Ahtanum Orchids

[shadytrake]

The jury is still out on this vendor.

History: I placed a large order with them in January 2016 after doing a Google search for a particular orchid.

You know how it is when you are looking for that one elusive plant for your collection.

Not only did they have the one I was searching for, but they also had two forms of V. denisoniana (the orange and the green).

I couldn't really find any reviews so I took the chance and emailed them about the size of the plants. The response seemed pretty good. Plants were large.

I placed the order and they charged me tax even though I am in TN and they are in WA. I contacted them about the error and they said they charge it anyway and will send me a heat pak in lieu of tax. Well, that was kind of a but not enough to discourage me from getting the order.

Order arrived and the plants were big (NO HEAT PAK - in January). I was excited that they were not damaged from the cold. I isolated them (as I always do now) and good thing because they had mealies. I immediately drenched.

So no biggie...I got rid of the guests and they started growing.

Fast forward to a little over a month ago...I see a spike on my V. denisoniana (green form) and I am over the moon excited! I carefully train it with styrofoam inserts so that it grows straight and away from the leaves. I'm counting buds and making sure the humidity is perfect. It had 12-14 buds working.

About 10 days ago, I start to suspect not V. denisoniana. The buds started turning purple! NOOoooooo! It can't be, I thought. Please when it opens, be green.

Oh no, not green. Not even Vanda. It opens and I have an Aerides x Vanda. I should have suspected sooner when I saw purple root tips instead of green, but I wasn't thinking.

So I email Ahtanum and tell them the situation and ask them how we should remedy as now their website says out of stock.

No reply. I call and leave a message just in case. Mind you, this was a total $333 order and this plant alone was $40 + tax that I shouldn't have had to pay + shipping.

No reply. I am seriously bummed about this and now more than a little irritated. So I called my credit card company (paid through PayPal, but with my Capital One card). They are pretty good with disputes.

I explain the whole situation and ask them how we can dispute only that portion of the purchase (I'm giving Ahtanum the benefit of the doubt that the other orchids are correctly labeled). Capital One is sending me a special dispute form.

In the meantime, I am still trying to contact Paul at Ahtanum to see if he will make it right.

Attached is a photo. I'm pretty sure it is (Aerides lawrenceae x Vandachostylis Sasicha), which is a popular cross. I'm checking for the grape scent which will pretty much determine that.

So the jury is still out, but it is not looking good at this point.