jpfloors

UPDATE: I wanted to add to below that the plants were just in slightly better condition than what's pictured below!

I just wanted to send a post out here about a seller on E-Bay that's selling live Banana plants. I purchased a Musa velutina - "DWARF RED VELVET BANANA" (think it's really a "pink" not red). I received it in good timing (two days after paying), and seemed to look ok, but not great. I immediately put them out in the sun with warmth and when the lows were dropping below 60 I brought them into my garage at night. One died overnight, literally and the stem is very limp except at the bottom near the root. The other appears as though it's heading that way but the stem is still stiff. I received it last Friday (2-29-08). They are around 2-3". I believe these were cultivated from seed, but not sure since my e-mails have been ignored. I'm not going to post the sellers name (YET). I'm waiting for a responce from her. Her e-mail address with e-bay just got kicked back to me as an invalid address. So I sent another e-mail through the e-bay system. It's been 24 hours so far. If nothing by this evening, I'll get her # from ebay and give her a ring and see what she says if she'll pick up the phone or speak to me. Wish me luck!!! Any advice on how to help these two children survive, I'm all ears.

D_&_T

Hopefully there is enough corm for them to grow new P-stem!

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dablo93

they are looking very bad, Hope for you they will surviver!!
especially the right one, is the corm rot or so?

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southlatropical

Seedlings are extremely sensitive. I just about lost my Velutina seedlings from putting them outside too soon. I would not buy live banana plants unless they are at least 12" tall and have a nice robust and healthy p-stem. Your seedlings were probably on the brink of death when they arrived. Those plants were way too young to be shipped.

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Gabe15

If they are still out in the sun, that might be killing them. When you receive small plants like this, they cannot be put directly out into full sun. Whether it was from seed or tissue culture, they need to remain in shady conditions for awhile before introducing them to full sun. The best thing you can give them is bright, indirect light, such as near a window (without direct sunlight) until they grow strong enough to be slowly introduced to full sun. Even the smallest plants can be grown if enough care is taken.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

jpfloors

Thanks Gabe, I'll go stick them with my bromeliads that are in the shade as well and see where they go from there!!!

Tropicallvr

I don't know if I should post and Ebay name or not, but I think you'll figure out who it is by the plant description.
Musa "Dwarf Brazilian" (Banana), 6-8" Live Plant, is the description to the plants this guy sells on Ebay. I highly DON'T reccommend this "greenhouse" seller. I've emailed this guy over 8 times without a response(how hard is it to type a couple sentences?), and it's getting close to 4 weeks without a plant, and I've bought a few plants since then and they have allready came. I left negitive ebay feedback yesterday.
His last 2 feed backs have been negitive.

jpfloors

Personally I would leave it because I wouldn't want others to get into the same situation with a seller. Did you pay with paypal? If so, you have 30 days to dispute it and get your money back. I would go ahead and file a claim with them today before it gets too late!!!

Tropicallvr

Yeah I did pay with paypal. I didn't know you could do that with pay pal, thanks Josh I think I'll do that.

jpfloors

Yes, definately, so that way you don't lose your money!!!!

jpfloors

Okay, here's the responce I got from the seller today (FINALLY) about the banana plants!

"Hi Josh, Guess I already answered about the email. Since my webtv died and I have not gotten another or a computer yet, I am currently without an email address. On the other hand, going directly through ebay eliminates spam. I used to waste so much time going through useless junk and then sometimes delete something that was important. I don't miss that. As for the bananas, I am afraid you are killing them with so much water. In winter they should be grown somewhat dry. In the heat of summer it is ok to water daily. Yes, the red velvet banana is grown from seed. If you let them dry out and the bulb is not rotted, they will grow back and you may even find it will sucker tiny plants beside it to give you an earlier colony. Happy gardening, Trudy"

and my responce:
"Wish you had stated that before, but have actually tapped into the information with my friends at banana.org (you should check it out). You stated on the auction they're ready to be planted and placed into a sunny location, when in fact they're too young, and nor should they be put into the sun at all, but in indirect sunlight. They are also no where close to being ready to plant until they're at least 12" tall (which now that I've been told that, makes PERFECT sense.

But I do have an issue with one of the plants you sent me as it started to die BEFORE being put out into the sun. Also, I'm in Central FL on the coast, you do know that it's 80+ here right now? There's plenty of heat. Anyways, I'm wondering if you'll remedy the dying banana that you sent me? Here's a link to the post I've made with everyone there about this situation thus far!

