Hunting Affordable Rare Plants
If you are hunting for affordable rare plants, perhaps you have stumbled upon Hojny Succulents. Their website boasts a wide variety of rare succulents for a fraction of the cost of US sellers. I found the site while searching for an unusual biblical plant, the frankincense tree (boswellia sacra). Few US sellers offered this plant, and most were upwards of $200. Hojny had boswellia sacra listed for under $50 apiece and offered free worldwide shipping for orders over $100. Naturally, I found this interesting.
Prior to this encounter, I had never purchased plants from overseas. Various plant groups on social media lamented about their dashed hopes and dreams from such endeavors. However, the prices were compelling and I wondered, is Hojny Succulents legitimate? I found a few positive reviews on the Hojny website, but I tend not to trust site reviews alone. I searched the internet and could not find any reviews from the United States.
At this point, more sane folk may have watered their snake plant or golden pothos and cooked a delicious pot of pumpkin soup. Instead, I messaged Hojny on Facebook and waited. The business responded to my questions on Facebook within a few hours. I decided that at least they were probably not a scam.
One question remained. Was the risk of international shipping worth it? The site specified that they would not provide a refund for plants confiscated by customs. Additionally, the estimate shipping time for destinations outside of Europe was 8-12 days. This lengthy time without sun or water could damage or kill plants.
My Order from Hojny Succulents
My curiosity, plus the excitement of finding a good deal on a rare plant led me to make the leap. I figured that if any plants could survive an international adventure, it would be succulents. I added a few additional plants to my cart for the free shipping. Of note, the free shipping was not entirely free; I was still responsible for a $20 phytosanitary certificate fee. This was specified by the site, which I noticed after I had already completed the transaction. I placed my order on August 24, hoping the package would beat the first Midwestern frost. Then I waited.
Immediately following my order, I received a confirmation email from Hojny Succulents. I received a second email on September 5, the day my package shipped. This email contained tracking information for the Czech Postal Service. Although the postal website initially provided helpful updates, once the plants arrived in the US, no additional updates appeared. By September 17, twelve days after the package shipped, I had no new updates. A full week later, I gave up hope of receiving live plants from this order. I figured my rare plants were either bone dry or piles of mush. Perhaps they had been thrown away by customs.
On September 28, I was surprised to find a message on my door that I needed to sign for a package. At that point of day, it was too late to retrieve it. I wondered if one more day without sunlight or water would be the nail in the coffin for these plants. The next morning, I ventured to the post office and signed for an intact cardboard box. I felt a bit nervous, wondering what I would find inside.
The Plants Arrive
The succulents were well-packed, although all packing material was bone dry. The plants appeared dry and neglected, but all seemed to still be alive. The leaves had been cut from the boswellia sacra for shipping, but the steams each had a bit of green. The plants were clearly labeled. A bonus plant, uncarina roesliana, was also included.
I immediately watered each plant and placed them on a warm, sunny window sill. After this initial care, I planted them in succulent mix in 4″ pots. At this point, I believe they will survive. Updates will follow.
Lesson Learned
Had I better read the Hojny Succulents website, I would have gained information that could have alleviated some of my anxiety. The website 17Track.net allows you to follow packages throughout the course of their international journey. After my plants had been delivered, I looked my order up on this site. I learned that my plants spent significant time in New York state prior to traveling to the Midwest.
Tips for Hunting Rare Plants Internationally
My main tips for international plant purchases are the following:
- Reach out the the company/seller before ordering to gain a sense of the legitimacy of the seller. Never purchase from a company or seller who does not respond.
- Know your state’s laws on the importation of plants prior to ordering.
- Read all conditions prior to ordering so you aren’t paying surprise fees.
- Use a tracking website, such as 17track.net that allows you to track your package.
- Ordering internationally can be a fun and inexpensive way to add rare plants to your collection, so long as you accept the risks.
Have you ordered plants internationally? If so, what was your experience like? Feel free to post in the comments below!
Curious how these plants fared? My follow-up post can be found here!
