John,

As Pat Brennan pointed out in a previous post, the only people that lose
when orchids are $8.50 at the store are the local growers.

Resist the temptation to buy plants at such prices and seek out a local
grower. If a local grower isn't available, try to find one from your region
or country. Join your local orchid club and educate yourself on who and
where to buy orchids so that your purchase stays in the local economy.

The wal-mart/tesco-ization of the world marches on. People's purchasing
decisions have a direct effect on the health and vibrancy of the orchid
growing ecosystem at the local, national, and international level.

This reply is not intended as a flame, but as an alternative viewpoint on
the state of orchid retailing.

-Eric in SF
www.orchidphotos.org