Andy’s Orchids

This is hands down the most comprehensive and beautiful orchid nursery I’ve ever seen. We came during an open house, and it was well worth the drive down to Encinitas. They have so many species it’s hard to fathom. Prices are extremely reasonable for this type of product. As a fan of orchids, this place overwhelmed me. I’ll definately need to spend more time here. The greenhouses are every orchid growers wet dream. They also had a wide selection of tillandsia, rhipsalis, ferns, platycerium and exotics. The staff are extremely knowledgable and friendly. I wish I could buy every single plant here. Their website is also very comprehensive and educational. This nursery is suprisingly clean and bug free as well. Be sure to find a mounted specimen to take home, as they have a huge selection.

Simply the best place in the Country to buy orchids. I completely agree with all of the other reviewers… if you get a chance, do visit… but make no mistake if you are serious about Orchids or are buying a gift for someone who is serious about orchids… this is the place.

The most amazing place I’ve been to in years… You have to see and smell something like 750,000 orchids, it will overwhelm you senses, you can’t even imagine it… The smells and colors are so amazing and the variety is out of this world, something like 7,000 species, from miniatures to huge mounted specimens… You can tell Andy and his family really put a lot of love and passion into this place… you can make an appointment to go, or go when they have an Open House event, like I did… you can spend hours looking at everything… amazing place and amazing people… thank you…

I visited Andy’s Orchid a couple of times and it is a fantastic place for orchid collectors. The staff are always so warm and welcoming. They gave tips on growing various species, and how they take care of their plants. (There is also free food during their open house if you come early enough ;)).
The nursery is like a jungle, and the air is fresher here. I have never seen so many different species of orchids at one place before. And temptations are everywhere! If you are an orchid collector, DO NOT forget to bring your credit card!
All in all, I enjoy my visit to Andy’s Orchid every time. If you have not been there, you should. You will meet some fantastic people, and may be learn something new about orchid culture.

By far the top orchids on this planet. I’ve been buying from Andy online, in person at their greenhouse and when Harry, Andy’s brother, is a guest speaker here at the Greater Las Vegas orchid society meeting once a year. Every shipment has arrived in perfect condition Plus. A trip to their
facility will knock you off your feet with close to 750,000 orchids in their greenhouses. Can’t find the special or rare orchids that you would like to add to your collection? Check their website or email them. I’ve been buying from them for 5 yrs. Need help in the care or maintenance of any orchid? Email them. They know it off the top of their heads, almost scary, as I can’t remember what I had for breakfast. Btw. The Greater Las Vegas Orchid Society meets the first Sunday every month, guests are welcome. Contact me. Phsteve1@aol. Com

OMG if you ever have chance to visit this place GO!!! You will learn so much as you experience a trip to the actual GARDEN OF EDEN. Andy’s family has lived at this location since 1932! GO and meet this amazing family, go and tell all your friends you have been to an absolute national treasure. Go and grow to love and appreciate the marvel of orchids as you never have before. Who knew we had this international treasure right in our own back yard?

…i get to shop with andy’s orchids twice a year when they visit san francisco and always find things i want… quality plants… good growing info is freely & pleasantly dispensed…

What you’ll soon appreciate about Andy’s orchids after you purchase from them is that they are genuinely invested in how well your orchid does. Even though they tend to call me while I“m driving, they follow up with me about 2 – 3 weeks later to see how well I’m doing with my plant.
Andy is the first person I go to if I hear of a new Cymbidium species being discovered or looking for unusual Cadetia species.

Andy’s Orchids is better at what they do than any other orchid nursery on Earth, and should be a genuine source of pride for those who love orchids and live in the San Diego metro area.
With more than 3,000 species and over a quarter of a million individual plants, there are more orchid species housed under one roof here than anywhere else in the known universe. About a dozen or more species that are brand-​new to botany have been identified and described in Andy’s green– and shadehouses in the last few years. Better yet, if you live around here you only need patience and an appointment to visit: there are no fancy membership fees, and you don’t have to purchase a plane ticket to Kew. What’s more is that most of the things you see are actually for sale, and not just museum-​quality botanical pieces to look at from afar and not touch.
If you like the ridiculous and showy Trader Joe’s $ 5 orchids grown in hothouses far away and sold to you without a tag so you’ll have no idea what you’re trying to take care of and will summarily kill it, you probably don’t need to make a pilgrimage to Andy’s and shouldn’t bother rifling through their catalog. If on the other hand you can appreciate orchids with flowers that have a greater range of sizes, were selectively bred by nature and not people, have a broader spectrum of fragrances and flower shapes, and once existed or still exist in the wild somewhere, Andy’s is definitely your cup of tea.
The staff at Andy’s are extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and their top-​notch customer service will ensure that if your orchid starts to look bad, you’ll get advice on how to avert catastrophe if you call them before it’s too late. All of Andy’s plants come with a tag telling you how to take care of them and an accompanying system on a separate care sheet that is easy to use and tells you what each plant you purchase needs. I have bought at least 200 plants from Andy through the years and have never felt that my money was poorly spent. Moreover, if you’re hankering for a species orchid that is extremely beautiful and rare, Andy will usually either have it in stock, know where you can get it, or have some ready for sale for you in the next few months.
In short, there is no better species orchid grower and vendor around, anywhere. No one else is capable of doing what Andy does. THIS is why his business should only get a five-​star rating; anyone who rates him lower than this doesn’t actually understand how special this place truly is. You’re not going to find cheesy and mass-​produced orchids here; think of this place as an orchid microbrewery that makes and sells REAL orchids rather than the Coors Light of orchids. Andy is to orchids as Chimay is to beer.

Yay! I’m part of the exotic orchid collector club now! :) I met Harry (Andy’s brother) at the Casa de Orquiedas holiday open house this past weekend and bought a very exotic orchid from him. He was very friendly and very generous with his knowledge and time in helping me pick out the right one by describing what conditions each one liked and even showed me pictures of the ones that were not in bloom on his laptop.
The orchid I bought was a Mooreana «Brockhurst». It is an especially frilly Mooreana; white with yellow, hairy lips. I had actually seen a very large one at an orchid farm a few years ago and was smitten; it was not for sale then, but I’m glad that I finally found someone who was willing to sell me a division of theirs! Harry even gave me tips on how to re-​pot the orchid, care for it, and told me that I was welcome to get in touch anytime. Harry also gave me tips on how to be away from my orchids for a week and still keep them alive. He told me to select orchids with well established root systems or bulbs and instructed me on how to re-​hydrate shriveled bulbs. Harry also gave me tips on watering at night in the summer (which all the orchid books tell you not to do but it makes sense in our climate).
Andy’s Orchids are «species» experts; which means that they specialize in orchids that grow wild and they are a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm. They guarantee safe shipment of orchids. Their nursery is open by appointment. The mounted orchids are great gifts. A mounted orchid with a cascading spray of blooms would be great for a shower/​tub window! I highly recommend checking this place out!
I’ve already received lots of comments on my new orchid and requests for divisions but I’m looking forward to caring for and growing my 6″ Brockhurst until it is a very large, impressive, gorgeous pot of yellow/​gold flowers!