tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post5025192190558330122..comments2024-03-18T08:56:42.730-07:00Comments on Succulents and More™: Strawflower cactus rantGerhard Bock (Succulents and More)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-81316153328877556472017-09-27T09:47:51.709-07:002017-09-27T09:47:51.709-07:00My husband brought home a cactus spray painted a b...My husband brought home a cactus spray painted a blue color on the tips of the cactus (it looked a lot like an Aloe Vera). He was so excited to find an unusual species. I had to break his heart by telling him it was paint. I don't think he believed me till it started growing off as the cactus grew. Now my husband brings home one with 3 dark blue straw looking flowers on it. AGAIN I was the bearer of bad news. THEN one morning we were on the patio, where we have our morning coffee, and saw the flowers have opened up!!!! This was so awesome. I googled this cactus to find out the name of it and came across this blog. We were so disappointed reading these flowers didn't grow from the cactus (and of course"I" was reading this so had to be the one to burst his bubble :(. I find it amazing what people will do to sell these cacti. Why can't these people just sell these cacti for the natural beauty they already have??!!? With all this being said, we do find it amazing how these, dead, straw flowers react to the weather! Maybe we can start telling if it's going to be a humid day or not by watching these flowers lol. Rhonda Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16669428287993281087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-40959356336802353092017-07-07T17:56:24.212-07:002017-07-07T17:56:24.212-07:00OMG, I'm another one who's fallen for this...OMG, I'm another one who's fallen for this deception! I just moved to New Mexico from Florida, so mind you, these abominations never appeared in the Home Depots or Lowes in Florida. When I went to Lowes here in New Mexico for the first time, I saw these "flowering" cacti and excitedly bought two of them even though I did think the flowers looked oddly positioned. I was looking up how to care for both cacti and found your blog post when I typed "strawflower cactus." My poor cacti! I want to pry the flowers off, but they're super hot-glued on. Argh!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08473341815743183245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-10377469161782745652017-07-07T17:56:09.788-07:002017-07-07T17:56:09.788-07:00OMG, I'm another one who's fallen for this...OMG, I'm another one who's fallen for this deception! I just moved to New Mexico from Florida, so mind you, these abominations never appeared in the Home Depots or Lowes in Florida. When I went to Lowes here in New Mexico for the first time, I saw these "flowering" cacti and excitedly bought two of them even though I did think the flowers looked oddly positioned. I was looking up how to care for both cacti and found your blog post when I typed "strawflower cactus." My poor cacti! I want to pry the flowers off, but they're super hot-glued on. Argh!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08473341815743183245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-81496185046245392772017-05-30T10:51:03.788-07:002017-05-30T10:51:03.788-07:00Many of the fakes are quite realistic and it's...Many of the fakes are quite realistic and it's easy to fall for them :-).Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-74490622725340635142017-05-30T10:50:15.469-07:002017-05-30T10:50:15.469-07:00I believe they all come from the same wholesale nu...I believe they all come from the same wholesale nursery. I feel bad for the plants. Their only hope are kind-hearted souls who remove the glued-on strawflowers (or wash off the spray paint).Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-66326168423532822922017-05-30T10:48:58.200-07:002017-05-30T10:48:58.200-07:00I'm sorry to hear HD is still selling those. I...I'm sorry to hear HD is still selling those. I haven't seen them in my local HD lately but they carry other inanities like spray-painted echeverias. When and where will it end?Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-61328680861767160802017-05-30T10:44:29.469-07:002017-05-30T10:44:29.469-07:00I just fell for this trap too! I was in Home Depot...I just fell for this trap too! I was in Home Depot buying lightbulbs and just had to go to the garden center looking for Cactus (since I have 18 Cactus in my Home) and saw some on the bottom shelf that were 'in-bloom'. Wow! Fool that I was I purchased 2 of them - one a Mammillaria bocasana, and one a Mammillaria elegans. I get them home and realize the flowers are STRAW FLOWERS, and one of them has a huge hard wad of glue on the bottom of the flower! So obviously I won't be able to remove these 'fake flowers' so I'll have to live with'em ! Dang.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978009022530052018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-53367198773722809402017-04-30T10:01:12.080-07:002017-04-30T10:01:12.080-07:00Annoyed!! Just got my cactus strawflower from Lowe...Annoyed!! Just got my cactus strawflower from Lowes and didn't realize until I got to the car that the "blooms" were hot glued and had fallen off! A quick google search brought up this page. I feel like an idiot as I am clearly cactus info deficient but what the heck Lowes. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02730535745360037917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-32726056663526564332017-03-02T07:22:01.182-08:002017-03-02T07:22:01.182-08:00I just noticed this for the first time about a wee...I just noticed this for the first time about a week ago. I was looking at some nice cacti at Home Depot....and had to get a closer look at those flowers....they just looked fake, misplaced, and too perfect. I was outraged to see that they were hot-glued to the cacti. Poor things! I also saw a type of aloe vera plant that was painted blue. Those unrealistic, cheating tactics just make the plants more appealing to me...and feel sorry for the plants...and it makes me not want to buy from those retailers.....but HD does it, and Lowe's, and also Walmart.passingmemoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06662227155274452827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-14569698357925346902016-07-15T18:33:16.784-07:002016-07-15T18:33:16.784-07:00Most cacti do flower, but their flowers never look...Most cacti do flower, but their flowers never look like a strawflower :-).Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-45540163396803079162016-07-15T18:33:06.342-07:002016-07-15T18:33:06.342-07:00mine is blooming.... and I didn't glue mine on...mine is blooming.... and I didn't glue mine on. I've had mine for 2 yrs. blooms every year....only once though<br />bbpainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922900641577372766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-64042822090596605592016-07-15T18:31:35.762-07:002016-07-15T18:31:35.762-07:00im confused here.. they are real... i have one bl...im confused here.. they are real... i have one blooming now and i sure didn't glue any strawflowers to it... ??? <br />bbpainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922900641577372766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-16894560244792176052016-06-30T06:28:20.871-07:002016-06-30T06:28:20.871-07:00I'm furious. and sad for these plants. And fee...I'm furious. and sad for these plants. And feel like such an idiot. Does anyone know whether if I take these stupid fake flowers off, real ones might grow eventually?Madmelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04105264221592967168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-77173482696248460332016-06-30T06:27:16.053-07:002016-06-30T06:27:16.053-07:00I'm so furious and I feel so dumb. this is an ...I'm so furious and I feel so dumb. this is an outrage and total disrespect of life. Does anyone know whether if I take these stupid fake flowers off real flowers will grow eventually? Madmelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04105264221592967168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-64901644245917089162016-06-08T15:56:20.860-07:002016-06-08T15:56:20.860-07:00My husband and I talked about it I thought it was ...My husband and I talked about it I thought it was glued to then I read and it said it had flowers that color ! I gave I started to think it was real had to be !Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596910297500753140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-83606868795916429672016-05-15T19:30:13.001-07:002016-05-15T19:30:13.001-07:00Haha, I was deceived too. Home Depot! I will still...Haha, I was deceived too. Home Depot! I will still take interested in this poor cacti. It suffered the most with the pain of the hot glue. Now to learn how to accommodate this small species of plant life.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17874177261402638574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-87832373669293748312016-05-15T19:29:13.516-07:002016-05-15T19:29:13.516-07:00Haha, I was deceived too. Home Depot! I will still...Haha, I was deceived too. Home Depot! I will still take interested in this poor cacti. It suffered the most with the pain of the hot glue. Now to learn how to accommodate this small species of plant life.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17874177261402638574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-4984263480244017082016-05-15T19:28:43.323-07:002016-05-15T19:28:43.323-07:00Haha, I was deceived too. Home Depot! I will still...Haha, I was deceived too. Home Depot! I will still take interested in this poor cacti. It suffered the most with the pain of the hot glue. Now to learn how to accommodate this small species of plant life.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17874177261402638574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-4165937329158800142015-09-15T21:30:37.635-07:002015-09-15T21:30:37.635-07:00annoyed ! annoyed ! Madagascarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03206920376051956832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-21550732701076939862013-09-02T19:55:15.447-07:002013-09-02T19:55:15.447-07:00Hi .. guess you can add me to the list too!! I fe...Hi .. guess you can add me to the list too!! I fell for it - there were several with Black flowers and I got so excited and picked one I liked ... all the time thinking how strange that they seemed to have different cactus with the same type of flower ... did not notice the glue till I got home - so upset with myself! I'll take the flowers off and keep the plantAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06691992051047606082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-74189925260605897082013-07-07T14:56:38.608-07:002013-07-07T14:56:38.608-07:00H I just became a sucker to the 'strawflower t...H I just became a sucker to the 'strawflower too'! What's even worse are the cacti at Walmart in tiny rocks. I looked and looked at these plants because though they were apparently the same species, some were of a pinkish color which seemed weird. On second visit I picked lip one and planned to buy it. That was when I noticed that the rocks were glued to each other as one solid chunk and also glued to the plant! Jeez. Talk about disgusted. This was horridleslie Permuter Brownsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12438260904866642509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-76345082320607069682013-07-07T14:55:46.513-07:002013-07-07T14:55:46.513-07:00H I just became a sucker to the 'strawflower t...H I just became a sucker to the 'strawflower too'! What's even worse are the cacti at Walmart in tiny rocks. I looked and looked at these plants because though they were apparently the same species, some were of a pinkish color which seemed weird. On second visit I picked lip one and planned to buy it. That was when I noticed that the rocks were glued to each other as one solid chunk and also glued to the plant! Jeez. Talk about disgusted. This was horridleslie Permuter Brownsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12438260904866642509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-71523850535555808102012-08-21T15:03:58.297-07:002012-08-21T15:03:58.297-07:00The ONE thing I like about these things are that t...The ONE thing I like about these things are that they go on sale if the flower starts to look bad. You just have to make sure no permanent damage was done by the hot glue gun. At my local Lowes I got a Mammillaria spinosissima for $0.50!!!! I ALWAYS check the clearance section now, looking for finds. Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02721912904697556847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-75843168333826960522012-06-23T19:31:54.416-07:002012-06-23T19:31:54.416-07:00That is dreadful and misleading! I have seen echev...That is dreadful and misleading! I have seen echeverias in garden sections of dept stores that, from a distance, looked like they were showing interesting colourations (yellows, purples and blues) however once I got up close I realised they had been spray painted!! I felt so sorry for them but wasn't about to pay a hefty amount to liberate them, as they weren't cheap. I don't think they would have lived very long anyway - they didn't look too healthy, unsurprisingly. Does anyone truly fall for these tactics or if they do, are they annoyed or amused?Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05791460180694556492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-27803881270125528892011-04-04T07:40:13.938-07:002011-04-04T07:40:13.938-07:00Alan, right now, all the garden centers around her...Alan, right now, all the garden centers around here sell cacti that really are in bloom (hauled up from Southern California) so I didn't notice it right away. I did feel like a fool initially but then I thought it was hilarious. I bet most people who buy these have no idea that the flowers are fake, at least not right away.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.com