Hi Laura,
Thanks,
I dont really feel taken, I wanted it due to the rust needles, flowers are a bonus.
It just really makes me mad they will go to that length and be sneaky! And as you pointed out. We will be left with glue, and possibly lose the needles and have bald spot. That's what makes me mad.

Joscience~ Been there done that! Have bought one for my son in the past... What a waste!

I would take it back, the store should refund you money, false advertiing. Perhaps they will complain to the supplier. I would be more than mad, do you know who the supplies those plants? That is dishohest, just like stealing cuttings, they just stole money from you. they will continue as long as the customers buy them. Norma

Hi Norma,
Yes, I thought about that.
I did write the supplier and gave them an ear full. The web site is on the label of the plant. Not to mention this supplier has several lables wrong at lowe's.

I was thinking of calling the manager at Lowe's tomorrow.

Give the STORE MANAGER an earful. This is a rip off IMHO. Don't tolerate it.

Don't complain, it's your fault! Go and buy your plants in a nursery instead of HD, WM, LO and the like. You might have to pay a little more but you get real plants.

Jordi

Don't see how it's my fault... but hey, to each his own.

I couldn't see the glue...

I work at a store similar to Lowe's and I can tell you that complaining to the Manager wouldn't do any good. The buyers for Lowe's are the ones who have control over what comes into the stores, and even if the Manager were to tell someone at their Corporate Office about your complaint, it would likely go in one ear and out the other. Sadly, that's how these "big box" stores operate. You did the right thing by complaining to the Company growing these plants, IMHO.

jojosplants,

When you go to buy your plants, wear your glasses in the store before you get them home..lol

I never understood why they do this...

Meyermike... Your funny! LOL! Well they are just cheap drugstore ones right now. lol! Really need to get "real" ones.

I actually put them on to read the label and the glue caught my eye.

I never in a million years would have guessed someone would go to the trouble of glueing a flower on a cactus! I will try and carry them with me from now on... lol... Thanks..:)

Greenman... Thank you!
Yes, I'm sure it will not be "heard" but I will anyway..

Two sayings come to mind:
*Caveat emptor
*You get what you pay for

In the time you spent complaining, you could have found a local specialty nursery that would have sold you a much healthier plant, sans any kind of straw-flower. The little cactus nursery that actually cares about their plants certainly deserves your support more than some big-box mega-chain. People go to these super-low price sellers and then act all indignant when the quality of the plants match the price. I just don't understand where the sense of entitlement comes from.

Actually,
I live just 10 min from Arid Lands and go there every Sat. If they would of had one this color,I would have bought it. Belive me, I look at EVERY plant there. My son and I are there about 2 hrs!

I got beautiful healthy plants from lowes, I just can't belive someone would be stupid enough and go to the trouble of gluing on a flower...

This topic comes up every now and then when someone posts a picture asking to identify a plant with no name that's been blooming day and night for three months without the flower ever closing, or wilting. It is always sad that someone has to tell them the flower is fake. Lots of folks fall for this, but unfortunately, these despicable things are a good marketing tool. Deception in advertising is well tolerated in the United States, just watch late night TV commercials. ;)

Some years back, a representative of Altman's plants, one of the biggest, but not the only GLUFER offender, posted that they were going to stop doing the fake flower thing. That person seemed quite embarrassed by it. And they did stop. For a little while.

I guess when the sales data came in they realized they it had cost them a lot of revenue. So the Glufers came back.

As Jordi and Josiah are telling you, it's a lost cause complaining to the store, or the supplier. Just do your buying from places that do not support this practice, and give you proper identifications.

Altman's bizarre, since they're pretty bad about glowing on fake flowers and don't have a clue how to label things half the time. On the other hand, their plants are usually pretty good quality (before the store, you know, overwaters them and rots them out) and they have a lot of less common things.

"In the time you spent complaining, you could have found a local specialty nursery that would have sold you a much healthier plant, sans any kind of straw-flower."

This is good advice but it only works if you:

A) Live near a local specialty nursery.
B) Said local specialty nursery doesn't care plants with straw flowers.

I live in Bowling Green, Ohio. There's exactly one specialty nursery here, and all of their succulents are Altman.

