As most of you know, I am a bonafide Orchid Nut! There is no doubt about that.
Has anyone ever bought orchids by the box??? We this nut just did!!


The box measured 9" deep by 18" by 30". And inside were six plants each from six of this company's newest crosses!
Why did I do this? This is a special offer that they have for growers interested in capturing AOS awards!! Duh, that's me! About two thirds or maybe a few more arrived in bud. I am so hoping that there might be 5 or 6 awards in here. Maybe this year or next, we will have to see.
The price was fantastic! $500 including shipping and packing!!!
Here are a few images.








I ordered all thirty six from the vinicolor Maudiae coloratum complex. Many of my images from my postings have been from this group. My plant of Paphiopedilum Mystically Contrasting 'Jack's Pride' HCC/AOS is in that group. I paid $30 for that plant. Worth it to me. But that cross was made by the same vendor that I purchased these plants from. The BIG difference is that these new arrivals are less than $14 each, no tax and no shipping!
I of course will keep you updated through my other threads.

Good Luck with your Box full of FCC's

From your mouth to Gods ear!!
Thanks.

I can't believe you trusted the USPO with 36 plants this summer. We only get mail deliveries a few times a week now and we never know what days it will be, some days it even comes at 7 or 8 in the evening. Several friends who are growers are now saying they can no longer guarantee delivery of live healthy plants as they can no longer absorb the costs of replacing dead plants. I had a plant sent to a friend in TX last month, it was from a trusted grower in Alabama that I have used for years and it took 13 days from the shipping date and that was priority! Needless to say the plant was toast but the grower did replace it with a credit for something once they find a new shipping option.

Two stories there.

These came Fed Ex. They left Hawaii Monday and were here at 11am.

I had a smaller order of 5 Cycnoches from California that showed up last Saturday. It took them 3 weeks to get here. That was USPS.

Yep, shipping costs via Fed Ex from HI was probably cheaper too.

Gorgeous plants! I agree about USPS. I've recently had plants arrive in rough shape or dead. I'm glad yours arrived in such perfect condition! I have a feeling there will be several awards for you in coming future.

Oops I forgot.
Even though they took 3 weeks to arrive, they are all fine.

Bill, those plants look great!

That's a haul Bill. Wishing you all the best with that group.

Thank you.

I am 2/3 of the way through getting these slippers situated underlights. It was a 6 plants each from 6 crosses order. Well, I have a few singles in the mix as well.
So I currently have 8 new crosses! All are from Lehua Orchids in Hawaii. A good deal of their breeding studs have come from the old vendor Orchid Zone.
I will divulge that Lehua is trying to become the leader in awarded grexes as a hybridizer. They currently stand at around 205 or by now maybe 210. My Mystically Contrasting that was awarded last month is a new member to their list of awarded hybrids. These guys have been around since 2002 I think and here they stand at 210 give or take.
I hope to be able to increase that number for them. With 36 plants, I am hopeful for maybe six awards myself. I have put up 26 plants so far and 24 are in bud! Amazing!! Luckily we will be Judging here in the Great Lakes Center for the months of September and October. I should have an opportunity to get most of them flowered by the third Saturday in October.

Okay, here they all are spread out underlights. They are on a twelve hour daylength with a 16" oscillating fan on them.



I water them once a week and then dump about a gallon of water inside the black tray. They stay really moist for about three days, approach dryness and then are ready for more water. Saturday morning is their day to get water.
I'll fertilize once per month on the first Saturday.
As you can see, the first bud is starting to crack open.
Further posts coming!

They are looking great! Lots of buds!
How did that cactus sneak in there?

She needed a place to live! She was shelfless, not homeless, just shelfless.

Years ago when Klaus saw a new plant on the windowsill and asked where it came from, my answer was something along the lines of " oh that one? It lives here"

Guess you could not say it had been in the back of the closet for years.

I used to tell my wife that that orchid has been here for awhile, I just moved it to get "better light".
Seemed reasonable to me.

Oh, that is a good one. Have to remember that.......

Holy cow, Bill. You have a whole new Paph Phamily. What a haul.

We used to have a lovely lady from Australia post here often, Brie. We called her the Paph Princess.

I think you can assume her title, and become the Paph Prince now. Especially when you start winning all those awards for your gorgeous plants.