Fake Orchid Seeds?
 

Hello!

I'm new to orchid propagation. I wanted to try to flask orchid seeds for the first time. Because i don't have any orchid seeds at the moment, i have ordered some orchid seeds from Ebay (Vanda Manuvadee Sky) . Today i received the seeds, but they don't look like orchid seeds. In fact, they are about 0,5mm big ( like brown sugar ) and i know that orchid seeds are like dust.

See the attached pictures. Is this fake orchid seed?

I think there are a couple of questions to be answered here. First I am not sure about the name Vanda Manuvadee Sky, that is not a registered hybrid. Secondly I would have expected the seed to be labelled as vanda A x vanda B.

And finally as you suggest the seed looks too coarse. I have only ever used cattleya and phal seed but both are much finer than this appears to be. Finally I assume that you are aware that orchid seed should be sown in sterile conditions in flasks if you hope to get reasonable germination.

The do look fake, kind of like bread crumbs, but that doesn't mean they are.

I've seen moist, brown/tan, chunky looking seed like this inside an immature capsule that split way too early. It could be that this "stuff" actually came from an orchid seed capsule, but even then I wouldn't get my hopes up about its viability. It doesn't look normal.

No seeds even if it's from the pod.

Report to ebay asap.

Thanks for the answers!

I contacted the seller and he did a refund + promised me to send good seeds. :dunno:

I searched for pictures of real orchid seeds and there is definitely a big difference. Well, this time i will ask for seeds at my local orchid society.

I have attached some pictures of real phalaenopsis and vanda seeds as they should look like.

Yes, i have read a lot of information about orchid propagation and flasking. Actually it seems to be not so difficult if you can create sterile conditions. I hope i will succeed in this, it's really fascinating. :)

Neat pictures, especially the last one. The cotton like substance in picture #4 is chaff. I like to remove as much of this as i can without fussing over it too much. By itself it won't hurt, but it can be an inconvenience while disinfecting the seed, as it wants to float and doesn't get wet readily.

There's lots of great info on propagation here. I'm sure you'll succeed if you are determined. Good luck!

I just looked up eBay to see who was selling seed of Vanda Manuvadee "Sky" (selling seed of an awarded clone without stating whether it's a selfing or what it was crossed with is not a good sign). It came back with this listing. I don't suppose this was the seller you bid from? Call me suspicious but there was a seller from Ankara, Turkey going by the eBay ID 5eeds / ladybotany a while back who would list rare seeds and then send seed of common garden plants and weeds.

At least you got your money back. I wouldn't pin your hopes on the replacement seed being orchid seed either. With due respect to our fine Turkish friends on OB, I'd be wary of buying orchid seed on eBay from anyone in Turkey.

If (as in the listing referenced above) anybody tries to sell you '1000 orchid seeds', run the other way. Nobody counts orchid seeds.

Personally I would never order orchid seed from somebody I didn't trust a whole lot, preferably somebody I know. There is just no way to know that the seed you are getting is labeled right or is viable.

you're right that nobody counts them, but most vendors list 1000 as an approximate number. if you read the item description, it says "about 1000 seeds".