Are these alive?

I just got these in todays mail,from a greatly anticipated trade

The big one is suppose to be an Orchid Tree

The little one is suppose to be a Pecan tree

The big one is black at the what I assume is the root zone,its mushy ,bent,and looks like what was maybe the tap root ? was cut off,I scraped it on the upper part and there is no green
Looks like its dead to me,but I don't know what they are suppose to look like

the little one is brittle,I scraped it too and there is no green

If they are dormant would there still be green?

and what would you do if you were me?

the trader says I didn't send 2 of the plants I promised her,I promised 14 and she says she only got 12
I sent her large starts of live growing plants
They were good enough for her to be trading them already

If I leave bad feedback,she in turn will leave me bad feed back for supposedly shorting her in plants
3 of the things she sent me are alive,tiny,but living

I'm pretty sure she can't replace the dead stuff she sent me,if it is indeed dead

Should I plant these?
Put them in the GH?
Write it off as a bad trade?
What would YOU say to the trader ?

I need input here......

I should say they were both in a wet paper towel in a plastic bag,it took 2 days to get here so I don't think the PO had anything to do with their condition

Here is a closer picture

Is there any hope?

Or have I been burned yet again?

Oh Karen.... You have been burned, those are definately dead, stickes in a box. I would post on the forum where the trade began and let people draw their own conclusions, that is too bad, couldn't have happened to a nicer person either.

Yuckie. Not the PO's fault, lol. Those are pitiful.

I probably wouldn't say anything to the trader. Is it possible she could pop into this thread and know how unhappy you are? (Or do you not see her on the message boards much?)

I'm not a big fan of confrontation, although if I were your trader and you were unhappy, I would want to know about it so I could send you something else, or fix the problem somehow. But anyone who will send dead sticks as a "trade," well, I have to question their motivation and I can't imagine they'd be too concerned about your satisfaction. I would probably mark this person off my list, never trade with them again, and chalk it up to another learning experience.

Sorry this happened to you.

P.S. What the he*# is an orchid "tree"?

Dogzilla, Orchid tree is a bauhinia. There are several kinds, one is called bauhinia variegata, but it's not variegated, lol. It grows wild here, has purple flowers, reseeds all over the place and is flowering now. One called Hong Kong Orchid Tree is prettier and is sterile, must be grown from cuttings or layering. They are both fragrant when they flower.
Here is a link to plantfiles
http://davesgarden.com/pf/search.php?search_text=bauhinia

Unless you got them from a dear friend and don't want to hurt their feelings, I would definately tell the person you got them from. Maybe they are new to trading/digging, etc and do not know the proper way to handle these things. I think it would be better to let them know that you do not believe these will grow then to let them send out tons of them not knowing. I hope that is the reason you received those.

Yeah Chele!!

Well, ya learn something new every day. Is it a true tree?

Kind of an interesting plant.

Yes, a true tree, gets 25 or so feet tall. Here are the flowers of the Hong Kong one

I'm no pro on bareroot hardwoods,but they sure look sad,you have always been a great trader,go with your gut feelings.
From Susies picture,I can see why you want one.

new or seasoned, I wonder what possessed the trader to send those. these don't look good, period. But he/she deserves the benefit of the doubt once. I would tell them how you feel. My (share) of my first ever trade 2 years ago was less than perfect. Thank God the trade partner told me the errors of my ways and since it was a bona fide error, I gladly corrected myself. Without that input, I wouldn't have ever learned the protocol.

As far as the root stock, as impatient as I am, if I were you I would stick them in a pot and put them in the farthest corner of your "plant ghetto" to see what happens. Stranger things have happened in the gardening world, right?

I hope she sees this thread and wants to make this trade right for you.
Hopefully, if she wants to trade with others , she will want to be a GOOD trader, the Dave's Garden type!Good luck! If not, we need to know who not to trade with.
Bonnie

CC, I sure hope this trader sees this and makes good on the trade. These look pretty pathetic to me. You don't deserve this.

Thanks for your input everyone
I don't know if she comes to the tropical forum but the trader lives on the plant trading forum
She trades constantly and her feedback was good so I though it was a good trade to make
And I sent LARGE portions of plants because I was told these were bushes,not cuttings or seedlings

I don't like confrontations
I hate getting burned though
and there are people lining up trades for the plants I sent her
The good thing is they'll get good plants,I sent nice stuff.....

I just hate to see others get burned
The reason I posted here was because the orchid tree is a tropical so I figured if it was alive someone here would know
Just not sure what to do about it........
I'm thinking she got them in a trade and traded them to me just like she's doing with the plants I sent

and Susie
the pictures are gorgeous
But this is your fault
When I saw the pictures of yours I HAD to have one

I shoulda just braved the attack gator and stolen yours
so you've been framed again....LOL

Sounds like you couldn't win if they say you shorted them. It would be your word against theirs. Except I believe you. Some people tend to use other tactics to be underhanded.
I would cut my losses and let it go. They would go on my do not trade with list.

