Hmmmm? Michigan Bulb Catalog page 3

Black Magic ...."Caladium" is this a typo? Remember I'm a newbie gardener. I really think they are all alocasias or calocasias. Am I right?

I don't know about that but Michigan Bulb company has poor ratings: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/186/
345 negatives!
FYI
Mobi

i would never get anything from them ever again-I dont even look at their book-BAD NEWS!

Their catalogue goes from the mail box to the trash bag in one swift motion.

I thought they had gone under, but got catalogs from both them and Gurney's yesterday - still out to suck in the inexperienced with too good to be true deals, I see.

I started trashing M Bulb cat in early seventys after I bought some of their lousy plants and they would not honnor the garrenty same with Gurneys it arrived yesterday and is in the trash as we speak,

Just way to many good suppliers to bother with unethical ones.Ernie

I believer there is actually a calla called Black Magic. If not, the name is close to that. Someone in CA sent me seeds for it a few years ago. It has spotted leaves and one of those deep burgundy flowers that looks nearly black.

Interesting! I did a google search and they all come up yellow with a dark center. Alas, they do exist by that name though. LOL

Thanks for the heads up. The Black Magic in the catalog looks just like the Black Magic elephant ear. After thumbing through their catalog, the deals seem too good to be true. Then a quick read of the watchdog shows you get tiny plants.

I only purchased from them once. The bulbs they sent were good and thrived and bloomed. I cannot say the same about the other things I received. :(

Been there, done that & I would
never do it again. Remember if it
sounds to good to be true, there is something wrong.

Honeybee

Trash it now!! Check the Garden Watchdog!

I did :)

Good for you Sue!! You just saved yourself a lot of stress from
trying to get refund from that place. Cause half of wha you ordered would be DOA (dead on arrival)!!!!!

Honeybee

Trash Gurneys to Ernie

What about Spring Hill?

I would not order from Gurneys, Spring Hill, and especially not Michigan bulb, all three of their catalogs hit the garbage on arrival. Donna

Thanks to everyone. We are truly a group!

For plants, one place I REALLY LOVE is Bluestone Perennials.
I live in drought country and nearly all of the new plants I ordered from BS died. They replaced them FREE, with no questions asked. Plus they always have their special, buy one get one free. So there prices are very good. The plants are a bit small when you get them, but I prefer them that way. Smaller holes to dig. LOL. As for seeds I have ordered from Thompson and Morgan and Johnny's Select seed and have been satisfied with both.
Mobi

I thought Michigan Bulb, Stark Brothers, Gurney's and some others had the same parent company which went bankrupt last year. So does anyone know what's going on with them?
Parkk's has a calla that is black, named for Naomi Campbell
and I think Wayside has a dark calla with a light edge.

We had one plant that grew from Mich bulb.
We ordered in 1982, order came right away, all dead looking.
#2 - We planted the stuff anyway.
#3 - We got GREEN, later purple flowers.
#4 - A year or two later it was all over.
#5 - 2004, we will still be fighting it as it is very deep rooted & evasive.
#6 - It was their FREE gift to us for ordering!!

Good Luck on all the sleezy mail order companies.
The good ones you have to ask for a catalog, the rest are like spam e-mail.
Bernie

I lost over $100.00 in plants and bulbs from Michigan Bulb in 1998.........the only thing that did make it was two Rose of Sharon, and they're over 10 ft. tall now. Shame, they have to be that way. Now I just plan a lot more carefully.

"eyes"

Did any of you read the description in Plants Delight catalog of Panax japonicus, on page 84. "so how many polygamodioecious plants do you grow" thought is was funny. Donna

I was looking in that book just yesterday, seems they do that more often than not, not even giving the name at all on some of the ee's stating that their just green ee's .