What kind of plant, exactly, can you expect to receive when ordering from us?  We believe in "truth in advertising" and don't want you to get something you didn't expect to receive.  The plants seen on this page are "typical" of what we ship, and are representative of the kind of plant shown.

Please remember that we grow everything that we sell--we do not buy and resell!  This means that shortages of certain plant varieties can occur due to one or more of the following:

1. A "crop failure".  Sometimes leaves and cuttings don't propagate as well as we had hoped, sometimes due to our own negligence, sometimes due to "mother nature", and sometimes due to events we couldn't have foreseen when we printed the catalog--i.e. heating or a/c malfunctions, disease, etc.
2. Unexpectedly high demand.  We can only guess as to what varieties people will want most.  What sells poorly one year may sell great the next.  We also can't predict what varieties may suddenly become popular because  a picture of it appeared in some magazine or it winning a big award at a show.
3. It takes time to grow plants!  For violets this means 9-10 months from the time of rooting a leaf to the first bloom on a plant.  Further, we can "help them along", but they are living things and grow and bloom pretty much when they are "ready to", not when we want them to.  We can't make a plant bloom if it isn't ready to!
   

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A REVIEW OF SOME TERMS USED ON THIS SITE:

• "Seller's choice"  This means we (the seller) get to choose the variety of plant that you receive.  In return, you get plants at discounted prices.  If you want mature, blooming-size plants, or plants sent as gifts, select the "seller's choice" packages!  We try to select a wide variety of bloom colors and foliage types, and send the most mature plants that we have on hand. 
• "Your choice"  This means that you choose the specific varieties to be sent.  Since some of these varieties may be in high demand or, by chance, be immature at the date of shipment, you may not always get mature, blooming-size plants. 
  

• "Limited supply or quantities"  This means that this variety is in very short supply at the moment, either due to unexpectedly high demand, poor propagation, or slower than expected growth of our sales plants. When ordering these varieties, you may get much smaller than usual plants.  You might not get the plant at all, since we fill orders on a first-come, first-served, basis and there may be no more plants left to ship when we get to filling your order. 
  

• "Out of stock"  This means what it says.  We have no plants of this variety to ship at the moment.  Should you want the variety anyway, identify this as a "must have" plant, and "ship only when all plants available" on your order, and be willing to wait. We will ship when it becomes available.

What's a "substitute"?  This is a variety that we will ship in place of one that is out-of-stock or is too small to ship safely.  Normally, if no substitutes are listed, we will fill the order as soon as we can, sending whatever we do have in  stock at the time.  We charge credit cards at the time of shipment only for what is actually sent.  For orders paid for by check, not listing substitutes either means issuing a credit (good towards a future order) or delaying the order until the order can be filled entirely.  By listing substitutes, we are able to ship your order more quickly (or without issuing credits).  Also, when we include "free plants", we may select from your substitute list, if possible.  It is always to your benefit to list substitutes!!

WHAT KIND OF PLANT CAN I EXPECT TO RECEIVE?

MINIATURE AFRICAN VIOLETS

Because mini violets are small, even when mature, they can be easily wrapped and shipped as mature plants.  This means that you're more likely to receive blooming, well-developed plants when ordering minis (or trailers).  When ordering "seller's choice" you'll usually receive plants much like (A).  Your choice, either (A) or (B), depending upon availability.  When in limited supply, small plants like (C) may be shipped.

 

STANDARD AFRICAN VIOLETS

When fully mature, standard violets become too large to ship without significant breakage. This means that blooming-size plants are sent with many of the outer leaves removed (A), or as less-mature plants (B).  When ordering "seller's choice" you'll usually receive plants much like (A).  Your choice, either (A) or (B), depending upon availability.  When in limited supply, small plants like (C) may be shipped.

STREPTOCARPUS

Streptocarpus are extremely easy to wrap safely, so rarely will have broken leaves.  We do need to trim their long leaves and bloom stalks, however, to wrap them.  Also, fully mature plants are too large to ship safely.  The most mature plants we ship are those with large buds or a small, open flower.  When ordering "seller's choice" you'll usually receive plants much like (A).  Your choice, either (A) or (B), depending upon availability.  When in limited supply, small plants like (C) will be shipped.

"TYPICAL" EXAMPLES OF SOME OTHER PLANTS THAT WE SHIP

        Begonias                      Episcias                 Basket Plants             Hoyas          Mini Houseplants

These are the "typical" size and maturity of each of these types of plants that we usually ship.  Some will be more mature, some less.  Again, varieties that are in high demand or otherwise are in limited supply will generally be less mature when shipped.  Those that are "our choice", are in abundant supply, or are less-demanded, will generally be sent as larger, more mature plants.

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