I posted about my Water Hyacinth the last time; mozemoua asked if she could have some. There is only so much that I could take inside with me during the winter months, and this water floating plant spread so fast that you only need a couple and it’ll grow overnight.
When I promised her that I’d give, I really didn’t know how I would ship this since we live in different states, but we were able to work out the detail that I’d give this to her with no charge, and she offered to pay for the freight, so UPS ground seems like a perfect solution for us. I choose to ship on a Monday so that it will have plenty of time to get there, I’d hate for it to get stuck somewhere over the weekend. UPS has not updated their tracking yet, but I think it’d take about 1 or 2 days to get there UPS has updated their tracking information, and it is scheduled for delivery on 10/08/2008, so it’ll take 2 days to deliver to her area.
I checked to see if it’s legal to ship Water Hyacinth to her state, and it is, many places in her area actually use it for waste water treatment. I picked out the Water Hyacinth yesterday and mostly young ones so that I can give her more. I put them in my large vase/pond that I used as my water lily and fish pond before I made this bigger pond in my backyard, that way by Monday afternoon, I would have them ready to pack and ship.
I’ve never shipped any living things before, but had seen how they shipped Orchid plant, one of our customers shipped Orchid to one of my co-workers in the past, and it was lots of shredded newspaper and I thought that I would try the same with the Water Hyacinth. I wrapped the roots with wet paper towels, and put it in a sandwich bag to keep it from wetting the box. The Water Hyacinth look comfortable in there, all covered with shredded newspaper, so we’ll see in a couple of days if they made it to their new home okay.
Updated 10/8/2008: mozemoua received the Water Hyacinth yesterday at 2:29 PM delivered to her front door but she didn’t return home until late yesterday, these are photos from her blog posting, I’m very happy that they are in great condition, one even has a flower. 
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October 6, 2008 at 11:38 pm
lady0fdarkness
I used to live in Hawaii and these plants were used everywhere. They are absolutely beautiful.
October 6, 2008 at 11:39 pm
lady0fdarkness
Oh by the way.. I love the jasmines…… especially in the “pa-kwan” tree, when the lao people tie white strings around the wrist. That smell is so heavenly.
October 7, 2008 at 1:22 am
Baker Watson
Glad you found a home for some of your excess Water Hyacinth,
Baker
October 7, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Ginger
lady0fdarkness, I’ve never visited Hawaii but would love to one day. The Jasmines made me think of the time when I was little, Thai and Lao people use it a lot for special occasions, it looks very classic, and you’re right, the smell is heavenly.
Hi Baker, I hope that it will make it okay, I think it would look lovely in the pond next door to you.
October 7, 2008 at 7:49 pm
mozemoua
Hello Ginger, I’ve been soo busy I haven’t been able to come to your blog!!
I am soo excited I can’t wait to see the water Hyacinth!! I promise you I’ll take very good care of them and give them a good home! My brother is planning on making a pond so this way it’ll give him more reasons to start his pond much ealier.
October 8, 2008 at 12:21 am
Ginger
mozemoua, I hope it will get there okay. You do have to keep it indoor for the winter months, I also have to start taking mine in. Please keep me update when you do get it.
October 9, 2008 at 8:12 am
mozemoua
The water hyacinth got here in perfect condition except for one, it was a little withered, but thats fine I’ll nuture it back to health.. Wow you had given me so many, I hoenslty was just expecting only 4 or 5, but that was alot! Thanks sooo much!!! I am going to make a post later on today, I hope you don’t mind me stealing one or two of the above pictures (and of course crediting you).. Once again THANKYOU!!
October 9, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Ginger
mozemoua, thanks for the update, I’m glad to hear that it made it okay, I was worried about it since it was kind of hot, but I think the shredded newspaper helps some. You’re welcome, I’m happy to be able to give some away.
October 10, 2008 at 1:52 am
Salat
That is very kind of you to share some of your plants. I have always wondered about mailing live plants too. So this was a good “how-to” . And looks like you did a great job packing & shipping them.
October 10, 2008 at 8:29 am
Ginger
Salat, I was curious to see how it’d ship also, one time my dad shipped his string beans, egg plants and other vegetables to my sisters in NYC, and placed them in plastic bags, it got there in 2 days, but half cooked, and now I know how to ship them if he wants to try that again.
As for frozen food, such as frozen spring rolls, I think I’d have to include dry ice, this I’ve yet to try.
October 10, 2008 at 10:41 am
mozemoua
By this weekend I will be moving the flowers to a better water pot and not this cheap old basket.
October 11, 2008 at 5:21 am
Ginger
mozemoua, that sounds like a great plan, I’ll be taking mine in today also, I’ve a huge empty fish tank to put them in.
April 16, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Rita
How do you keep the water hyacinth alive indoor? They all died during the winter after I had taken them indoor and I need to get new ones every spring. I’m looking around to see which local shop has them in early-mid April. I like the small size ones as my pond is very small.
April 17, 2009 at 2:16 am
Ginger
Rita, our area is not that cold, my sister kept hers in a large tub, in the crawlspace underneath the house and they survived the winter months. I kept mine in a fish tank and kept it in my garage and it didn’t make it, but my sister is giving me some of hers.
Sometimes we can find them at the flea market in our area.