When you order Mother's Day flowers online, what you see isn't always what Mom gets.

View Graphics

Click above to see a slideshow of flower photos that readers shared with us.

Big-name online flower vendors generally fall into two categories: those that route orders to a local florist for delivery, and those that ship out boxed arrangements from a few central places. Some provide a mix of the two. We tested five sites offering shipped bouquets -- FTD.com, OrganicBouquet.com, ProFlowers.com, 1800Flowers.com and Kabloom.com -- to see how closely the arrangements resembled their online photos and generally assess their value. Each arrangement cost $50 to $70 apiece, plus extra for delivery. (Bargain-hunters that we are, we used coupon codes to cut the cost when available.)

Experts say shipped orders coming from one of a few warehouse locations should, in theory, vary less than florist arrangements, but previous tests indicate that isn't always the case. In a 2011 test of 24 total deliveries from 1800Flowers.com, FTD.com and ProFlowers.com, Consumer Reports found that consumers were more likely to get orders that looked like the online pictures when they chose single-flower bouquets of roses, tulips or orchids. "Mixed bouquets had more substitutions than the rest," according to the report. We also tested Mother's Day arrangements back in 2007, with mixed results. The sites say substitutions often occur when there's a quality issue with particular blooms, and that policy dictates that the replacement be of better quality than the original order. Quality might also depend on factors like how far away the flowers are from, and whether the person preparing the arrangement has seen that promotional photo (See 10 Things Your Florist Won't Tell You).

If the site sends orders to a local florist, experts say consumers can also expect some deviation. "Sometimes substitutions do have to be made, depending on what's in stock," says Jennifer Sparks, a spokeswoman for the Society of American Florists. Florists also tend to have signature touches and looks, she says, which may lead to a bouquet that differs from the standard stock photo. She suggests consumers who want something specific for an arrangement -- say, it must have sunflowers, and no lilies call florists directly instead of placing a web order to ensure you find one that can fill the order as shown.

Most sites offer the disclaimer that arriving bouquets need immediate watering and a few hours to look their best. But we also made an immediate assessment, figuring Mom would do the same. (See the video for our out-of-the-box reactions.) The underlying question: If this showed up at her doorstep, would she be impressed?

Here's how our five orders stacked up against expectations:

FTD.com

• Blossoming Wonder Spring Bouquet: $49.99 plus shipping.

As Advertised vs. As Delivered

Out of the Box: The 10-stem arrangement -- shipped from SaddleBrook, N.J. -- filled the vase in site photos, but looked noticeably sparse as delivered. The flowers looked to be in good condition.

Company Response: "We make every effort to deliver each arrangement as shown on the FTD.com Website," says FTD president Robert Apatoff. Dissatisfied customers should contact the company "so that we can do our best to make things right," he says.

OrganicBouquet.com

• Deluxe Lily Bouquet: $69.90 plus shipping.

As Advertised vs. As Delivered

Out of the Box: The site promises "at least 20 blooms" on eight stems of white and pink lilies. Opening the package from San Marcos, Calif, we counted twice that number of buds in the vase-filling arrangement, but few opened until the next morning when just under a dozen bloomed.

Company Response: Jesse Matney, vice president of marketing and ecommerce for OrganicBouquet.com, says the flowers arrive in bud form so the bouquet lasts longer. "We're very proud of the freshness and cut stage of the product," he says, adding that new flowers should continue to open for two weeks. Damaged or late shipments may be eligible for store credit or a replacement.

ProFlowers.com

• Mother's Day Celebration: $54.98 plus shipping.

As Advertised vs. As Delivered

Out of the Box: The site describes the arrangement as "shipped fresh, budding and ready to bloom." A day later, though, none of the flowers -- shipped from Miami -- had opened.

Company Response: "The way your flowers arrived, that's fresh and that's our business model," says spokeswoman Jen Carroll. With bouquets already in bloom "their best days are behind them," she says. "With ours, their best days are ahead." Consumers unhappy with the quality of their offer might receive a refund or replacement, she says.

1800Flowers.com

• Garden Pathway: $49.99 plus shipping.

As Advertised vs. As Delivered

Out of the Box: The sunflowers weren't the giant centerpieces shown on the order page, and the entire bouquet -- which arrived from Philadelphia, Pa. -- looked dehydrated, with crumpled and limp blooms. It did perk up a bit with water.

Company Response: "We do have a 100% smile guarantee," a spokeswoman said, without commenting on this particular arrangement. The site addresses problems on a case-by-case basis, but consumers may get a refund, a replacement bouquet, or both, she says.

Kabloom.com

• Bright Now with Roses: $54.98 plus shipping.

As Advertised vs. As Delivered

Out of the Box: Kabloom's bouquet was the only one to arrive with the stems in water, and pre-arranged. The yellow spray roses had been replaced with yellow daisies and green dahlias. The polka-dotted vase arrived cracked en route from Brookline, Mass.

Company Response: Ella Orsatti, the general manager for Kabloom, says the substitution was likely the result of a quality issue with the roses, and in those cases the policy is to add extra (and more expensive) blooms instead of greenery. The cracked vase was "not acceptable," she says, but also a rare situation. Problem blooms typically result in a free replacement.