When I ordered Emerald Starburst several years ago I got a fan like that with ONE small root on it. That was totally unacceptable to me. I contacted the seller and he told me that if it didn't make it that he would send me another one or that I could send it back. Anyway, I decided to try and keep it and potted it up instead of putting it in the ground. It did survive and today I have several fans of it. But, I have never ordered from the seller again.