I frankly didn't grow one of these -some plants will like your conditions, some won't. You will never know until you try, LE plants all grow super well for me. Never had an issue, They do sport every so often when you try to propagate them. And green ones are easier than variegated ,,, as usual.

GET THEM ALL,

I., the naughty one,

Ohhhhh, irina_co , all I needed was the “go” word. I’m on it. Excited and soon to be broke. These will come from Poland and Ireland. As far as shipping should I wait til summer end to ship for heat safety? I was hoping prices would drop but disappointed so far.

The most dangerous for shipping - is in your home town. The rest of the trip - it is not exposed to outside that much. So - if you are already in 100Fs ... you need to wait. If you hit 90F - I would ask the seller to ship it to your post office for pick up - or to some business address - so it won't be sitting on a curb. If you are at 85F and lower - it is a good time to buy.

I found one of the plants you were interested in - it has a bid for $10 and shipping for $8 from Poland. It is not expensive regarding the variety and the distance - probably half of the price of the plant will go towards shipping costs anyway.

Le elli and rose winter are very pretty. I almost want to bet on le elli last month.

We hit 82 today. Think I will give it a go.! I ordered a few leaves 1st. Want to see how they do. Hope to b here Thursday.

I just saw le ellie sold by a seller in ny. Don't worry, I won't fight with you. I'm done with my spring shopping. :D

Elsa, that is sweet of u. However, it is fine with me if u buy it. I may wait til summer end. Currently, my outside gardening is kicking in too. Plus, I want to research a bit. It is beautiful. I hope u get it too and have success. Then u can share the secrets. - giggle

My thoughts are, if you live in the US and you don't have your general import/export permit, and the seller does not provide a phytosanitary certificate, the plants can be burned trying to get through New York. Many packages get through, but if you are one of the unlucky people, they will destroy the shipment and you have no recourse. If there is any of these you can find here, you are much safer.

The last two grow well, but have better variegation when grown in a cool location.

I should add that a general import export permit is free for hobbiests. You just have to fill out the paperwork and send it in. I think that one lasts 3 years. I have to pay for mine.

My understanding the sellers need to provide a phytocertificate - and it usually pretty much unreal in former USSR countries. It is like inviting their IRS to call it a business and tax it to death.

I know that some replace a lost shipment, some do not.

All good to hear.I have not seen a US offer to buy these yet. Would love to find an offer.

Wrangler pink patches is U.S.

It reminded me of Rose Bouquet

Will customs be less intrigued with my shipment if I order leaves instead of a plant with dirt? There would be less opportunity for the buggies to travel.

Customs - is either the hit or miss - if the plant material doesn't have a phytocertificate - it will be incinerated. They won't spare your leaves. It is not that they have some bugs we do not and it is not an important agricultural crop the customs are protecting. It is the way how live plants are treated according to the rules.

If you order the plants or leaves - you need to have everything treated and isolated - just like you would treat stuff you bought from some unknown source. You can pretty much trust Violet Barn - but you still isolate them for a while. You get stuff from an AV sale - you better watch it.

K irina_co, shipment is due between today and next wensday. Getting the alcohol and warm water ready. Then they will be bagged for a few months.

I bet you are very anxious!

I haven’t ordered the ones I really want. I started with a few I would be willing to lose. Although, I can see there r no gaurentees. Yes am still looking in the US 1st.

If they are available in US - absolutely. But that's the way how brand new Russian and Ukrianian varieties make it here. By overseas boxes.

Most of the time parcels make OK. DO NOTwait till hot weather.

It is not what you are ready or not ready to lose. It is about money. You spend $50 on plants - and get mush. If it hurts too much - do not do it. Otherwise - get adventurous!

You evil evil people...because of this thread I went to ebay, which is always a mistake. I got caught up in bidding and a 'Blue Eyed Russian' at horrid cost (due to shipping especially) is on it's way to me. Mine is a domestic buy though at least.

Dbarron - debahahahahaha!!! The fun of it all. I recieved 2 boxes, from cvvioletry and fancy bloomers. I’ve laid 36 baggies of cut up leaves just from the 1st box. I didn’t count the ones from tonight. It’s past 10pm and I’ve just finished this last box after coming home late to find them.

irina_co my Dublin box made it thru customs and as of tonight is passing thru NJ. We have had intense rain for 3 days so that’s in my favor. I hope it’s not mush! It’s due tues. we r about to find out. For once, I hope the rain continues. It’s gonna b a hot summer.

