really ask for more than that.

WC I have one e-mail from you from the 4th but no others. Sorry I couldn't post this sooner.

Velamina, thanks again for starting this thread. I reconstructed my vendor list a few weeks ago and left off H&R. Turns out they've got 2 Dens and an Encyclia I haven't seen before. I'm smitten!

Oak Hill Garden has some $9.99 specials. After the Laelias and Catteleyas they list some exiting Tollumnia clones. Here is a list of them:

Tolumnia unknowniana
Rodrumnia whoknowswhatitisia
Tolumnia yourguessisgoodasmineisiana

I got a few of them.

Nick

There are several registered Tol. Genting hybrids. I think they just didn't get the second part of the name. And the color is just a clonal thing. They are very pretty. I had killed a Genting Angel last year ... sigh.

A little while ago some one mentioned TOF. I did not know who they were right away but finally figured it out, Tropical Orchid Farm, Hawaii. Looked at their web page and immediately found some good stuff. My first order from them just arrived. Nice healthy plants including a Dendrobium nemorale which has 5 canes 24" long and 3 shorter ones. For $11.00, a great deal. The most expensive plant was a Bulbophyllum masdevalliaceum for $18.00 which has 13 bulbs with 4 front leads, no complaint there either. They included a nice bonus plant, Oerstedella Costa Rica x Oerst. caligera in bud.

I will definitely look at them again and would recommend they be added to any vendor list.

Nick

I'm glad I wasn't the only one that got a bonus, I was starting to feel bad about posting that. I'm curious since I think some others made some purchases from TOF as well to take advantage of the sale.

Petite and CJ thanks for mentioning Seattle Orchids.

WC which ones did you order? If you don't feel like posting send me an e-mail, I'm curious about the ones you hadn't seen.

I hope that Andy redoes his website soon; does anyone else feel the same?

Nick, before the economy tanked, TOF had free shipping for a month or so every fall.

Velamina, ended up ordering from Andy's cuz he had everything I wanted, including the Den peguanum that wasn't listed. That's a new one to me. I saw it in the H&R catalog first, thanks to you mentioning it.

{{gwi:196604}}
Den peguanum, Jay's

{{gwi:196605}}
Den peguanum, Andy's

This picture just DID it for me! Andy says his plant is blooming size and 1" high. Jay says it's a miniature w/ 1/2" flowers, so we'll see.

I hadn't run across a fringed Den for intermediate conditions that's small-medium in size - for some reason thought they didn't exist. Looove the fringe. The Den brymerianum is on its way.

{{gwi:196607}}
Den brymerianum, Andy's

Also unlisted @ Andy's & also new for me was the Encyclia adenocaula, which is bright pink. It was a bit more than I wanted to spend.

{{gwi:196610}}
Encyclia adenocaula.jpg

Replaced the Den ceraula (gonzalesii), which had been here before.

{{gwi:196613}}

Andy's website is easy for me to navigate, maybe from lots of practice. :)

There seems to be a conspiracy afloat to have me on a diet of dog food again! The yellow fringed Dend looks inviting.

It's comforting to know that since there are only 35,000 known species at least there is a limit to this madness. I may need a bigger greenhouse, maybe the old hangar where the Spruce Goose was built is still available.

Nick

Before you save your Christmas money for that 'not-so-special' person, TOF's fall sale is still going on. Of course you can order from their regular stock as well. The sale savings will generally be enough to cover their shipping and handling fees.

Be honest with yourself; what did Cousin Simon ever really do for you?

Here is a link that might be useful: Tropical Orchid Farm

WC, I love the Den. peguanum!

WC - what do you mean by an orchid that "wasn't listed"? Do you ask the vendor if they have a specific plant that you are lusting after? And if they have one/some, but not enough to list on their website, then they admit it?
I think I found a D. schuetzei that way - whined to everyplace I could find until one turned up - but it was a specific debilitating craving, not a general one.
Thanks - Nancy
p.s. that D. peguanum is very fine!

What do you mean by an orchid that "wasn't listed"? Do you ask the vendor if they have a specific plant that you are lusting after?

YES!

And if they have one/some, but not enough to list on their website, then they admit it?

YES!

Yes and yes, Petite Orange, as Stitz says. For 2 gotta-have-no-matter-whats, I pulled out all the stops & emailed every vendor with an email address. :)

One was the Hab medusae. For that one, I also went on all the forums that seemed remotely relevant. It worked. A guy on a terrestrial orchid forum said to email him early Nov. this year, when he'd know if he had any extra. Awfully nice of him.

Both "campaigns" were successful. Two vendors had the Hab last spring and one had the Phal Leopard Prince 'Sogo Diamond.'

Cj said, "Be honest with yourself; what did Cousin Simon ever really do for you?"

Good one.

Oak Hill Gardens had a Tolumnia special. They jokingly called them;

Tolumnia unknowniana
Rodrumnia whoknowswhatitisia
Tolumnia yourguessisgoodasmineisiana

I bought 5 of them and today they arrived, large healthy plants all named, with tags. Good vendor.

Nick

WC I keep coming back to this page to look a the den. I like it very much but couldn't really tell if it was a miniature. Is the size similar to laevifolium? I'm wishing the photo had a coin next to it or something.

Nick the bonus that I got from TOF is really growing beautifully. One of them has the sheath growing out of the top? I think the term is correct. Also 3 more pseudobulbs with perfect leaves, not as mature as the first one. How long does it take at this stage before it blooms?

I got answers to both questions.

I get the impression that the den is on the smaller side but still slightly bigger than the laevifolium. It's going on my wish list.

Sorry to drag up an older thread, but does anyone know of a reputable jewel orchid vendor? I've started eyeballing these and would love an opinion from someone who's ordered them online before.