Mail ordered plants don't appear as advertised

[Salixx]

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'll be the black sheep, and was kind of afraid to say something but I'm going to because I know I'm not the only one. I am probably in the minority though.

I ordered from Hausermann's once and had a pretty terrible experience on a multitude of levels (posted in Vendor section if curious). I have a small "do not buy" list, and they are on it.

That said, many people here have had excellent experiences with them. Mine may have been once in a million. They aren't perfect and I always give vendors a chance to remediate problems. I do hope the plant turns out as it should or that they quickly make good on it if it doesn't.

One thing I would advise is not to lower your expectations too much. We pay a lot of cash for these plants, sight unseen. You should expect a plant to be healthy and as advertised- a little variation, sure. It shouldn't look like a different plant/clone/whathaveyou.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Seeing the comparison pictures, I would contact the vendor with the photos and express your concerns. The name in single quotes should be a clonal name, as stated previously. I would argue that this plant is not the same (though it could bloom differently at a different time).

It is worth contacting the vendor to see what they say.

[Roberta]

Remember, a plant is a living thing. Even though clones are theoretically genetically identical, there can still be variation. Add to that environmental differences and "youth vs maturity" and you can see the many opportunities that Mother Nature has to express individuality. The only way to know EXACTLY what you are getting is to buy the EXACT individual plant in bloom. And even that may not be exactly the same the next time, due to environment. (Cooler, warmer, brighter, shadier...)

[smokinjoe1952]

Thanks for the reply.

I will contact them in a few days to make sure the blooms don't change for the better.

I am now aware the single quotes signify a clone, which is good to know. That really means you should get something close to what you see advertised.

SJ

[jkofferdahl]

Again, this is a plant which just arrived and was IN BLOOM when shipped. The flowers on a shipped plant often go haywire, and even if they're beautiful when they leave the shop they wilt in shipping. Sellers state, right on their invoices, packing slips, and web sites that they can not guarantee spikes, buds, or flowers during shipping. Thus, I believe that comparing the flowers on your plant to those in the Hausermann's photos is very unrealistic, and possibly unfair.

Given that, it is my opinion that you have no case. My belief is that next year, if you provide the plant with good conditions, you'll have the flowers you believe you purchased.

[Leafmite]

Having grown plants since a childhood (a long time) and having grown many, many types of different plants, all I can say is that plants do unusual things. They are not created out of some unchangeable non-biological matter but are alive. They react to their environments, they react to chemicals and they react to their care. They also do spontaneous, surprising things for absolutely no apparent reason at all. Unfortunately, as of yet, no person can completely control a living thing, including a plant. Most people who do gardening or grow other types of plants seem to accept this but I have noticed that people who mainly grow orchids or who are new at growing plants have an expectation that every aspect of a plant must be perfect while being cheap.

The truth is, when you look at the costs involved in growing mass numbers of certain indoor plants vs any other business, you begin to realize that a nursery business isn't really cost effective (unless subsidized by a government) in this day and age compared to other types of businesses, especially not in the colder climates of the US. Plants require fertilizer, pesticides, fungicides, water, light, heat, potting material, moving air, transplanting, etc. The work for tropical plants, unlike bedding plants, is never ending as they need care all year. Orchids, in addition, need staked and re-potted every year with expensive bark. If you own a business and go on vacation, you may still need to worry about something happening while you are away.

Then there are the loses.... Plants can often die for no reason, customers can accidentally harm the plants or move the tags, another vendor sends you virused plants that you need to destroy, a massive sale falls through, the heater breaks in the middle of winter, and all sorts of accidents can happen to cause severe losses. Sending out blooming plants or more mature plants (more expensive, a loss) instead of non-blooming plants or seedlings cut into the profits but a vendor might want to make a nice gesture now and then.

The only reason most responsible orchid vendors stay in the business these days is because they truly love the plants. I doubt they are making much of a profit, growing orchids from flask for three to seven years before selling them. Most of the newer vendors who are selling orchids are people who buy the orchids/import the orchids and then quickly sell them for a profit.

Many vendors are getting out of the business or cutting down on their inventory. A certain vendor I know is no longer going to hybridize Phals because the cost to heat that greenhouse is too expensive. Quite a few places that sold orchids when I started buying online are no longer in business. J&L tried to sell their business but no one would buy it. I know several orchid vendors and they all have other jobs to support themselves and their hobby of growing and selling orchids. Hausermann's, I believe, is starting to get into growing other types of plants.

[estación seca]

You bought a plant with a name in quotes - it is not a seedling and is likely a mericlone of the plant. The color variation is not due to a genetic difference.

I agree with Ray. ESPECIALLY for pink edging and suffusion, and especially in the Oncidium alliance, temperature during flower development and opening makes a HUGE difference in the amount and intensity of pink/red coloring.

There is a Tolumnia in our show this weekend with flowers of two different colors - the older ones are pale pink, and the newer ones deep reddish pink.

The first photo you showed was of a flower still opening. As others have noted, there is still time for the color to develop. The temperature in your growing area will influence the amount and intensity of the color. I think the vendor did, indeed, likely send you the correct plant. They also did post the best photo of the flower they could get.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by smokinjoe1952

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.

In my 5 years of orchid owning, I have never stepped inside an orchid greenhouse. There just are none around here.

I believe there are many here who need to buy their orchids mail order due to the inaccessibility of "bloomers" of kinds more than grocery store phalenopsis.

As you have learned, there is a certain amount of "street smarts" involved with buying good plants.

Have you tried the Orchid Sale and Trade group on Facebook or anything like that? Orchid societies are great. Find breeders and buy their plant divisions when offered. Know the names of sellers who are celebrated by people you trust (Often people on Orchid Board tell us about getting great plants through various on-line vendors). I would say 95% of what I have purchased on line have been really nice plants. Some have died due to my own cultural errors. Orchid growing is an art, not a step by step how-to exercise.

I am getting some orchids next week from vendors I have never used before. One has a somewhat bad rating on e-bay, however redemption is always there for those who do not constantly mess up. The other is a very well known vendor (Norman's). I also have 4-5 vendors on e-bay that I look at often for new orchids. Like I said, they show the "exact" plant you will get. I have gotten some monster plants often originally from places like the Orchid Zone.

I was just thinking, it is sort of like a used car lot, but it is a used orchid lot.

[smokinjoe1952]

Leafmite - Very good points!

After re-reading everybody's posts, I just realized that I agree with everybody, even though there are differing opinions. Probably the result of being somewhat of a newbie.

I have decided that will I not pursue this with the vendor. Hopefully I will be happier on the next bloom cycle, but for $19, it's not the end of the world.

The only question that remains is if I will mail order again, and that I can't answer right now.

SJ

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by smokinjoe1952

Leafmite - Very good points!

After re-reading everybody's posts, I just realized that I agree with everybody, even though there are differing opinions. Probably the result of being somewhat of a newbie.

I have decided that will I not pursue this with the vendor. Hopefully I will be happier on the next bloom cycle, but for $19, it's not the end of the world.

The only question that remains is if I will mail order again, and that I can't answer right now.

SJ

You CAN judge this plant based on the flowers you have but if you do, as I stated previously, I believe you are utterly wrong. Nobody else seems to be concerned that the plant was shipped to you in bud/bloom and how that matters, but I believe it is a major part of the "problem" with your flowers. It is simply not right to judge an orchid flower based on its appearance when it is shipped in bloom. Or in bud, for that matter.