Josiah,

Isn't that a little harsh? Many folks don't know about the glufers and buy them with the mistaken impression that they are flowers. It's a beginner's mistake that jojo no doubt would not repeat again. It's easy to write what you've written when you know those facts in advance, but beginners don't know many things, and this is a prime example of that inexperience being taken advantage of.

I agree! I live in a small town in FL and we have NO nurseries or specialty stores that carry succulents.Jades or Cacti. The big box stores are my only choice "if" I do not want to pay for shipping costs. I guess they figure FL doesn't have a large market for them?

Harsh? Jeez, I was trying to reign it in a little. :-) I suppose since I've already ruffled some feathers, I might as well say what I really think about the issue...

If it is a beginner's mistake, then why is everyone so angry at the seller? Even that term implies that is was *their* fault! Learn from it, and move on. Don't blame the seller for your lack of experience.

The sense of *anger* towards the sellers is absolutely unwarranted, and if anything, should be directed towards the buyers. In any transaction, it is the buyer's responsibility to perform due diligence, making sure they know what they are getting into. If you aren't looking at a plant closely enough to realize that a flower has been glued on before you buy it, then I really don't think you have any right to get angry at the seller afterward. Don't you people look for pests/disease? squeeze the pot to feel the roots? and heaven forbid, read about a plant before you buy it? Oh, but its just a $3 plant you say. Then why are so upset about the stupid glued-on flower?! Its just not consistent.

No one is holding a gun to your head telling you to buy a cactus at a big-box, or otherwise. You can complain to the managers and vendors all you want, but as long as you keep opening your wallet, that is the *only* thing they will hear. Either put your money where your mouth is, or ease off on all the outrage over "false advertising" and being "ripped off."

Well...
I don't know about you, but when I look at a plant and see a flower, I just assume it bloomed... Gee, stupid me not to suspect someone glued it on! should I look for glue on other plants like Daisy, Pansy, Mums?? A Rose bush? Fruit trees, maybe I should start yanking on the fruit.

Just wondering...????

yes, I looked at roots and needles...Made sure it was plump. but again wasn't smart enough to think of glue in a plant shop..

It wasn't until I got home and looked one more time under my kitchen light that I saw it. I was only looking again, because I just love new plants, and the first thing I do is bring them in and search..

But next time I go.. yes, I will yank on every flower and inspect for glue.!

You think what you want of me.. and others that have come across this..

I could care less...

We do have the right to complain to the seller and supplier.

I still dont see this as my fault...And I feel better knowing others are aware now!

If it was your car and someone pulled a sneaky... something tells me you'd be upset.!

And I doubt you'd blame yourself.. more like the mechanic!

Josiah,

I said 'a little harsh' - in no way did I think you were suggesting drawing and quartering, the iron maiden, or the death of a thousand cuts. I had a favourite plant that I took a thousand cuttings from, but that's another story.

You're selling a live plant with fake flowers on; these fake flowers are 'real' enough to fool some people some of the time.....yet nowhere in the care instructions (if indeed available) does it say the flowers are not representative of the plant, not to speak of actually not part of the plant at all. To me, that's at least carrying a product that is going to make people upset, just by the mere fact that they're selling something that isn't what the average non-cactiferous person thinks it is.

To me, a company, such as the Wally Worlds and the Home Dodos, has a responsibility to its customers to carry honest products. Glufers, in IMO, are certainly not honest plants - that seems that a company is not employing a moral business philosophy in favour of worshiping Mammon. It might make business sense, but it has the appearance and more of swindling a customer.

I agree with many of your points (but still think that the spirit of your argument shows an extremely contrarian-to-the-novice tendency - I thought someone else had gotten into your GW account, actually, since I know you in an Internet way to be a nice person) , and I assure you that if I am ever in a position to do so, I will issue a ukase making it a penalty, in the same sense as a luxury tax, to sell glufers, pinfers and other base plants of that ilk. All payments will go to support homes for orphaned Mammillarias and columnar cereoids that have yellow flowers in the rain. It's a horrid practice that should be right up there with hating rainbows - no one should do it.

And JoJo - you're first in the picket line - get the signs ready, the Canadian Cactus Conservancy will meet you at the pass for the March on Cactus Illegitimacy.

