It is not that I am 'not selling,' but rather a choice to 'wait for a time when I can deliver with peace of mind.'

Every year around this time, I receive questions like,
"Are you not selling during the summer?"
"When will you resume shipping?"
To give you the conclusion first, as a general rule, I refrain from shipping one-of-a-kind Anthurium that requires transport when temperatures exceed 35°C in midsummer or fall below 5°C in midwinter.

This is not because I want to reduce sales opportunities.

It is a decision made to ensure the plants arrive in perfect condition.
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◎ The moment of sale is not the finish line.

The way I think about sales, it does not end when the plant is shipped.
The plant reaches the customer, adapts to its new environment, and begins to grow vigorously.
I believe that taking responsibility up to that point is what selling is all about.

That is why, during times when significant risks to the Anthurium can be predicted, I do not want to make the decision to 'ship just because I can.'

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◎ The most frightening thing is the uncontrollable environment during transport.

In recent years, days exceeding 35°C have become common in summer.
In winter, temperatures can drop below freezing depending on the region.

During shipping, packages are not always in an air-conditioned environment.
During delivery, packages may be left for a while in a vehicle with the engine turned off.
In urban apartment complexes, there are many deliveries, and in the suburbs, the travel distance between houses is long.

How much exposure to high or low temperatures occurs depends greatly on the delivery route and delivery status of that day.

This is something neither I, as the seller, nor the buyer can control.

What I am stopping is not 'sales'.
It is the transport risk that I cannot control myself.

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◎ What is truly scary is the invisible damage.

The effects of high or low temperatures do not always appear on the day of arrival.
Due to heat or cold during transport, the plant's immunity decreases, and
・Stuffiness
・Root damage
・Decreased resistance to environmental changes
Invisible damage such as these can accumulate.

Even if it looks healthy on the spot,
"I have experienced cases where stress during transport was a contributing factor, leading to root rot or stem rot a few days later."
The tricky part is that this damage is not visible upon arrival.

Anthurium is sometimes perceived as a 'difficult plant'.
I believe one of the reasons for this is the stress caused by environmental fluctuations during transport. (I feel this strongly not only from domestic shipping but also from my experience handling imported seedlings.)

Of course, the more root mass and vigor a plant has, the less susceptible it can be to these effects.

However, the summer heat and winter cold of recent years are incomparable to the past.

That is why I do not want to make the judgment that 'it will probably be fine.'

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◎ I want to take on the risk, not the customer.

"Please ship at my own risk."
That is one option.

However, that is not how I think.

The risks of conditioning and the anxieties involved.

I believe those judgments should be borne by me, the seller, not the buyer.

Therefore, I do not judge shipping based on 'can it be shipped,' but rather
"Can it be delivered in a state where it can be grown with peace of mind?"
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◎ There are exceptions.

I do not stop all shipping.

For plants like Grower Choice, where a replacement is possible even in the unlikely event of an issue, I may ship while monitoring the situation.

On the other hand, for one-of-a-kind items shown in photos or select plants that cannot be replaced, I do not ship as a general rule.

This is because a lost plant cannot be replaced with the same one.

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◎ I want you to grow Anthurium in perfect condition.

I want to reduce the image of 'Anthurium is a difficult plant' as much as possible.

Originally, a plant that has firmly rooted and started to grow in a healthy state is not a plant to be feared more than necessary.

That is why I do not want to burden it with unnecessary handicaps at the very start.

If waiting a little longer for shipping increases the likelihood that it will grow vigorously for many years to come, I want to make that choice.

You may have to wait for shipping.

Even so, I would much rather hear,
"It is growing vigorously," rather than "It arrived safely."

That makes me much happier.

And I believe that if that one plant grows for a long time and you feel,
"Anthurium is easier to grow than I thought,"
that will lead to the future of this plant.

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※ This article is about my philosophy regarding sales that involve transport. This does not apply if I can hand it over directly at events, etc.

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