I'm not sure where Joni gets hers, but check out Quarter Acre Orchid. Really, a lot of orchid places have them, so you can shop around for the best bargain. Google "3.5" clear square pot" or something like that.

So glad you're happy with your order. Merrilli is one of the first Hoyas I bought from Joni and I just cannot overstate how charming this plant is. It's like that pair of shoes in your closet you get a charge out of every time you see them.

As I mentioned before, I wasn't such a fan of my first nicholsoniae, but I got one from a friend last summer and now THAT is a nicholsoniae (assuming, for the moment, that pottsii doesn't engulf like 20 other species someday)! It looks just like Joni's plant.

Free dragonfly clips are the best! I'm going to order my big bag next week. And then just spread them all out on the dining room table and gaze at them in rapt satisfaction.

The clear pots were started by Air Cone but there are lots of clear pots now. Air Cone have an inverted cone up the centre that allows sir to reach the middle of the pot, something that is important for many orchids as they hate stale soggy conditions.

Congratulations on your new Hoyas.

Mike

You can also get Joni's style at Chula Orchids. He's a nice guy to do biz with.

I like the style with the cone called 4.5 NCUV - they're very clear, so you can see when to water, and they're a little bigger than a typical 4", but have the almost the same footprint.

They have been a boon to my Hoya growing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chula Orchids

Nice recc, io. I was having trouble getting his page to load for me before. Now it's finally going through.

Just to correct, I didn't get the butterfly clips free, just the pot. The butterfly clips look adorable on my office hoyas especially the clear ones on the dark green hoyas.

Thanks for the site information.
Susan

Susan, congrats on your new Hoyas!

If you like clear clips repotme.com sells mix of clear only clips and square pots!

Aggie

I have ordered from Chula orchid also and can second the statement that he is a great guy. Very helpful and prompt to ship.

Thanks for the links. I'm going to order some of the clear pots and plant clips probably from Chula's.

Susan

I can also vouch for Harry Tolen of Chula orchids. I really like corresponding with him. Haven't spoken to him since his wife died last year, but I hope he's doing well. Should put another order in soon. I have received his pots and clips & a few other items and have always been happy. Got free clips and hanging pots from Joni(with plant orders) in the past. I think her 4" hanging pots come from Kona (?) corp of NJ. I got their catalog once, but have since lost it...Ok, back into hiding for me! Thank you for all the help you have all given this lurker over the years! XOXO

I like the clear pots from Calwest tropical in CA. Plus they carry a decent quality spag moss that I use quite a bit too. Oh yeah and seaweed extract. lol

I too wait until I need a bunch of stuff so to combine shipping. I so hate to pay for shipping.

Nice choices of plants. Although I haven't had my merrilli that long, I just love the look of it. I have it in pretty decent light, so it's got a very pretty redness to the leaves. It's gorgeous.

Renee

Received 3 more today, macrophylla variegated, fitchii, and kenejiana. (mental note to stay off Joni's website until May)

What a treat!
Susan

Nice.

I got some from her recently as well.

citrina (2), pauciflora, publicalyx Black Dragon, sp. Fidjii, finlaysonii, siamica, verticillata albomarginate.

I was planning on waiting until some of my wish listed plants were ready, but oh well, guess I was caught up in spring fever.

Plus when wish listed plants are available, its an excuse to order more - cause you can't let plants travel alone right?

One more thing about clear pots, and this comes from my orchid background. For small ones, under 4 inch, I always use food grade clear plastic cups, etc. For starting seedlings I either use the small clear plastic dixie type cups. For 3 inch pots I use the clear solo plastic cups. The individual pudding cups make great starter pots, and the clear plastic lids you get from the drive through at Dairy Queen make pretty good pots also.

I just poke drainage holes in the bottom and voila, a perfectly sized clear pot.

They may not last outside as long as the pots made for plants, but as I use them for smaller starts, they are ready to be repotted up before the little pots degrade.

Renee

I'm with you Renee. I definitely use clear solo cups for cuttings and punch holes in the bottom. They work very well.

Susan
(Speaking of Joni, can't wait to see what specials she has in May)

Renee, how do you like that sp. fidjii in person? I've been curious about that one. Siamica = Love, True Love.

Susan, kenejiana is a great choice. I just love this plant. So understated in the photographs. I cannot WAIT to lay hands on that kenejiana albomarginata. Moar kenejiana yum yum :3

GG, I like it. Comparing it to siamica, the leaves are smaller, and from what I can tell so far, the growth is clumpier. Is that even a word? lol

Renee

I know just what you mean. I am partial to Hoyas that grow this way. Thanks for the downlow. Now I know I definitely need to get this plant.

Oh! Also!

I ended up putting in an order with Chula Orchids as recommended and you guys were right on the money. He is a very nice, personable guy, fun to interact with. Super fast communication and shipping. And when I ran into a minor problem with something I'd ordered he genteely helped sort it out exactly the way I always wish vendors would handle things. Late at night! Like some kind of genie!

Meanwhile, still waiting to hear back about a light fixture missing from some other stupid order. ARG. Wish I could buy all my plant supplies from nice small business owners.

does anyone know of any decent places to order online thats decent priced?

Hi Amber,

First of all, hoyas are expensive. You can check Gardino's nursey, SRQ Hoyas, Bob Smoley's Gardenworld, Accents for Home and Garden, Secret Garden Rare Plants etc and there are members of this forum that can probably help you with acquiring plants. If you are new at collecting hoyas, you can find Exotic Angel plants at Lowe's, Home Depot or other big box stores like Wal-Mart etc.

The price ranges will vary.

Good luck in your quest.
Susan

Haha. That was a perfect answer, Susan.

"Hoyas are expensive." That pretty much sums it up. ;) Cultivation of most species simply isn't terribly widespread, so there are only a small number that can be purchased on the cheap.

Plus, cultivation is much slower than, say, a Begonia or Saintpaulia that sends up a whole bunch of plantlets from a single piece of leaf.

The best strategy for building a collection on the cheap is actually probably to invest up front in some less common, fairly fast growing species, give them very good light and quality conditions, and then start trading regularly. Although it can be painful to pay $20 for a Hoya versus $9 for one found at a box store, it will give you a lot more trading leverage.

If you don't want to bother with trading, then you can go the route of buying cuttings, which can be (but aren't always) cheaper.