I must say, this "straw" flower is real... It is dry and straw like right from the start. I grow them. They are used in dried arrangements...

So at the time, it didn't seem odd to me.. It's not like I overlooked a silk flower!

Regardless... It's stinks they would do this!

I couldn't agree with this more!!
"It's a horrid practice that should be right up there with hating rainbows - no one should do it."

cactusmcharris...
Well said.. Thank you..

Um... Would love to help.. Should I tell hubby i'll be out of town for awhile and get painting. ? :)

lol...
This is a very fun thread...Thanks for all the laughs after a day like I just had!!:-)

At least you can find a good quality pair of glasses at Walmart, if not a plant...lol!

is this the first time that you seen theses cactus with straw flowers glued on them???? where have you been and where have you been buying cactus???
I have been buying cactus with straw flowers on them for many years...so what, just take them off...I buy for the cactus not the stupid flower....I agree with mike lol.....

"is this the first time that you seen theses cactus with straw flowers glued on them????"

No...Just the first I've noticed the glue!

"where have you been and where have you been buying cactus???"

Same town 40 yrs now... Just started to collect, and the few we've had the last 5 yrs. came from honest people who didn't feel the need to glue crap on.

"I buy for the cactus not the stupid flower.."

Try reading the first post again! I got it because of the neat color of the thorns.

"" It was the unusual rust color that caught my attention""

Thought the flower looked neat, but bought for the rust color.

If I wanted fake, I would just buy plastic cactus.

Hi jojosplants,

I sensed you are getting a little irritated.. Please don't be:-)

No one is making fun of you here, not that I can see anyway...In fact if you saw emerald face to face, I am sure you would get a laugh out of it together..

You at the expense of your misfortune, and bravery for coming out and sharing this with us, you gave many if not all a great big smile.:-0), and a lesson learned.

If you are looking for a unique coloring plant, and if I havn't sent you a cutting to my jade yet, just ask since I can still afford to send one more..

Mike

I say 'Remove Straw-Flowered Glufers'. Treat them like plutonium.

Yes We Can.

(but not first without some incredible behind-and-in-front-of-the-scenes work)

Brought to you by the people for Obama And Real Cactus

I wouldn't worry about it, it will bloom eventually with its own flowers, don't you think? The marketing department has dictated glued on fake flowers to encourage the non-plant-fanatic people to buy them. It's a marketing thing. A lot of those are meant as small, inexpensive gift items.

Any plant professional will tell you that 99% of the time, if it isn't in bloom, it won't get purchased by the average (non-plant-fanatic) person.

I've gotten some beautiful dendrobiums and phalaenopsis at Lowe's for a dollar because the flower finished before they could sell them, and they ended up on the bargain rack.

Whether we like it or not, plant growers stay in business by selling as many plants as they can, which means they need the gift market, and the non-plant-adoring demographic too. So if it takes glued on flowers to make some of the less common plants available, I'm ok with it.

When I did that I got a repremand on the forum for doing so. Thank you for complaining, I don't think it is fair to misrepresent, it gives all venders a bad name. I got caught on a bigger deal from Ebay, approx $200 worth saw a picture with a collection number that I didn't have and thought that was what I was going to receie, hired a geek to set up pay pal so I can pay for the plant, and when I got it knew it was wrong right away, told him so, and he told me that I was lying, and was giving him a bad name and was going to report me to the lawyers of pay pal. So now I am warning all of you be sure of what you are buying and ask around, most sellers really don't know what they are selling and don't care they just want money quick. Norma You are paying up front for an items that you really can't see. Norma

meyermike,
I am courious about your cuttings after reading a post. Could you please email me.

Thanks,
JoJo

Obviously you don´t know what a cactus flower looks like.

But is this actually legal? It is certainly not allowed here in the UK.

When I was younger...much younger...in the 70's they used to sell small cacti in colorful 2 inch plastic pots. These were potted in some kind of concrete type of mass that had to be chipped away from the roots in order to repot. AND, they had small strawflowers with the stems just poked into the plants. At first I thought it was kind of neat...but then I grew...LOL So they've been 'guilding the lily' for quite some time.

