A friend of mine wants me to bring a couple of orchids back. I have seen these for sale at the airports but wondered how long they last for in the packaging as I won't see them till a week later.

Also airports are generally expensive places to buy things. Is there anywhere in CM that sells them cheaper?

Thanks

You might want to read this leaflet from the British government before you do - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/354767/plant_product_leaflet_aug_2014.pdf

Also, it's unlikely that two plants will live in your luggage without sunlight for a week... particularly orchids which aren't the hardiest of plants.

No problem taking cut flowers back to UK. It's potted plants with soil on that they are concerned about. I usually buy those on sale at BKK & they're opened & put on display within 24 hours. After a week, they're usually finished.

A cheaper source in Chiang Mai should be cheaper, Any suggestions?

How about orchid in a bottle?

Sterile nutrients in a sealed bottle.

At home can keep in the bottle or plant out if you want

My daughter tried to take 4 small ones back to the UK last year,

they were found after a baggage check in UK and were confiscated

as you need a physosanitry certificate from Thailand,so for a few Orchids

does not make it worth while.

regards Worgeordie

My daughter tried to take 4 small ones back to the UK last year,

they were found after a baggage check in UK and were confiscated

as you need a physosanitry certificate from Thailand,so for a few Orchids

does not make it worth while.

regards Worgeordie

Cut flowers aren't a problem

As far as I've been told, the orchids in bottles are OK for transport into other countries. The soil in them has been sterilized just for this purpose.

But getting them to thrive afterwards isn't as easy as most other flowers.

As I understand it you need a sterilization certificate at least. In addition, rare orchids come under the scrutiny of CITES. As there is a trade in rare orchids in particular they can attract attention. You run the risk of them being held for examination even if you have a sterile certification.

i took cut flowers from the airport many times and my old mum kept them going for weeks with care and attention and i guess a little magic.

Nearly every British Airways crew member takes boxed orchids back on every flight presumably for sale to florists in London but then that is an 11 hour flight, 7 days is pushing it

When I buy orchids in the UK they'll last around 7-10 days on a vase yet when I buy them in CM the petals are falling off after a day. A friend was a flower buyer for a major UK supermarket and she said the reason is that when bought for the export market they're put into cold storage as soon as they're picked.

As far as I've been told, the orchids in bottles are OK for transport into other countries. The soil in them has been sterilized just for this purpose.

But getting them to thrive afterwards isn't as easy as most other flowers.

I can't recommend the bottled orchids either. We are pretty good at growing orchids. We have a lot of orchids and some are 9 years old and flower regularly. The wife bought some bottled ones up at the Queens Botanical Garden in Mae Rim as the seller made a strong sales pitch and she fell for it. From the moment she cracked them open and began to care for them, they were really weak and didn't grew at all in 8 months time. Over the next few months, one after another died. We had never had that happen before with traditionally grown orchids.