In order to reproduce the exact characteristics of selected plant varieties most of our plant production is rooted cuttings. We also propagate seeds, especially for several Hawaiian native varieties. Our propagating procedures for cuttings are similar for all our plants, including vireyas, Hawaiian natives and general tropicals. For similarly aged but different varieties of plants there are variations in the speed and volume of rooting and top growth.

All of our export plants are rooted in 3 inch (7.6 cm) square containers in sterile perlite under regular misting. At about six months most vireyas are well rooted, often with roots emerging from the drainage holes. Some are faster and a few are slower. Most natives and tropicals are very well rooted at this point. For the experienced grower or nursery operation RC's are an inexpensive plant to grow on.

For growing out our standard shipping plants we transplant RC's to 6"x5" (15x13 cm) azalea pots (Az6 in the catalog) in an approximately 80/20 mix of 1/4 inch (.6 cm) coconut chips and medium perlite with a small amount of Nutricote time-release fertilizer. We have found that the fibrous coconut chips retain moisture well, are easily wetted if dry and provide considerable air space for roots which is particularly important for the vireyas. The roundish perlite granules, along with the chunkier coconut pieces, create a little more air space in the mix which the roots of most plants appreciate. Some of the natives and tropicals are moved up to one gallon (6"x7", 15x18 cm) containers due to their vigorous growth.

By one year the roots of most plants, including vireyas, have substantially filled their containers. The Az6 plants we ship are normally one to two years old and 12 to 24 inches (30-60 cm) tall. Vireyas can be easily left in this size azalea pots for another year. Most other plants should be typically planted out or moved up to larger containers. Vireyas particularly can be headed back and root pruned to maintain a certain size indefinitely if desired.

We recommend that experienced growers with good facilities work with rooted cuttings. On arrival they should be quickly moved to a well-draining potting mix (see recommendations here) suitable to the vireya's epiphytic nature as the perlite medium can dry very quickly. Also the plant will require fertilizer at this point. While we will only ship well rooted cuttings, we recommend another six months or more of shelter before they are planted in the landscape.

We are currently shipping in these two sizes to suit different budgets and growing preferences. For local distribution larger plants are available at the nursery. For shipment outside the U.S. we recommend the rooted cuttings due to their sterile medium which may be more easily passed by the phytosanitary inspection. It is our goal to charge the same price for similar sizes of plants regardless of the numerical availability, though discounts may be arranged in some cases.

Our web catalog is intended to provide images and descriptions of all the plants we are growing for commercial sale. Due to the large number of varieties and various dates of acquistion we tend to grow a small number of each with some exceptions for high demand varieties. Many are still in limited propagation. Therefore not all plants may be available at a particular time. Please send us email regarding varieties that you may be interested in. Plants are ordered either in the RC or Az6 sizes. If you are interested in rooted cuttings, please read our article Receiving Rooted Cuttings. See pricing table below. Some varieties are only available locally at this time. To guarantee availability, custom rooting is available at no extra charge with a 50% deposit. There is no minimum quantity, please email us with any questions. Somewhat like ordering seeds in the winter for next spring, custom ordering a plant requires a bit of a wait but offers the pleasant anticipation of a fresh plant arriving just when you want it.