Mail ordered plants don't appear as advertised

[Optimist]

And orchid blooms are a bit like butterfly wings when they first come out of the chrysalis. They are often folded up, and you have to give them a few days before taking pictures. My goodness, I think you are kind of lucky that you did not have bud blast. A recent purchase from e-bay lost the bud, and I was a bit sad. I have no idea what the Seed-grown plant will look like. (Have to wait till next year.)

I love Tahoma Glacier! That is a great parent!

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by smokinjoe1952

Lesson learned:

Don't buy an orchid unless:

A. It is blooming.
B. It is a known clone of a pictured orchid.

Is that sage advice?

I'll let the blooms age, but it appears this is not a clone. We'll see.

SJ

Yours is "sage advice" if a grower is shopping for, or desires, a particular thing. In your case here, then, I'd also be disappointed, because I was after the flower I saw. However, in a lot of situations it's a case of you get what you get. For example, many species plants are sold as unbloomed seedlings. You have an idea of how they'll turn out, but no specifics. On the other hand, when there ARE specifics, it's best to know that you're really buying what you are sold. If you buy a clone then you can expect something very close to the original, which is why the plant was cloned in the first place!

Also, bear in mind that the seller is going to show only photos of the best possible flowers from a plant. The growing conditions will, in most cases, be superior than what the home grower can provide; perhaps their light is more what the plant needs, or the humidity level in their greenhouse is ideal. Just moving the plant can send ripples through the growth and bloom cycle. So very much comes into play.

In the end, however, in this situation - given that the plant was previously bloomed, especially - I don't see how the seller acted in what I would call "good faith" in your transaction. His photos are quite deceptive if he showed those but, having previously bloomed this orchid, knew very well that what he was selling was a lesser bloomer. You may not get a refund, but in your situation I would still try to harass and annoy the seller, if for no other reason that he deserves it.

[smokinjoe1952]

I'll put this on the back burner for a few days as the blooms age.

If the business of mail order orchids is truly a "pay your nickle and take your chance", then it must mean that most of you do NOT take your chance. Unless of course you get a guaranteed clone.

I may discontinue mail order, and try to hit orchid shows, and purchase "in bloomers".

Last fall I ordered a: Dgmra. Plutos Drummer Pacific Pink. It too was nowhere near as pink and pretty as the pic.

Both orders were from the same place, but it is a well respected and recommended (on the OB) establishment. It must just be typical, but sure caught me by surprise.

Thanks for all the feedback. I learned a lot.

SJ

[Salixx]

I agree with Leafmite - the blooms are young and need time to mature. My last Catt hybrid that bloomed started out a pale yellow, almost whitish-green but eventually became a nice orange sunset type color. And, as already mentioned, environmental factors can influence bloom appearance as well.

Another thing to consider, in some instances, our own computer monitors can lead to disappointment. Certainly not in this case, but it is always something to keep in mind.

I will say that the fact that this only had two pbulbs hints, to me, that it is a division of another plant. Most of my seedling grown plants have a plethora of back bulbs ranging from tiny to nearly mature. That may not always be the case, but usually tells me something.

As for me, I buy nearly all my plants online. Those that I don't, I typically get from shows and many are not in bloom on either occasion. I've had a few that were quite what I thought, but they have grown on me and it's the nature of genetics in the case of seed grown plants.

I would definitely suggest, whomever the vendor is, that if this plant disappoints as well, that you look elsewhere for plants. There are many, many excellent people to buy from out there. Don't let one bad apple/experience taint the whole group.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

Also, bear in mind that the seller is going to show only photos of the best possible flowers from a plant.

Which is why I buy from wisiwyg sellers (on ebay). They say this is the plant, specifically, that you are going to get. Do your research if you want to see what the flower will be like.

And this is another thing, a lot of collectors buy plants that are the hybrids of plants, and that no one has ever seen before. The grower shows you two photos and you are to imagine what the offspring will look like. The adventure of spending a lot of money on an uncertain result is just like being in Vegas! That's the life of the collector! It could always be a dud, but you love it anyway, because you should always learn from your mistakes. Kind of like an unplanned child.

[Ray]

Don't disregard culture!

Some of the pigments in flowers develop differently under different light levels and/or temperatures. In their environment, the "as advertised" appearance might be the norm, whereas under yours they could be different.

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by smokinjoe1952

I'll put this on the back burner for a few days as the blooms age.

If the business of mail order orchids is truly a "pay your nickle and take your chance", then it must mean that most of you do NOT take your chance. Unless of course you get a guaranteed clone.

I may discontinue mail order, and try to hit orchid shows, and purchase "in bloomers".

Last fall I ordered a: Dgmra. Plutos Drummer Pacific Pink. It too was nowhere near as pink and pretty as the pic.

Both orders were from the same place, but it is a well respected and recommended (on the OB) establishment. It must just be typical, but sure caught me by surprise.

Thanks for all the feedback. I learned a lot.

SJ

There are some excellent mail vendors. On eBay you have Peter Lin and John Nelson, aka Big Leaf Orchids and Louisiana Orchid Connection. Both also have excellent online stores. A lot of my plants are from them. I also personally trust Hausermann's and simply adore Andy's Orchids. In the Vendor Feedback section you can find others just as reliable (though none with better plants than Andy). Other than the two I mentioned, I don't put a lot of stock into eBay vendors, though some are quite trustworthy.

[Bohata]

I also trust Hausermann's You can rely on getting what you ordered and they don't cheat by sending a tiny plant in a big pot. And their prices are reasonable.

[smokinjoe1952]

I have not mentioned the vendor, because they are considered top notch, but it does happen to be Hausermann's. I have ordered 3 times, a total of 8 plants, and the 2 mentioned are the only disappointments I have had. I am NOT upset, just want to know how to set expectations in the future.

I have had this plant for only 3 days. One bloom was already out when I received it, and another opened yesterday, so it has been their culture that produced these blooms.

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by smokinjoe1952

I have not mentioned the vendor, because they are considered top notch, but it does happen to be Hausermann's. I have ordered 3 times, a total of 8 plants, and the 2 mentioned are the only disappointments I have had. I am NOT upset, just want to know how to set expectations in the future.

I have had this plant for only 3 days. One bloom was already out when I received it, and another opened yesterday, so it has been their culture that produced these blooms.

I'm really surprised to hear that. I've ordered plants from Hausermann's for about 27 years now and I can't say I've ever been disappointed. Really, I put them up there in my top 5.

That the plant just arrived, though, opens a whole new issue. Flowers can look absolutely perfect when a plant is packed but three days later when they arrive at their new home they're a shadow of what they were. So given that the plant just arrived I truly don't think you can judge the future quality of your blooms by them.