Warning: That 'rare' philodendron cutting I bought online was a total scam

Saw this seller on a plant swap group. They had a picture of a gorgeous, variegated philodendron pink princess. Said it was a rooted cutting. Cost me $65 plus shipping. Got it in the mail last week. It was just a sad, green leaf stuck in some dirt. No nodes, no roots, nothing. The stem was mushy too. Basically a dead leaf. I messaged the seller and they ghosted me. Lost over $70 total. Felt so stupid. Anyone know a legit place to get good cuttings that won't rip you off?

2 comments

2 Comments

wells.amy1mo ago

Honestly losing $70 on a plant is rough but it's not the end of the world. It happens to a lot of people getting into rare plants online. You just have to be way more careful and check seller reviews. Next time maybe try a local plant shop first so you can see what you're buying. The online plant market is full of scams but it's a known risk.

hugo6451mo ago

That $70 plant probably died from embarrassment after seeing what it really looked like. Amy's right about checking reviews, but some of those sellers have feedback written by their own moms. The local shop idea is solid, at least there you can give a plant a stern look before buying it. The online rare plant game feels less like gardening and more like getting scammed with extra steps.