Donald, I'll give you some semps please - instead of going out to get those tortured semps!
Elfie - it might be a southern thing, cause when I visited Kentucky, a friend of my brother's had peonies and mixed in with them were large plastic fake peonies (from a distance they looked amazing!)

That's what's boggling my mind, wondering how did the perceived demand manifest? Sure, someone is likely to want anything put up for sale, but I'm sure that nobody who bought one of these plants did so thinking, "Finally! I've been looking for a painted plant!"

Maybe its a 'create a demand' type thing Tiffany, and we don't actually know how well they are selling, we only know we see them, and then they're gone - my hope is that these are something that will be long forgotten like 'pet rocks'

Those hideous things are showing up around here too! I read an article some time back about the painting of these succulents. They even had a "glow in the dark" paint that can be used.

I get the point of the analogy, and totally agree about the create-a-demand thing. Can't say that I haven't benefited financially from various such phemonena as well. But now I'm wondering, who has killed their pet rock? LOL! TY for the giggle, Greg! Saw someone post a brand-new, home-made "rock concert" on FB today. I think they thought they'd invented something.

I talked to a lady that works at HD one day. She noticed that I came in frequently to look at their plants and asked me if I had seen these special cacti they had. Long story short, she bought a number of painted cacti and thought that was natural. I also explained that the flowers on their other cacti were glued on. She was dumbfounded. I think some people that know absolutely nothing about plants don't know the difference.

Planto

Planto I have read a couple of other forums and some people really think they are really the painted color. They think that it is a new plant.

You know I am a sale rack shopper and I have never seen them on the sale rack so I think they are a good seller. There is a market for them I think. They are still growing so I do not know if the paint harms them. I saw a couple that have grown at least 2" and the bottom part of the leaves are green.

Cinta - my response - Aw there's green at the base of my plant what is that???

Well, I went to HD today and there on the same rack as those with glued on decoration and those dyed in myriad colors!! were a couple of pots that had sempervivums in them that came home with me. I really don't need more plant babies. But even a long drive from home and back to a larger town didn't get me with what I needed. I think I may have to go to a much larger city unless I get lucky.

Hay, I got a problem with my new colorful plant I just purchased. I bought one of each colors and we had a big fight over the purple ones. Because there were only two of them and we all wanted a purple one with our collection. But now a week later, I noticed light green colors showing up all over the inside parts of the plants. How do I keep those bright colors that I wanted. Darn.
I know, I just wanted to have some fun.

Other things have had color added to them also. Painted fish , but the color is usually not permanent.

And rocks, first boil the stone in a strong bicarbonate solution, then soaking the stone in a chemical solution. Different chemicals produce different colors. And there are bright magentas, purples and other bold colored rocks.

Other plants have been artificially colored, well the blooms have. There are florist paints that is sprayed on. Usually for cut flowers, but flowers on a living plant can be painted (or dyed) as well.

There is probably a color for every persons taste out there.

As for me, l'll stay with the natural look the item is meant to have.

Something I am also seeing in stores around here is unnaturally colored Phal orchids. I've read they inject dye into the flower stems, causing the flowers to absorb the color(s). What a surprise it must be when they bloom again, I believe they're natrually white.

Planto

I guess people brought them at my Lowes. There was only one still on the shelf and it will probably be there until they mark it down because only half the plant is blazing red. The part that has grown is green.

That would be one I might buy, if it's a plant I don't have and want. Since it's already outgrowing the paint it seems pretty certain it can keep growing for a long, happy life.

I don't even dye my hair anymore, I can't imagine trying to keep the Easter egg look going on a cactus! There is a house in town that I think would probably like these though, if the multitude of plastic flowers and colorful yard art in their front yard is any indication. (They apparently are unaware that there are only 7 dwarfs, if you know what I mean.) He He He!

I been moaning over this for years, so yes... Lots of folks do in fact think this crap is natural..." Dude check this cactus out! It's been blooming for six months!
Only to reveal a haworthia with a strawflower hot glued to the tip of a leaf...
The deal is this, once you see these plants in the bbs, they are sold! There's no consignment, SOMETIMES the bbs will keep track of sales, and pay the grower for those plants only( a real scam for the grower!) and then they trash what doesn't sell!
I don't personally know many people that would buy them, but they fact that I've seen different types of this market gimmick for 10 years now... Tells me it's a sales winner!
Here Altman plants seems to be just about the only grower/supplier of any c&s, and honestly, over the years... Man Ive bought some great plants from them! At great prices! Sometimes lowes around get loads of stuff at once from them, great for me! Clearance!
My first venture into c&s lead me to buy rack after rack of these guys from the bbs, some were fine, some needed help!
Lots over the years had the glued flower... Sometimes the glue hangs up in the spines, and it doesn't scar the body, usually it does, many will grow out of it or you can start fresh stock from it and in time grow wonderful plants!
It's a bit of a double edged sword to me... I hate it! Always have always will! But without em, I'd have even less selection...
I actually picked up a tillandsia from my local mom and pop greenhouse, they were fresh from Florida, grow tags intentionally left in place, one species was obviously headed toward flower, flushed red, 3 months later I realize it was growing out, not heading up! And a peek inside showed lots of fresh green growth, no red, with a clear line where they were dyed and new growth emerged...it was a dye job!
I never thought I'd fall for such!
I mentioned it to the greenhouse and they were shocked as I was, even asked if I wanted a refund, I didn't accept, the plants just fine and almost back to all green... HA!

I just got back from Wal-Mart and they had a rack of little cacti in gaudy shades of blue, red and even yellow. I showed them to my husband and told him about this thread. We were discussing how awful they looked when a couple walked up and the man remarked how cool they were and what a great idea it was to spray paint a cactus. My husband's remark to him? "It's like spray painting a cat. Not a good idea there either." Never know what he is going to come up with....................

I've seen more of the glued flower cacti this year than non-glued cacti.

On a positive note, I found a cactus I'd been hunting for years. My Mother purchased one years ago and gifted it to me, only for both of us to realize the pretty flowers were fake. Not the best surprise in the world, but now I finally have one that had REAL flowers on it.



Planto

Skye said: My husband's remark to him? "It's like spray painting a cat. Not a good idea there either." Never know what he is going to come up with....................

Sounds like more fun a spray painted plant!
Maybe that'll keep em outta my yard...
Joking... There are too many of em tho!

I have t had a chance to get out look around town, I'll enevitably face the dilemma; do I buy the plant I want, and wait for it to look presentable again, or just forget about it and keep looking, knowing chances are low that I'll find one that's healthy and no ones monkeyed with...
Happens every year...

I always wonder about the people actually doing the dirty work, certainly most are just doing a job, with little concern about the plants, but a few here and there must have some attachment to these plants... I bet it's horrifying to spent all that time(most of these plants are several years old) only to see thousands of plants mass sprayed and trucked away to their doom...
I used to think it would be a dream job to work at a place like that, you better believe I've reconsidered that idea!