"K Barrett" wrote in message news:q9Ntb.214628$Tr4.619639@attbi_s03...
I have never seen them here at all. As far as I know many many of the
Australian orchids aren't imported over here. Sure we get the various
Dendrobiums (Dockrillias) and of course the Sarcochilus, but these
terrestrials and the Promenea hybrids forget it. I suppose I should contact
Adelaide Orchids and see if they'd send a flask. As far as I know Adelaide
is the only Ozzie firm with a branch in the US.

Nesbitt's Orchids seems to one of the few nurseries in Australia that
specialize in the terrestrials, and they will export dormant tuberoids
if you have the proper import permits. As far as I know, they aren't
on the web, but I think a google search may turn up a snail mail
address.

The problem with importing from Australia is the difference in
seasons. Most of the Australian terrestrials are winter growers with
a strict requirement for dry summer dormancy, and they seem very, very
slow to switch over to a northern hemisphere schedule. Unlike some of
the epiphytes, they don't have the ability to skip a period of
dormancy. I imported some tuberoids from Nesbitt's about six years
ago. They arrived in our spring, ready for a cool winter growing
period, and few of them thrived in our hot summer. In a few years,
all I had left was one Pterostylis. If you get hold of some, you
should probably plan on growing them under lights in a cool room, for
at least a few years until they can switch over to our seasons (if
they ever do).

Nick
--
myrmecodia-at-yahoo-dot-com