You could also write Dave and send pictures to him. See what he has to say.

Do you think they would send you any better looking plants? I kinda doubt it. You in my opinion (my 2 cents) I would just drop it. You will be blessed in the long run and be the bigger person for it.

But this like I said is my opinion. I don't want to trade with them but most of all I don't want you to list names that could get you looking bad.

In Love,

Sandy

Oh my!! They sure dont look good to me. I dont know about either tree, but I do know what not living (or very little chance of living) looks like, and I would absolutely not have sent these out. Im guessing since they are active on the plant trading forum, they should know also.
Im so sorry this happened to you Karyn.

Yes I forgot to say I am very sorry this happened to you. I wish I had them and they would be yours.


Blessings,
Sandy ^8^

What plants did you send her? Poor CC, you are probably one of the best traders around but you keep getting stuck. It is just not fair.

CC, the Hong Kong Orchid is grown from cuttings, if anyone knows when to take cuttings, I'll give it a try. The kind you got are probably Bauhinia variegata, grown from seed. I can send you seed, or look around under my big tree for some seedlings(though I think I pulled them up last year).You can come raid my garden, they aren't out where the gator is, though I shouldn't have told you that!
I don't have a pecan tree, my neighbor has a grove(is that what they are called?). He might have a seedling.

OK
Should a send on the plants she says I shorter her........

Bauhinia are very easy from seed but I have absolutely no idea how long they take to bloom from seed.

Karyn, if this is what you received in trade, I sure don't know what you could have shorted them. :(

Badseed, I was wondering the same thing! The gal probably has already traded it and now wants more!

CC, I am so sorry to see this happen to such a nice and generous person as you are. It just is not fair and I hate it when anyone gets taken advantage of. I don't see how you could possibly owe anyone anything.

CC - I will try to make yu some cuttings...apparently they are easy. So sorry you got burned...most of the time something bad in a trade can be chucked up to luck or the other person forgetting or "something" reasonable...but those dead sticks you got would only win in the Dead Stick Trade.

Carol

I think I would tell her if there were 12 in there I did not short her. I sent her 12 too many!!!

So sorry this happen to you. There is always someone waiting to take advantage of a good trader.

If I had thes I would send them to you.

Blessings,
Sandy ^8^

Could you use the larger of the two as a walking stick? I am new here and just starting to trade. I hope I never get a "tree" that looks like that. Sorry that happened to you. ok, now I am in big trouble though - I shouldnt have read this thread because now I know what a hong kong Orchid tree is and I just have to have one. Anyone have any idea where I can get a plant or cuttings?

Carol, the orchid tree is easy? I need details, lol. Will those little sprouts that grow out on the trunk root?
CC, I found you a little seedling of orchid tree-bauhinia variegata, do you want it? It's small but it's alive, lol.

Hey small and alive beats large and dead!!! I started some little orchid trees from seed this spring. I have an extra and will put your name on it if you want it!
I find very little lower than a person who take avantage of another persons generosity. Most folks trade just because we like to share plants! I have no use for greedy people who just trade to take advantage of others. I am truely sorry this happened to you!!! I hope you will consider exposing the person who did this to you!!
Mel

I think I'd post a picture on the thread where the plants were offered to show what she "said" she was sending and what she really sent! But that's me, Karyn is nicer than I am, lol.

Go for it Karyn. It's not fair! More unsuspecting will be getting ripped off.
I almost did, think I know who it is.

Calla - Bauhinia(the purple HongKong Orchid Tree) are started here from pruned branches. Now...I have to admit I have not done it myself, but I have been told by 2 or 3 others that they are easy...and these weren't nursery folk with greenhouses and misthouses. I am going to try, tho'.

Carol

I am going to try also. I need to clean up the little limbs that grow on the trunk as soon as it quits flowering. I'll let you know how I do.

I'm sorry you got dead twigs for something you were really wanting! I would let this trader know.

I'm between a rock and a hard place
On the one hand I am hurt by this,it shakes my confidence in traders I haven't traded with even if the feedback is good
on the other hand I don't want anyone else to be hurt by her either
but If I say who it is I will start a war
If I don't , I'll feel quilty if someone else is burned by her

For my own sanity I am blowing this off
I've always held the belief that I shouldn't send anything I can't afford to loose
I have so many plants in the garden that I really won't miss what I sent her

If she asks for the plants that she says I still owe her I will refer her to this thread and ask that she repace the dead stuff she sent me and then I will send the stuff I supposedly "Forgot"

As for anyone who has some rooted or started Orchid trees (or pecan trees),I will gladly trade for them
I have wanted one since I saw Susies picture of hers and I think they are gorgeous

and I thank you all for your advice and support

Great, Calla... I"ll let you know too.

WTG. Good girl........

Big hugs for the crested chick. :)

OHHH by the way
I got some stuff for you
Ms Badseed

forgetmenots and the angelica reseeded ALL OVER
so I can send you some seedlings instead of seeds

LOL I have your BL too Michele! Its got some roots on it!