1) The plants shipped immediately which requires an import permit and the usual hassle. Not recommended and seldom utilized.

2) Pick up the plants from their booth at US shows they attend, the easiest way if you happen to be near a show where they have a booth. http://www.ecuagenera.com/epages/whitelabel4.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Sho ps/ecuagenera/Categories/Lectures_Exhibitions gives you the dates and locations of their US contact points. This way your shipping and handling costs are only $4.00 per plant or $3.00 for orders of 15 or more plants. This is the perfect way for local orchid societies to place group orders and get a discount.

3) Have your plants mailed to you when they make landfall in the US. This is the best way to get their plants unless you happen to go to one of their shows. Since they go to numerous US shows every year it means several dates each year when ordering plants from them is like ordering from Andy. They import the plants and assume all responsibilities for that process. The plants will be mailed to you from a US address and you are not part of the import/customs process. The charge reflects USPS priority mail charges, $15 for 15 plants for example.

People shy away from ordering from them because they are a foreign vendor but if the above process is understood, it is no more problematic than ordering from Andy, J&L or any other US vendor. Each US show has a cut off date, orders have to be placed before then.

One irritating thing is that they are in the habit of charging a 4% surcharge for PayPal payment. The way around that is to mail them a check to a US address they give on their check-out page. Fully understanding how they work opens the door to an amazing array of plants at extremely reasonable prices. You may have to wait up to a couple of month for your plants but you may save as much as 50% or more in the process.

The last day for ordering for a US delivery this year is Oct 29. Plants will be mailed from Oregon in mid November, next available cut-off day is Jan 15 which will result in a US mailing near the end of January. Obviously instant gratification is not part of this scene but is has it's benefits. They are going to be at 10 different US shows next year, most of them in the first half of the year. Carefully compare costs of the plants and you will be amazed.

Nick

Nick

The order included:
Acronia culpameae
Brachtia andina
Dresslerella caesarita
Maxillaria funicaulis, grandimentum, huancabambae, huebschii, mathewsii, molitor, notylioglossa, procurrens and striata.
Presteria pendula
Pleurothallis dilemma
Polycycnis aurita

Total cost for the 15 plants was $269 which comes to an average of $14.94, transportation and all import fees included. I don't think any vendor in the US can come close to that.

The plants needed to be mounted/potted which I did this morning. All were good, acceptable size, 2 however were specimen plants. Maxillaria fumicaulis has a branching, leggy growth style. There were 15 stems, most over 2' long. Maxillaria huebschii had over 30 pbulbs, most with leaves. I potted it in an 8" pot.

I have made this experience with Ecuagenera before. They do not give 'bonus plants' with large orders the way Tropical Orchid Farms in Hawaii does, but will include some monster plants with a sizable order. Their way of showing appreciation for the business. Overall a very positive experience. I would highly recommend them.

I'm beginning to mentally put together the next order. Their next USA show is not until Feb. February 08-10, 2013. New Hampshire Orchid Society Show - USA. As I said before this is not for instant gratification. The order has to be placed by mid January and it will be done through my orchid society with others. That way we will pay only the listed wholesale price, no additional charges of any kind. For these type of plants, it's unbeatable.

If these type of plants blow your skirts up, there is one more connection worth knowing. Colomborchidea, a huge Colombian wholesaler from Colombia also has an incredible list of plants. Their minimum order for export is $1,000, not to many people will step up to the plate for that. If you bring up Hawk Hills Orchids in Pacifica, California, you will find a link for Gary Meyer, their US agent. You can place orders for their plants with him. He physically goes there about once a year and brings the plants back. I worked on an order for otherwise impossible to get Draculas with him for at least 1/2 a year. He has just returned from his trip, is in Florida at this moment. Again, no instant gratification here. If you place an order now, you may well wait a year for it to come through but eventually you'll get the plants. If there is no other way to get the plants, well, that's just the way it is.

Nick