Valentines live from Kauai

KAPAA — Neill Sams of Orchid Alley said he’ll probably be busy Tuesday, shipping live flowering orchid plants for Valentine’s Day.

“I told people the deadline for getting plants to their destination was Monday,” Sams said. “But there will be those who’ll come in and want to have plants sent.”

The shipment of live flowering orchids is every day, but appears to spike at Valentine’s Day, and peaks again for Mother’s Day.

“We have a good amount of boxes to be shipped,” said Fely Sams, packing the delicate orchid plants to withstand the rigors of travel. “But we do this every year, and it goes crazy for Mother’s Day. That’s probably the biggest shipping date for us.”

Fely said the live orchids do well, and the weather becoming more temperate on the mainland helps the plants when they arrive at their destination.

“This one is for a mother,” Fely said, pointing out a zygopotalum specimen just opening its first blooms. “This is new for this year’s Valentine’s Day. They’re very fragrant, especially in the mornings. This is probably why it was selected.”

Neill said the zygopotalums are just beginning to flower so should be in good shape for days following Valentines.

In addition to the zygopotalums which originated in Australia, Neill said there are new varieties of phalaenopsis orchids, more commonly known as moth orchids because of its resemblance to the insects. These include new developments from Holland, Taiwan, and even Thailand. They join the other offerings that pack the wall of the alley shop in Kapaa.

“We take care of the resident population after the mailings,” Neill said. “We’ll be busy Tuesday, Wednesday, and even Thursday for those who forget.”