Paramount Orchids order disappointment
 

I have ordered two vandas from Paramount Orchids.
SS of v.roeblingiana $24
and
FS of v.cristata $28
as listed on their website.
I understand that SS is small size and FS should be flowering size.
The v.roeblingiana is small all right, I knew that, but v.cristata is not that much bigger and definitely doesn't look like FS.
Roots aren't that great on both too and bottom part of stem on cristata is black.
I have attached pictures. For comparison on last two pictures I placed them beside v.brunnea that I got from Clouds Orchids as seedling for only $15.
I guess I am not going to order from Paramount again which is shame, they have great selection and I already have a wish list for next order...
Just wanted to share...

In the second picture top left, that one looks like it has a good set of roots.

Did you contact the vendor?

sii,
Top left on that picture is v.brunnea that I got from Clouds Orchids, I put it there for comparison. Two other ones are from this Paramount order that I am not happy with.

Sorry to hear your order is disappointing. I believe SS means small seedling at Paramount.
Joann

You should definitely send them an e-mail saying you are totally dissapionted with the condition of the plants. Those are some pretty sad looking things.

Vanda cristata is a fairly small species. I would say yours is flowering size. the roots are kinda disappointing, but with proper care, it should bloom next spring or summer.

I agree. Complain to them. What's to lose? I have bought plants a number of times from them and while they are usually good, I almost get the feeling that if you are not there shopping, they pick their worse ones to get rid of. My sister lives there while I am in Sask. so she is often my delivery person. At Christmas she came with a Milt. that I didn't order or even discuss with them. She knew what she was supposed to be picking up and what my substitute request was, but they told her 'oh yes, she knows all about this and is expecting it' - NOT!

Another thing you might not know, is that they are moving to Vancouver Island (I think Nanaimo) and downsizing and semi retiring. I think only one of the two will continue. So they may be trying to 'dump' now.

On the other hand you may want to get the things you want as we don't have a lot of places to shop in Canada. Quite the problem for us as we buy supplies from them such as large bales of NZ moss and bark.

I would definitely contact them and let them know they should make good on those plants. If there are no better ones, they should cut the price or ask if substitution is OK.

Thank you for your support everybody! I have sent them an email with pictures attached and asked them to judge if the plants conditions are acceptable. I would understand if they had limited quantities of those vandas and they were last ones to send, but then I should be warned about it before purchase.
Silken, you are so lucky to have someone there watching out for you!
lambelkip, wow! I thought there is at least 5 years wait for it to flower. I also have v. suavis and v. brunnea of a seedling size, a bit bigger than cristata though. Would any of those be small flowering by any chance? What are other small flowering species?
Thanks again.

I think both Vanda suavis and Vanda brunnea need to be quite a bit bigger in order to bloom.. Here's the ones I know of that bloom at a small size:
Vanda coerulescens
Vanda lamellata
Vanda griffithii
Vanda lilacina
Vanda parviflora
Vanda pumila
Vanda scandens
Vanda testacea.

I think Paramount Orchid's label of "SS" means "seedling size", which is what you got for V. roeblingiana. I can tell you right now, V. roeblingiana is a fairly good sized Vanda. A small division can be about 8" - 10" across from leaf tip to leaf tip.

The V. cristata is not flowering sized, yet...

Like V. pumila, V. cristata can bloom at relatively small sizes. Your V. cristata, however, looks like it will be at least 2-3 years from blooming.

I wouldn't worry about the roots on the V. cristata, they look passable and can grow new roots quickly during growing season (which happens to be now :)).