[Steadybears]

I am wanting to get some cymbuidium orchids - any advise on where we can get them in Hamilton area - Mothers Day coming up and must start planting the seed for OH to buy:raebanana

Tks again
Jayne

[Debbie]

I've been looking for the same and the local garden store gave me this address. They will apparently ship through NZ but I've not tried them yet.

Tuckers Orchids. East Coast Bays Rd. www.tuckersorchardnursery.co.nz

I'm making my wish list at this moment. I was so sad to leave all my orchids behind when we moved here.
Debbie

[Steadybears]

Thanks for that Debbie - we were aklo sad to leave ours behind and so wnt to et them going again. Will let you know if I find any anywhere else.

Jayne

[Nick88]

Are you after plants or cut flowers?

[Steadybears]

Plants please

Jayne

[Nick88]

In that case you might be better off going to one of the breeders at this time of the year. The commercial cut flower growers will all be producing spikes at the moment and are unlikely to want to sell plants. However if you can bring yourself to wait until the spring when they divide their plants you can pick up older stock that they don't have room to accommodate for just a few dollars ($5-10). In my local dump someone has thrown out a whole load just recently that people can have for a donation to the local volunteer fire brigade.

There are a few orchid suppliers in the central north island, stretching from Palmerston Nth to Auckland. You can get most things from Cymbids, to more unusual stuff like Masdevallias (& Draculas), Paphs and all manner of intergenerics (Cattleya and Oncidium alliances). Probably the easiest orchids to get here are Aussie Dendrobiums, cos they are so easy to grow. Personally I wouldn't go to Tuckers' Orchids, they mainly sell to commercial growers (so the hybrids are new and expensive), and the plants are not usually flowering size yet. I would suggest Leroy Orchids, they might have a bit more that is of a good size.

The best thing of all that you could do is join your local club, and if you are a particular fan of Cyms, the Cym Soc of America (NZ Branch). I can PM you phone numbers if you like.

As an aside the Orchid Council of NZ is holding its AGM in Whangarei this year over the Queen's Birthday Weekend, and there will be displays from all over the country. Plus there will be probably the biggest trading table you are likely to see all year at a show. Could be worth a visit.

[Nick88]

Because I am selling up and crossing the ditch, I am selling my collection. I have a few Cyms, mostly seedlings. I have a couple of specimen plants, a quite large C. traceyanum in flower, and a slightly smaller C. insigne in low spike. Some smaller plants of C. lowianum and C. Tennis (shot back bulbs), and a nice C. Cricket in a hanging basket.

The seedlings are
madidum
mastersii
suave
suavissimum
canaliculatum alba
canaliculatum sparkesii
elegans

I also have a selection of other bits and pieces, mostly Dendrobiums and Draculas, now. Most of the local club members have been through the collection now and have snapped up all of the more unusual bits, but there is still plenty there for the beginnings of a new collection.

[Nick88]

Please excuse the gratuitous showing off.....but, here are a couple of pics of my C traceyanum, currently in bloom. It should have flowers on it for the next month at least. The plant is in a 40cm pot, so you can see the foliage is about 1.5m from one side to the other. I've had this lovely thing for about 5 years now.

[Steadybears]

Nick88- thats too beautiful - have never seen one like that before - or as beautiful - guess you must talk to it nicely!!!
Jayne