Author Topic: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?  (Read 8389 times)

savemejebus

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Thanks to a visit to Zands' house over the weekend, I discovered that what I thought to be a Kari carambola I bought a couple years ago is actually something else (at this point, all signs point to Fwang Tung). Even though I still enjoy the fruit, that moment was like finding out my whole life has been a lie (e.g. Truman Show). Probably should have recognized it sooner - the fruit never oranges up, is not as long as Kari, etc.

Now I need to figure out what to do - I have 2 trees that were sold to me as Kari (by the same vendor at roughly the same time). One of them definitely is not. The other is huge and the fruit are still green, so can't quite figure it out yet. Also have an Arkin, so don't necessarily want yet another carambola, but at the same time don't want to dig up the fwang tung.

So how has your soul been crushed by discovering that you have something you didn't think you had? Is there a support group?

temecula

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Bought apple. I got a quince tree :(

Bob407

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I bought a Sabara jaboticaba several years back it started to flower within nine months, it was a crepe myrtle! To the credit of the seller it was replaced with a very nice Sabara.
Life is good

shaneatwell

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A mexicola that turned out to be mexicola grande avocado.
Shane

HMHausman

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Unfortunately, when buying fruit trees from human beings or nurseries run by such creatures, this will happen from time to time.  Some purchases are at higher risk for mislabeling.  I have purchased mis-labelled trees from just about every nursery at some  time or another and even more from private growers.  Its almost never an intentional misrepresentation.  The problem is the lag time between propagation and fruiting.  Unless you have the most rigid regimented system and people who understand and follow the system to the letter, mistakes will be made.  This has led me to have two Brahm Kai Mea mango trees, two Pim Saen Mun mango trees, a sweet tamarind tree that is not sweet, a garcinia aristata that is instead garcnia intermedia, a whole host of incorrectly labelled dragon fruits...some of which I still have not identified. I have had many other examples over the years that I have discarded but which details escape me for the moment. These mistakes sometimes turn out well....like the time I was buying my first Pim Saen Mun tree and it turned out to be an Edward mango.  Most times, you just have to grin and bear it and go about getting the correct tree in due course.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2014, 09:15:56 PM by HMHausman »
Harry
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bradflorida

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I purchased a 15 gallon Simmonds avocado a couple of years ago.  When it fruited it turned out to be a choquette.  I kept it in the ground and rationalized that it would be better for me to have an avocado that produces around December than mid summer (when everything else is fruiting)

Brad
Brad

TREESNMORE

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San Pableo custerd apple turned out to be a nice tasting white fruit no pink at all. But very good keep it. Yellow dragon fruit with wings .Three years later red fruit white inside.
Mike

gnappi

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I bought a Winterset persimmon that is not. I still don't know what it is, but it's "FINALLY" holding a few fruit so it gets to stay.

I don't know that I'm as forgiving as some regarding mislabeling.

We buy trees on recommendation, research, and taste and when you spend premium dollars on a larger potted tree and find it's not what you want you have no recourse other than to live with it, or cut it down wasting several seasons of growth, the expense of the tree, transport, planting and care.

Due to this I think every nursery should go to herculean efforts to assure that their labeling matches the cultivar.

I know I won't do business any more with the nursery that sold me the "Winterset". Cookie monster saw my tree immediately for what it was not, and an experienced nursery employee could not? Only after seeing a pack of true winterset was I sure Jeff was right.  Sheesh.

Regards,

   Gary

SWRancher

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I bought what was labeled as a Dot Mango at a local club sale. A few years later when it fruited I noticed the fruit seemed shaped wrong for Dot. It turned out to be a Valencia Pride tree of which I already had one. I ended up keeping the extra VP tree as thats the type of mango I usually ship to my out of state friends and family so I can always use extras.

bsbullie

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Gary - be sure not to shop at Treehouse in Pine Island.  Thats where those persimmons came from.   

Before people lay blame, they should know the facts.
- Rob

gnappi

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2014, 05:22:58 PM »
Gary - be sure not to shop at Treehouse in Pine Island.  Thats where those persimmons came from.   

Before people lay blame, they should know the facts.

Hmm... by that logic a doctor's incompetence should be blamed on the college? No, IMO all nurseries should inspect every tree for inconsistencies. 