Here is the link below. I also have pictures there of the plants you shipped to me. I think that the one on the left will survive, but the one on the right is not going to. You really need to change your auction to state valid information (like they need to grown MORE before planting and NOT that they're "planting ready").

http://www.bananas.org/f2/e-bay-warning-3894.html"

I'm also a seller (and use to be a big seller) on ebay (not with plants though) and for someone to sell and not have a computer much less a phone. OMG how would someone do it? This is the day of technology. Phones (esp. cells) and computers are a necessity these days!

jpfloors

Let this be a lesson I guess to do research on who you're dealing with on E-Bay and what you're getting. I wouldn't say completely distrust it, but just be cautious, and I now agree with Isaac above, don't buy plants that are too young (which I wasn't even given a picture, just a description that they're in 4" pots and pictures of adults. So from now on, if the picture isn't what I'm getting, don't get it!

NanaNut2

I received a wonderful dracaena goldieana from an e-bay seller recommended on this site. It came from Hilo to Seattle in perfect shape with a heat pack. I couldn't be happier. But now am worrying about the Siam Ruby seedling and Tacca (bat flower) seedling I ordered on e-bay from another seller recommended on this site. He promised to watch the weather before he shipped, but is shipping today. The weather is still very cold in Seattle. I hope not to have an experience like yours. Keep your fingers crossed for me and the babies coming this week. I've found this site to be invaluable in recommendations for places to buy plants I can't get here.

So sorry to hear of your bad experience. I hope you can get a remedy from the seller or PayPal. Ebay is always an adventure. One seller of other types of merchandise sent me an item BEFORE I paid for it (nearly instantaneous shipping), then his computer broke down. It took me weeks to track him down and then I had to beg him to let me pay for it ... lol.
NanaNut2

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NanaNut2

mskitty38583

i would be most concerned with the tacca. i believe they are very picky and very fragile. i tried growing some from seed and that was a mute idea. i hope yours arrives in great shape.

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jpfloors

nananut, I just had to give you thanks for being another honest person in the world!!! I hope your babies arrive safely as well.

A heat pack huh? Didn't know that they made heat packs that lasted that long. Was it battery powered?

We should start a thread for good/bad ebay sellers here!!! At least let everyone here know how their experience was with an e-bay seller.

NanaNut2

JP, it was a regular 60 hour heat pack, not battery operated. It lasted most of the way here, took 4 days. The plant was slightly cold, but no ill effects. And honest is the only way I know how to be ..

MsKitty,
Thanks for the good thoughts for my Tacca. This is my second attempt. Last year I bought a bulb from a disreputable bulb company generally disliked by this board. The bulb was dead when it arrived. I thought I'd try with a live plant this time. But they are always gone by the time I can ship safely.
NanaNut2

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NanaNut2

turtile

Many of the pictures on Ebay are illegally used from popular websites. Around two days ago, 5 Windmill palm seeds were on Ebay with a picture of a Needle Palm. Whats even more funny is that the seller stated that the photo was taken by his/her self even though it was stolen from a Nursery web page.

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http://www.unusualplants.net/

jpfloors

Oh yes, I know, I've had my photos on ebay stolen and used by others.

mskitty38583

i think i have 2 seeds of the white tacca and 1 seed of the grey tacca left. there was a lady who use to grow and sell them on line but she dosent sell them anymore. i wish i had kept the site. her info was still posted on line. she said they were real picky and hard to grow unless you had a gh, and could monitor the temps and humidity. i love tacca just because they are so odd. maybe this summer i will try the seeds i have left, im just not sure the seeds are viable. they said that the seeds should not be dried seeds( they are suppossed to be fresh off the plant) and that it can take 9 months for them to germinate. when my sunroom is finished i migh try again. unless i can find a seedling. nine months is a long time to see a seed sprout and i dont know if i have that many patience. my fav. is the black bat flower, but i would gladly take any of the 3 colors. LOL!!!

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NanaNut2

Ms Kitty, Taccas come in black, white, green and brown. Some of the blacks I've seen are very light in color, some are purple. Rarely is anyone selling the ones which are so dark they look black. I think buying a seedling is the way to go. I've had bad luck with a bulb, seeds sound very difficult. Good luck if you try to sprout your seeds. Keep us posted. I'll put up pics if my seedling survives the shipping.
NanaNut2

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NanaNut2