Irina_co maybe then if I wait til next season I can find them in the US. Although, with bidding prices as they r, it probably won’t make much difference. Some r crazy. Ponder, ponder

"Blue Eyed Russian' is an old variety - it is widely grown in US. I would say - $15 max if you really anxious - and if it is a good well grown starter. It is a worthy plant - the blossoms are in the same coloration as Blue Dragon - but less stiff - and the rosette is a dream. Not small though.

Cheryl - put a price limit for yourself - and check every week. The bidding Goddess takes naps.

Yes Irina, I fell into the ebay trap. I got the plant for $8.50, but $8.00 on shipping (sigh). I could have easily gotten it cheaper by shopping...but somehow I didn't :( I don't know what made me bid on it (I hoped I didn't win bid)

I think 8.5 + 8 shipping is not bad. The 2 big vendors charge similar price and shipping.

I think the worst trap ebay has is auto bidding. No matter how much you increase your bidding price, you cannot out bid the other person and you don't know what is the maximum price the other person set.

Shipping for $8 is extremely cheap. Probably First class. Priority - I charge 10.50 - and half of the time I am losing on it. USPS prices went up, Ebay +Paypal take 13% out of it. you need to buy Scotch tape and bubble wrap for mild weather, insulation material for hot.... rubber bands, labels, paper, printer ink....Complain, complain..

Anyway - you decide how much you want to pay - lets say $15 - put your maximum in - and walk away. You can get your plant for a listing price, for $14.99 or not at all - but you do not overpay. If the competition overbids you for 50 cents- let it go. Because the other bidder can get carried away - you can get carried away - and next morning you wake up and realize that you got your plant for $100. And you start pulling hair out. While next week the same plant is getting sold for $8.

The other bidder might have entered $20 but you will not know. If the plant sells for $15.50, it does not mean the other bidder entered a bid for only 50 cents more. The ebay automated system bids up in small increments. If you want to win, enter an odd number of cents. Ebay makes it difficult to see what the other person is bidding. Some sellers will send you a second chance offer if they have multiples. If you get caught up in a frenzy, you can retract a bid if more than 24 hours.

I saw a seller in Canada who offers leaves of Russians at very reasonable prices and shipping. I have not bought from her. But she has excellent communication. So I plan to. Joanne

Fortyseven_gw - what’s her name

Olehyurchyshy0

Following the name is (79). I think that refers to sales for this year. Also, try the Lyon's website, Russians and standards.

You might be able to make it easy on yourself by ordering from them.

I got a package!! I missed it Sat by 20 mins and was so upset. I chased down 2 of our local postmen only to miss my own then sat at the post office a couple of hours hoping she would return. I called the emergency # for the postmaster twice. She was not going to call me back. But, it arrived today. It arrived safely and the leaves were firm and crisp. She doubled my order on 2 leaves and gave me 2 additional gift leave of another variety. Happy plant dance is going on here.

Are you cooking african violet? Making african violet salad?

Elsa - until I find better accommodations, like a much needed workshop/greenhouse, I am reduced to my kitchen. Husband soooooooo wants me out of the kitchen too. But it’s a great place to sterilize dirt and utinsils routinely. Where do you work and everyone else?

I work in basement. I'm very lazy....I don't sterilize anything. :D

Nice haul Cheryl. Very exciting!

Elsa, - wow. I couldn’t get away with that. Nice for u.

Dviolet - yeah, I was really surprised. Would certainly use her again.

A lot of foreign ebay sellers don't have the description of the plant. And somtime the color of pictures are different between sellers. Is anybody has a resource that can look up the description of the Russian/Ukraine AV?

Thanks

They sure have them - in Russian. Descriptions of older varieties you can find - some even registered - but what is coming from Poland is often brand new varieties that do not have yet a description in English - and the seller probably has limited control of both Russian and English. So you buy what you see.

Regarding why they are different on different photos - because they are variable. The AVs became more and more elaborate, they can combine a half dozen different features - double, edged, frilled, thumbprint, fantasy, green, etc - such a salad bar of colors.. that in each single new plantlet - the combination of these genes is expressed someway differently.

You are buying a small non-blooming plant - or a couple of leaves - and even the mother plant is matching the hybridizer description... nobody knows what is coming. You can get blah, you can get a good match - or you can get a super interesting sport.

What I love about species... they always bloom true...blue...

;-))

Irina, thanks for the explanation.