Exposed: Common Flower Scams: Poplar Branches Sold as Camellias, Spider Lilies Passed Off as Peonies

Image source: Tahua Xing

Scam 1: Poplar Branches Passed Off as Old-Stump Flowers

1. When I go to the flower market, I often see people selling flowers by the roadside. The so-called four-season plum blossoms and camellias that supposedly bloom in five colors are basically just tricks, and what actually grows out is sugar beet!

2. A flower lover named "Nuomi Yangguang" bought a four-season plum blossom at the flower market, but when she got it home she found it was grafted onto a poplar branch!

Another flower lover spent 15 yuan on a plum blossom, and when she brought it home she found it was also a poplar branch!

An experienced flower lover told me that these so-called five-color plum blossoms are actually poplar branches spliced together with the dead roots of other plants. Even if you bury them in soil, they will never bloom!

Scam 2: Spider Lilies Passed Off as Narcissus

1. A flower lover named "Silent Dracula" said he spent 25 yuan on a so-called five-color narcissus, and when he got it home and took a look, it was actually a spider lily!

2. Another flower lover said the narcissus she bought never sprouted, and when she broke it open, it turned out to be small bulbs strung together with bamboo skewers. How infuriating!

3. Yet another flower lover said she bought a pot of so-called wild narcissus, and later discovered it was also a spider lily!

Scam 3: Bulbs Passed Off as Peonies

1. When a flower lover went to buy one, the seller said it was a peony root, but no matter how I looked at it, it seemed just like a yam!

2. Another flower lover bought a bulb that was said to be called "Water-Moon Peony." Anyway, I'm not buying it!

3. A flower lover named "xubei719" said her friend went traveling in Yunnan and bought her 2 top-grade peonies. I don't think they look anything like peonies!

And after planting, this is what they look like! Does any flower lover recognize what this is?

4. The peony a flower lover bought home looked like this. It actually grew pretty fast, but it seems it should be Japanese knotweed, right?

Scam 4: Dwarf Lilyturf and Liriope Passed Off as Orchids

1. A flower lover named "arusi2011" said an old man selling flowers claimed it was an orchid grass, so she bought it. The plant stayed green all year and bloomed in spring and autumn. Only later did she find out it was actually dwarf lilyturf!

2. This lush, thriving plant is also the so-called dwarf lilyturf!

3. I suggest all flower lovers keep their eyes wide open when buying orchids in the future!

What's the difference between orchids and dwarf lilyturf?

The main difference between orchids and dwarf lilyturf is in the root system. Orchids have fleshy roots that are relatively thick and large, while dwarf lilyturf roots have small fleshy tubers.

Orchid:

Dwarf lilyturf:

Scam 5: Elephant Bush Sprayed with Chemicals Passed Off as Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta'

1. Elephant bush sprayed with chemicals is passed off as Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta', but when it grows new leaves, they turn green!

2. Rainbow Bush passed off as Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta' raises the cost price, and the flower shop actually wanted to sell it for 50 yuan a pot!

This is Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta':

This is Rainbow Bush:

What's the difference between Rainbow Bush, Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta', and elephant bush?

Scam 6: Elephant Bush That Supposedly Blooms?

A flower lover named "Yinzhu" said she bought 2 pots of blooming elephant bush at the flower market, spending 35 yuan, and only discovered when she got home that the little red flowers on top were fake. Heartbreaking!

A real elephant bush blooming looks like this. Flower lovers, don't get fooled!

Scam 7: Chemically-Induced Variegation in Succulents Is Truly Infuriating!

Many flower lovers go to buy succulents and want to take home the ones with bright colors. In fact, these succulents have been treated with chemical solutions. If you care for them carefully and they survive, ten to one they will grow poorly and lose their variegation, and most of them will just die outright!

The biggest difference between chemically-induced variegation and normal succulents is that the color differs between layer after layer of the succulent's leaves, and the distinction is obvious and especially unnatural.

That's all I'm exposing for today!

What kind of scams have you flower lovers encountered when buying flowers,

Hurry up and leave a comment for me,

So that all flower lovers never get fooled again!