Paramount Orchids order disappointment

Thank you Philip.

Well, I got answers from Paramount Orchids.
One with regards to the size of v.cristata:
Actually you are totally wrong, this is a flowering size plant as the photo is of this particular group that we have flowered.
Sorry that you are so wrong and so disappointed.
All I can do is suggest that you do more research into what flowering size means.
We have no difficulty here at all bringing these into flower each season and would certainly not advertise something as being something it is not as we have an excellent reputation and wish to maintain it.
We regret your decision but stand by our claim.
Regards,
Bryon
Paramount Orchids

The other with regards to the plants conditions:
It would appear that the Vanda cristata has become overheated during shipping given the damage to the leaf that I can see and as long as there is no rot to the blackness of the stem I would not become overly concerned but would keep it in the moss as this is the best environment for it. Had you checked the dates of transplanting on either plant this might have indicated that the Vanda roeblingiana was only mounted on March 2011 and should have been left on the mount to form more roots. I would suggest some rooting hormone to lessen the plant shock such as K-L-N and keep them in good but subdued light
You have now set it back by taking it off. The single viable root is fine and the plant would have continued to progress had it been given appropriate care.
I am not sure of your plant experience or mail order experience but I hope that this will not further deter you as I think that you have been hasty in care and judgment.

Bryon
Paramount Orchids

So, they think, plants are OK and should survive. I will belive them but keep an eye on black area of cristata stem, because today both bottom leaves from that area dropped dead.

I have un-potted/un-mounted them from sphagnum moss because:
1. I wanted to check the roots under sphag
2. I kill everything in moss and have the best results growing vanda seedlings in glass vase. Someone might say that it is hasty care, but it worked for me so far.

I am also sorry about hasty judgment, I just expected something looking a bit healthier after seing someone elses pictures of phalaenopsis order from Paramount.
Thank you for reading.

[Eyebabe]

The last thing you expect to receive in the mail is a plant that has to be rescued. I generally don't have to pay for those...they are given to me by friends.

Furthermore, how can one plant be "overheated" with shipping and the other "not"?? Were they not sent in the same box? Do they really think Mr. UPS just consistently sat the box in the sun in the same orientation for two days throughout transport?

Lastly, they may have a point regarding the roeblingiana. That being the case, it has grown one lousy root under their care since repotting/mounting in March??? Really.

Sorry to be so cynical but attitude like that gets my blood boiling.
Maybe they need to do a little research on customer service before they sell anymore plants.

Thank you, Eyebabe.
Beside that one good root roeblingiana has bunch of dead strings that look like there were totally rotted roots before. They probably mounted it to save from root rot and I don't think long ago, because it came off the mount very easy.
I found tall vase with top opening narrow enough to hold plant atop and put some water at the bottom - this should help with humidity. Hopefully it will put out more roots. I like the fact that this one root has nicely green growing point. Cristata's roots are all cracked and don't have growing points
It is not funny, but v.roeblingiana in the vase with one root now looks like wounded one-legged soldier fighting for his life.

[eggshells]

Hi, I have also bought from both vendors. Paramount and Cloud's Orchids. These are the plants that I bought from Paramount. I had one question on one plant that I bought, Catt Aurantiaca as a "FS". Now I take it they meant Flowering Size but its seems small compared to the pictures of the species that are flowering in the Internet. After researching. I found out that some if not most vendors label their plants as FS when its going to bloom next season (on their greenhouse and culture) or have already bloomed. Now since I am growing these things inside the house. I will add 2 more years depending on the plants. I have also bought a LS of PEOY but its almost the same size as the SS Saint Swithin. They did gave me an awesome philippinense with 1 bloomed growth, 3 mature growth and 2 small growth. So all in all it wasn't that bad. Just got to understand though that they're culture and environment are just different so what may bloom for them the next season might not bloom for us who grow are stuff in a windows sill. We might want to add a year or two for the plants size that they listed if we are growing it in a windows sill or inside the house.

Eggshells, your plants look awsome.
You are right, our conditions are very different.
Although I doubt my cristata with such sad roots and stem would flower now even in their perfect greenhouse environment.
That's OK, I made my peace with it and will work on recovering both my vandas.
I am sure there are many (probably most) buyers with only positive experience from them, otherwise they wouldn't be in business and such small mishaps should happen occasionally.
Just didn't want to be the one it happened to

[eggshells]

Thanks, I do know a vendor who has great plants. I had plants that got stuck in the post office for 18 days due to the strike! they rebound so quickly and its just been for 2 weeks. One is on bud now lol. I will post a pic when it blooms. She is a nice lady too. I just bought Catts from her but I believe she sells Vandas and Paphs too. And when she says Its Blooming Size its blooming size I bought Catts that are well over a foot tall. But I have many catts now and wanted to increase my paph collection so yeah. Inexpensive too.

Originally Posted by eggshells

Thanks, I do know a vendor who has great plants. I had plants that got stuck in the post office for 18 days due to the strike! they rebound so quickly and its just been for 2 weeks. One is on bud now lol. I will post a pic when it blooms. She is a nice lady too. I just bought Catts from her but I believe she sells Vandas and Paphs too. And when she says Its Blooming Size its blooming size I bought Catts that are well over a foot tall. But I have many catts now and wanted to increase my paph collection so yeah. Inexpensive too.

Great! Do you mind sharing that vendor of yours? With such limited supply every new vendor, especially trusted, is precious.
Thank you.

[eggshells]

Absolutely, I will pm you her contacts.

***

I tried PM'ing you but it didn't work. It says that you do not wish to receive PMs.

[silken]

Originally Posted by eggshells

Absolutely, I will pm you her contacts.

***

I tried PM'ing you but it didn't work. It says that you do not wish to receive PMs.

I wouldn't mind knowing who this vendor is too.

As for Paramount. I read Bryon's response regarding the poor looking plants and I think it was sarcastic and quite rude. Suggesting you jumped the gun and don't know too much about these plants. Bad attitude for someone in sales when the customer is supposed to be right. I have had this flippant attitude from him too where he was suggesting it was the flaws in my culture of the plant. But when I described my conditions, he had to back down and admit they were ideal. I think he told my sister he is getting out of the orchid business when they move to B.C. and it sounds like it is time. Chuck, his partner will continue to keep his own large collection and do a bit of mail order.

I hope your plants pull thru and I guess with a response like that, no point losing any sleep over it.

[FairyInTheFlowers]

It's unfortunate that he has to end his orchid career as a crab. Like someone said, if they are trying to get rid of plants, then why don't they have a sale? It just really saddens me that one of Canada's largest and most diverse nursery has to end like this.