Dave
Milwaukee

Ok ok..

Yesterday, I was showing my little niece the plants at Home Depot and wanted to buy her one.Guess what one she wanted...LOLOLOLOL

Unbelievable!

Oh No! LOL!

How old is she?

Please tell me you talked her into a different one... LOL!!
Na.. Just kidding , dont wanna know...

Too funny!
If you did get it,
tell her not to get the flower wet. They get real ugly when wet! LOL!!

Hi...I agree sellers do what they have to do to sell plants...and if they didn't we would never fined anything new because they would be out of business...
and also ebay...I bought a cactus on there and never got it..seems this person collected the money and no plants, ebay kick them off only to come back on with a new name..same plants and address..and still sent no plant..thats what people said in the feed back..
and I bought a hoya plant,on ebay and that was covered with meely bugs...seller said I must have already had them....so yes buyer beware...I don't buy on ebay and I do look at plants closely...so I guess this little strawflower is fine as long as the cactus is healthy and neat looking....
linda
ps....I guess in my first post, I tryed to say as Dave said those little flowers have been arround a long time I remember them on the cactus and but in green leaf plants when I was a kid and that was a longggggggggg time ago..lol lol

Hi...I agree sellers do what they have to do to sell plants...and if they didn't we would never fined anything new because they would be out of business...
and also ebay...I bought a cactus on there and never got it..seems this person collected the money and no plants, ebay kick them off only to come back on with a new name..same plants and address..and still sent no plant..thats what people said in the feed back..
and I bought a hoya plant,on ebay and that was covered with meely bugs...seller said I must have already had them....so yes buyer beware...I don't buy on ebay and I do look at plants closely...so I guess this little strawflower is fine as long as the cactus is healthy and neat looking....
linda
ps....I guess in my first post, I tryed to say as Dave said those little flowers have been arround a long time I remember them on the cactus and but in green leaf plants when I was a kid and that was a longggggggggg time ago..lol lol

She's 8 and didn't need glasses..LOLOLOLOL

She wanted it anyways..Said said it was SO cute....

I bought it against my will...lololoo

God, to funny!

Too funny!

O.K. I'm trying to decide if I should laugh our scold you!

So for now... I'm laughing!

Bless her little heart!
Same age as my niece.

don't get it wet! LOL!

I was just outside trying to decide how to cut it off without hurting the plant..

I'm sure alot of sales are due to bloom. But never has been for me. I have about 30 plants right now that I had no clue what the bloom would be when I bought them.

And a wish list of about 100 more! lol!

Hubby has worn a grove in the carpet from having to come to the puter to see what I just bought would bloom! LOL!!

As far as ebay goes.. Yes, sad to say it does have it's share of bad apples!

I have been lucky enough to deal with some great sellers. I got all of my Kelly Griffin Aloes from ebay. They are just not sold here!

I read feedback! Even if it is 100% +.
Alot of the time, I search the net to see if I can find it elsewhere at a better deal.

Wow another epic post. I figure I'll leave my two cents. Yes, gluing those stupid flowers on to the cacti is misdirection and a non-ethical way of doing business, but on the other hand, these could be people like us who are trying to follow their passion and atleast stay a float. Im sure this isnt something they wished for but a means to stay in business. I personally dont care for the flowers because of the glue. Sometimes there is an unneccessary amount on there and its a pain to get it off the spines. I had to give my Mammillaria spinnossima a haircut to remove it all. Now when it gets larger there is going to be a band of shorter spines. I say, if you like the cactus, buy it. If you dont like the way they do business, dont support them. I think its wrong to misdirect and take advantage of people's general ignorance to plants. But I can sympathize with the growers if it is indeed keping them in business.
Steve

Here's an example of what we have bought having no idea of bloom. It got so full it busted a terra cotta and we had to thin it out this summer. My son has been caring for these for about 5 yrs now and is pretty proud of them! He's 12 now.

{{gwi:678616}}

Plant junkie,

"But I can sympathize with the growers if it is indeed keeping them in business."

And

Hoovb,

"So if it takes glued on flowers to make some of the less common plants available, I'm ok with it."

IT's working! Since I was there yesterday, out of all 30 or more of those cactis there with these glued on flowers in flourescnt colored pots, there were only 8 left!

