WARNING Kosmic Kactus zone

[HarryUpNorth]

image.jpg (93.54 KiB) Viewed 14161 times

I did warn you! This was seen recently in a local big box hardware store and I am still having nightmares. I hope I didn't ruin your day by sharing this
Harry

[7george]

I also saw sprayed Mammillaria in the local Walmart just today.

[KittieKAT]

I wish i didn't delete the picture i had of spayed aloes and Haworthias in market basket for sale, the sad part is that some of them were reallynice plants i would have lloved to have
This kosmic kactus stuff makes me sick, disgusting!

[adetheproducer]

Look at the shiny shiny.

[Pilif]

"Boldly going where no cactus has gone before..."

[Aiko]

Oh dear oh dear. This commercial cactus selling thing is getting worse and worse.

[KittieKAT]

Let's hope no cactus Ever had to go there again...

I love how it says new growth will come in a bright white or gold....errr....ummm...Derrrrr, pretty sure it was white or gold spined before u spray painted it.

[majcka]

I didn't know cacti have their own Mascarade. I bet they didn't before humans came by.

[DaveW]

Also available in normal.

Guess their owners will be disappointed when the spines grow out white, assuming they have not got bored with them and binned them by then anyway, or already killed them. One of those things you buy for people you don't really like. They are really just the cactus equivalent of cut flowers or pot plants given at Christmas and are intended to be ephemeral.

[HarryUpNorth]

This is a post I wish I never started because everytime someone replies I (we) have to look at that hideous photo again. Aaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggg

Lesson learned by Harry

[adetheproducer]

Well its not as bad as the ones I saw in tesco with slightly prejudiced stereotyped sombrero hats and "mexican" get ups super-glued to them.
Sorry Harry...

[DaveW]

At least superglue is better than the first gimmicky ones that appeared which used to pin the flowers and novelties onto them and this sometimes started rot. Possibly those dyed using food dyes have been less damaged than those with stuck on flowers, since they eventually grow out of the colour.

As to why they are done. A quote from the link below:-

"Today I got an email from Bob Reidmuller, who is the Resident Horticulturist at Altman Plants, responding to my original email in regards to the fake flowers glued on cacti. In that email I asked if the fake flowers were glued onto cacti in part because of retailer demand, here's what he said;

"We actually have some of our own with straw flowers again at the request of the big box store that wanted them. When they actually outsell the ones without the fake flowers 2 to 1 it is not good business to refuse a major retailer's request."

I also asked if he or the company had ever gotten any funny/unusual emails about the fake flowers on cacti.

"I have had more than several emails from people who want to order some more of that specific cactus because it has been in bloom continuously for 2 years and is still going! What is also funny about those flowers too is because of their own inherent nature, many of them will "close" if they get wet or damp, and "open" again when they dry out. No wonder some of the non-plant people might be mislead."

http://mrbrownthumb.blogspot.co.uk/2007 ... lents.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://mrbrownthumb.blogspot.co.uk/2007 ... cacti.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://mrbrownthumb.blogspot.co.uk/2007 ... abuse.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://cactiguide.com/article/?article=article14.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some more examples:-

http://youreasygarden.com/garden-trends ... is-spring/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com ... o-dye-for/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.petaltalk-jean.com/2013/03/a ... color.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load ... 21944.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Eli]

I hate painted plants. I've seen it done to heathers also.
I don't know why people need gimmicks and artificial colours these days. They don't really appreciate the plants ...

[DaveW]

Nurseries and shops are in business to make money Eli, if it sells more plants they will do it. Most plants the general public buy go into the bin as soon as they get tired of them and are treated more like cut flowers, being of only temporary interest to the recipient. Look where all the bulbs and potted plants sold at Christmas finish up, if they did not mostly get binned there would be no new sales next year for the nursery trade.

People do like gimmicks, otherwise things like new mobile phones or cameras would not sell or be upgraded since the old model really does everything they normally need, plus they probably only use the new functions once to say they have tried them.

[KittieKAT]

Lol looked in on the garden webs thread davew. Sadly many of the people claiming they would never buy those painted plants, indeed have and i was one of the many to point that they were dyed and had glued flowers on them, pretty funny how they all act like they never did it then would chastise me for telling them they were fake....not a site id ever wanna be a part of again!