Confusing Plant Labels

Does anyone else find that the plant label's information on a plant for sale at a garden centre is completely different to what information is on the internet.

I bought a Ceonathus "Blue Diamond" yesterday and the label said it would reach 150cm in height, which is what I was looking for. Took it home to find on the internet it only reaches a miserable 80cm.

Who should I believe? I can't really find this variety widespread on the internet either so can't really narrow done the sizes to take an average.

I'm thinking of returning it to the garden centre and exchanging it for a different variety but wasn't given a receipt either. I've never exchanged a plant before and wonder if nurseries are a bit reluctant to do this.

 

No one, as there is lots for people that tell porkeeee's

 

http://www.liddlewonder.co.nz/schemedetail.php?plantid=748

Hi Jane

Maybe its a series of plants as this one is ground hugging

 

I bought a Ceanothus "Victoria" the other day. I have one of them already, its a great round mound. I was tempted by the new one because I thought "That's jolly upright, and tall, it will soon be big and strong" but on getting it home I then though "Why is it that shape"!! Perhaps its not Victoria at all ... or maybe the one I have was mislabelled back then :(

If the folk you got it from are knowledgeable on such things I would ask their opinion. Does the label indicate it came from them? That should be enough for an exchange. Exchange, rather than Refund, should be reasonably easy to persuade them to do I think. Phone them first perhaps, to save you a trip if they flat out refuse when you get there?

 

The nursery in question is quite small, they don't accept credit or debit cards either. They are really small and I think they should remember me.

I don't have a problem with taking it back, but am just confused about the plant labels themselves. Some say it grows to 1.5-2m and only one site I've found says it grows to 80cm.

I have another ceonathus "autumnal blue" growing in the garden that I planted last year and am thinking of switching their places. Then again the nursary was offering "skylark" for the same price. Which I'm tempted to switch this plant for.

Hmmm, I find that a bit troubling. Does this include the really large ones then? As this is the type I'm after.

The label is one of those large plasticy type that has a pretty picture and their price written on it with permanent marker. All their ceonathus has the same type of label but with different varieties on them. So it could only really come from them. I may ask the man who runs the nursery for his opinion on the label and what plant to exchange it for. He's pretty knowledgeable.

 

Yes please. A Hoya

 

Methinks I didn't take a very strong negotiating stance

 

Are we talking plants here.
Only this size thing is starting to sound a bit like buying furniture, if you buy a table that is 2ft 6ins high then that is what you get.

Aren't plants a bit different, its a living thing, it might grow tall on a certain site, but not get as tall on another, the label is for general guidance, not a known fact.
They always used to state a size after 10yrs, but you can prune a Ceonothus.

Now I do agree most plant labels are miss leading, but then most of the colourful ones come from Holland, where they lose a lot in the translation, add to that the fact its in 3 languages on the size of a small label and its little wonder its all a bit sketchy.

1.5m or 0.8, its a small Ceonothus.