Where does it end, labeling avocado as mango, or citrus as canistel? No the nursery that receives it should know and remove the label or send it back. The buck should not be passed AND then tolerated by the buyer. Years of waiting for what?

PS... I don't get to treehouse anyway, but from now on I'll ask if it came from there, but I'll not be going back to Excalibur again.

 Gary










Regards,

   Gary

fruitlovers

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2014, 06:02:33 PM »
If you buy enough plants, sooner or later, probably sooner, you will get one that was mis tagged. My biggest crusher was having bought what i thought was Emperor lychee and it when it fruited it was simple old Groff, which i already had. I told the nurseryman i bought it from and he gave me a new real Emperor plant to start all over with. Ofcourse he didn't return the 5 years waiting time to me.  :(  I wasn't mad, as it's happened with plants i've sold. I remember one customer coming back and saying that his purple starapples turned out to be green. So i gave him a free can of purple paint.  ;)
Oscar

bsbullie

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2014, 06:18:55 PM »
Gary - be sure not to shop at Treehouse in Pine Island.  Thats where those persimmons came from.   

Before people lay blame, they should know the facts.

Hmm... by that logic a doctor's incompetence should be blamed on the college? No, IMO all nurseries should inspect every tree for inconsistencies. 

Where does it end, labeling avocado as mango, or citrus as canistel? No the nursery that receives it should know and remove the label or send it back. The buck should not be passed AND then tolerated by the buyer. Years of waiting for what?

PS... I don't get to treehouse anyway, but from now on I'll ask if it came from there, but I'll not be going back to Excalibur again.

 Gary

They were both persimmon varieties, not like DNA tests are done an every plant prior to it being sold.

I would then also cross Fruitscapes off your list as it may be cloudy who was "to blame".  Here is a clue, NOBODY.  It was an inadvertant error.  $hit happens.  It was not done on purpose.  I also say thi sas I have said to others, if you are that sure and that upset, did you say anything to anybody or just post your feelings on a public forum in hopes of forming a lynch mob to make you feel better.

How do you propose a nursery who buys a 3 gal from another nursery, that has a tag on it that states a certain variety,confirms what that variety is that comes from the supplying nursery?  It was a reputable nursery that supplied it.  Should they raise it till it fruits and then sell it priced as a 3 gal?  Hmm, that would take years.  Does that make economic sense?

You have the right to shop where you want.  You seem to be fast to pull the trigger on removing plants so maybe its for the better.  Unfortunatley, if you read through this post, and other posts, it is common for plants to be mislabeled.  Its not a perfect industry and not a perfect world, as it seems you would like it or demand it be.  On the other hand, maybe they saw you coming and did it on purpose...   ::)

Oh, as a word of caution, Dan's/savemejebus' carambola did not come from Excalibur.  I won't tell you where they came, instead just keep you thinking and wondering.
- Rob

zands

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2014, 06:24:35 PM »
I have a mislabeled mango tree growing. We can't be too tough on our nursery owners. They give us a tremendous shortcut to getting a tree that will fruit sooner and all for about $35 which is a good deal.  It's like sidestepping time. With your $35 tree you get a 2-3 year head start for your fruit tree as opposed to you doing it yourself and most likely screwing it up worse in the process with your own mislabeling and other mishaps.

gnappi

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2014, 07:45:54 PM »
Gary - be sure not to shop at Treehouse in Pine Island.  Thats where those persimmons came from.   

Before people lay blame, they should know the facts.

Hmm... by that logic a doctor's incompetence should be blamed on the college? No, IMO all nurseries should inspect every tree for inconsistencies. 

Where does it end, labeling avocado as mango, or citrus as canistel? No the nursery that receives it should know and remove the label or send it back. The buck should not be passed AND then tolerated by the buyer. Years of waiting for what?

PS... I don't get to treehouse anyway, but from now on I'll ask if it came from there, but I'll not be going back to Excalibur again.

 Gary

You seem to be fast to pull the trigger on removing plants so maybe its for the better
On the other hand, maybe they saw you coming and did it on purpose...   ::)

Yup, buying a more mature tree and expecting something after 4+ years is a bit impatient... NOT!!!

Since you seem bent on discussing this I think anyone who acts like you should be in a nursery... for children so you can get some restraint. It's obvious you have a relationship there and I did not mention their name until you decided to take me to task. I stand firm in the opinion that any nursery who has a cavalier attitude on labeling needs to get a better perspective, and DNA tests are not required.