I guess they are in popular demand...YIKES

jojosplants: if you want some nice (real) cactus flowers, take care of the Echinocereus rigidissimus, that is one of the best.

Jojoplants, your son should be proud of those cactus...he's doing a great job with them! Its great when you see kids interested in gardening...mine never took interest in it, can't really fault her though, I was a very late
bloomer(excuse the pun) myself. I really started my gardening
passion(obsession) just the last 5 years or so...so there's hope for my DD yet,lol...

Jojo,

TJ has some right-on advice - that plant is out of sight out-of-flower and even more so when in bloom.

Hi jojo, very nice cactus garden..the little h.zebra is my favarite plant, I have always said 'if I can have only one plant that would be the one'
I thought I would try to help you with the removing the glue and flower..I set the plant in the window in the warm sun light and when the glue softens I use a tweeser to gently pull the flower and glue off the plant...I only pulled a few spines off of one cactus, it was the fish hook..
the hooks are kinda curled at the end...
I hope this helps you.
And by the way once your cactus start to bloom you will think, how did I ever think those were real flowers, thats what I thought the first time I got a cactus to bloom..the flowers are fantastic....good luck growing..sounds like your son is doing very well....linda
ps...sorry about the double post, don't know how I did that???? dummy me...lol

tjicken~ I had no clue which one you were talking about and had to go look it up. LOL! (tags have been lost over the years.)
Wow! It will be great if it ever blooms. He's had it about 5 yrs now with no blooms. He liked it because of the color and shape of the needles.
Thank you for sharing the name.
Oh and I found today the comon name is Arizona hedge hog..lol! I'm in Tucson, Arizona. :)

puglvr1 and emerald.. Thank you! Yes he is proud and has to take care of his plants on his own when he asks me to buy them! He grows sunflowers and a few others types in the summer, and helps with all garden chores in general.

It started when he was 3. What little boy doesn't like dirt! LOL! But I think mom got more excited over finding worms than he did. LOL! And now that he's older, I have to keep them a secret or his dad and him would be heading to the lake. :)

Emerald~ thank you! I tried that and the glue just didnt want to give... it ended up taking all the needles with it. It was on pretty thick. The plant is o.k. though.

I do have one small fish hook type that blooms each summer. Just showed up in my yard next to my barrel cactus.

I never buy plants in department stores or other non-specialist shops. A quick inspection will usually reveal mealy bugs or some other horror. And of course the labels fall out and the shop girls shove them back anywhere, so if you are not a little experienced you will never know what you have.

Specialist cactus nurseries only for me.

Even then they can do the most stupid things - I ordered some plants from a nursery in Germany (Uhlig Kakteen) - plants were fine, but the accompanying invoice showed my full name and address and FULL credit card details. When I complained about their poor security they really didn´t seem to grasp the problem. I won´t be going there again.

jojosplants :
E. rigidissimus is relatively easy to flower, and your plant is about the size when they start to do that. The pot is severely overcrowded however, if you give it more room in a separate pot it is more likely to flower.

tjicken,
That's the before pic. It has been thinned out. I thought I got a pic but can't find it. I'll try and take one today.

I'm not sure my son will want to seperate it, but I will let him know.

What I read says it flowers in May, so I guess we have a ways to go to see.

Thanks,

This reminds me of a story I saw on TV a year or two ago--it may have been on Martha Stewart. They were showing a greenhouse where they grow poinsettias. They had many different colors, but what annoyed me was that they were taking white ones and spraying dye on them. I guess that's how they get new colors of poinsettias these days--instead of carefully breeding them over several generations, just spray-paint them! They were also sprinkling glitter on them. Something about that just ain't right. If I wanted a multi-colored, glittery poinsettia I'd buy a cheap fake one and color it myself!

tjicken~
Here's a thinned out pic. This is what it looks like now..

{{gwi:678618}}

Cool! I managed to shirink the photo too! LOL!

Isn't that awsome....I love his cactus garden..

What a beautiful looking one..! I think they will be happy!:-)

By the way, it is so awsome that you got the hang of posting pics!! Bravo..Now it is your turn to teach me how to shrink them..lol