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Good places to get Cactus

Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:57 am
by tvaughan
I just made a large order from Sheilam nursery in South Africa, and was pleased. The prices are great as they are in Rands, and even with postage and phyto permits they worked out at about 3 bucks each for rare plants. A good way of getting plants not easily available here in the US.

I also bought from Shoal Nurseries, and the plants were about 20% more than other nurseries, but were much larger, and I heartily recommend them.

I also bought 50 odd plants from Mesa Gardens, and the plants were somewhat small, but very inexpensive and the service was great. I very much recommend them.

Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 2:27 am
by daiv
Hey Tim -Good start! I made this post sticky so it will be on top.

Anyone else: Feel free to "plug" you favorite place to buy cacti here.

NOTE: Let's keep this post positive. Let's avoid posting negative comments about places.

Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:04 am
by taliesin
I have to say croston cacti in Lancashire. He does mail order...just tap in croston cacti on search engine. Excellent plants, good prices and his postage is good too.

Plantlife cacti is another good one on line. P&P is in with the cost of the plant, or it was, and plants are very healthy and well priced too.

Spinyones have some good schick hybrids. I have bought a couple from here, and I would give that one 100%. Again, on line.

Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 2:50 pm
by templegatejohn
I must admit Connoisseurs' cacti, the nursery of John Pilbeam is the one I always look at first. His prices are very competitive and someone who has written all those books certainly knows how to look after his plants. I have known John for a number of years now and can honestly say I have never had a bad plant from him by mail order and I don't know anyone who has.

http://www.cactus-mall.com/connoisseurs ... index.html

John

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:55 pm
by Bill in SC
No secret who my main supplier is. Miles Anderson of Miles2go.com is my 5 star supplier. Vast selection, competitive pricing, and free shipping. Online photo directory, and quaterly mailing list. What more could anyone want? :-)
Bill in SC

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:14 pm
by Buck Hemenway
Tim,

I was absolutely blown away at Sheilam. There is no nursery any better any where. I suppose that you didn't actually order cacti from there, but they have them, in huge quantites.

Image

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:56 pm
by iann
I want to heartily recommend: all my friends!

I must have far more plants from swaps, private and society sales, collection disposals, group seed lists, "why don't you take one of these"'s, and outright donations than from commercial sources. And some very unusual stuff too.

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:08 pm
by tvaughan
Buck, I ordered over 100 different Stapeliad species from them, and only 4 didn't make it, and that's with the dorks at the LA plant inspection center sitting on my order for two weeks.

I order from overseas all the time, and usually it's easy. Dealing with petty bureaucrats isn't always fun, but usually things go smoothly.

Iann, in the carnivorous plant community, friends/cyberfriends are the favored way of increasing collections, and I've no doubt it will happen with cactus as well.

Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 9:13 pm
by M.mestre
hi

ortega -cactus in spain has really healthy plans ,

cheap and wellcare

http://www.infonegocio.com/ortegacactus/cactaceae.html

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:11 am
by peterb
Mesa Garden! Mostly for seed. But I have also gotten amazing plants from them. My experience has the plants well-grown, reasonably priced and clean.

Highland Succulents has amazing pachypodiums. Gorgeous and well grown, pretty much worth the price. Very well established and sent still in soil/pot.

I heartily second Bill in SC's Miles 2 Go.

High Country Gardens (disclaimer: I used to work there). Small plants and a bit more money than others, but grown hard, compact, and tested for cold hardiness, with substantial root zones.

Rare Plant Research. Has plants that no one else in the world sells.

man, this thread has me itchin' to buy plants.......

Peterb

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:16 am
by Bruce
Miles and Mesa Garden for sure. I've also recently gotten some really nice succulents from Arid Lands Greenhouses (they have some cacti, too).

Bruce

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 4:24 am
by daiv
peterb wrote: man, this thread has me itchin' to buy plants.......
Peterb
:lol: He's hooked for sure!

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:13 pm
by Spikey1007
templegatejohn wrote:I must admit Connoisseurs' cacti, the nursery of John Pilbeam is the one I always look at first. His prices are very competitive and someone who has written all those books certainly knows how to look after his plants. I have known John for a number of years now and can honestly say I have never had a bad plant from him by mail order and I don't know anyone who has.

http://www.cactus-mall.com/connoisseurs ... index.html

John
Well John i have been on thier website many times i didn't know they where in kent so when i go some where with my father we will go onto the M25 and visit that place.

Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:47 pm
by Rob
Anybody have any recomendations for Canadian sellers? Most U.S. mail order places won't sell plants internationally...

Rob in Ontario

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:40 pm
by tvaughan
Another good purchase from Mesa Gardens, 2 dozen Mesembs.