Your name BSBULLIE is appropriate in your case but you aren't bullying me into backing down on crappy labeling practices.


Regards,

   Gary

TnTrobbie

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2014, 07:54:24 PM »
I thought I was getting a bargin on a 25gal Cogshall for $35. This small nursery get stuff from PIN, ZILL and Lara (the cog had the Zill tag and pot stating Cog). It fruited for the first time this year it turned out to be a Julie.
SCORE!!!!
The Earth laughs in flowers. And bear gifts through fruits.
No where to plant it ...but at least I got it. ;)
F*ck squirrels and deers

Cookie Monster

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #16 on: July 15, 2014, 08:15:05 PM »
Getting a mislabeled tree is OK when you have two acres of land, hundreds of fruit trees planted out, and enough fruit to feed half the city of Davie. But when you have a little 1/8 acre micro orchard with 1 or 2 mango trees, the mislabeled mango tree that you waited 4 years to eat from would be a major setback. It's akin to the difference between the rich business man finding out that among the 1 inch wad of 100 dollar bills in his wallet, one is a fake, and the senior citizen who after cashing her social security check realizes that one of the franklins she got was a fake.

Though all nurseries make mistakes, some nurseries are significantly worse than others. When I get consistent feedback that one particular nursery has sold friends and acquaintances multiple mislabeled trees, I start to notice a pattern. Not naming names :-).

Good staff makes a big difference too. Good staff can spot a mislabeled tree at the time that it's being sold to the customer.
Jeff  :-)

Jen

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #17 on: July 15, 2014, 09:58:45 PM »
I ordered a Ross sapote and received a black sapote. It took quite a few photos & emails but eventually the seller came around. I got my Ross in the end and also a  free Rheedia madruno as compensation!

Slopfog

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #18 on: July 16, 2014, 12:04:23 AM »
My peach tree was supposed to be a tropic snow but I think it's a tropic beauty since it has yellow flesh and is extremely susceptible to bacterial spot.  So much so that I'm about to yank it. Tired of watching it suffer for four years now.

puglvr1

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #19 on: July 16, 2014, 07:10:22 AM »


Bought a mango tree labeled Carrie...hand written (on the pot) after 5 years when it fruited for the first time it  turned out to be a Cogshall...I was very happy since I'm not a Carrie fan...NO blame since mistakes happens  8)

canesgirl821

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #20 on: July 16, 2014, 07:48:59 PM »
I thought I was getting a bargin on a 25gal Cogshall for $35. This small nursery get stuff from PIN, ZILL and Lara (the cog had the Zill tag and pot stating Cog). It fruited for the first time this year it turned out to be a Julie.
SCORE!!!!

I'm gonna need the name of that nursery please.  ;)

cbss_daviefl

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #21 on: July 16, 2014, 08:19:21 PM »
Seven years ago I bought a mango tree with a Zills Dot tag but the mangos are S shaped and green with some red, fibrous, and not very good.  I am never buying another Zill tree again! (until next month, well, maybe next week)
Brandon

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #22 on: July 16, 2014, 09:36:13 PM »
I have had 4 confirmed mislabeled trees.  All 4 from different large scale nurseries in the area. 

Unfortunately it happens.

3 out of those 4 would still retain my business. 


FlyingFoxFruits

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #23 on: July 16, 2014, 10:14:04 PM »
lol..i bought a M. cauliflora and it turned out to be a M. jaboticaba (matter of fact, almost everyone who owns a jaboticaba tree has done this)

I've also bought M. glazioviana, labeled as Plinia edulis.  :(  had to figure this out a year after buying

bought Red Hybrid M. cauliflora labeled as E. uniflora. (I knew it was mislabeled at the time)  ;)

bought E. pyriflormis labeled as M. cauliflora(I knew it was mislabeled at the time)  ;)



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fruitlovers

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Re: What trees have you bought that turned out to be a different variety?
« Reply #24 on: July 17, 2014, 12:10:23 AM »
I've bought mango trees from PIN long ago that were obviously mislabeled. Still trying to figure out what they really are. Specially dangerous when mislabeled items are sold to another nursery because then the errors can get potentially multiplied exponentially. :'(
Oscar