Anybody wanna buy a dead tree?

[misfit11]

Just saw this on 99 Cent Bonsai:

*buyer beware
**no returns

I think it's gonna need a lot of Super Thrive...

Cory

 

[Carol 83]

I saw that too. I have actually purchased a couple trees from the Flower Market on the auctions and they were nice and healthy.

 

[Forsoothe!]

That's Kurt having fun. He wouldn't actually let anyone buy it.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Looks like winter color, but alive. And WAY overpriced and WAY over pitched.
Buyer beware indeed, it’s a 3-4 year old cutting worth maybe $12.00.

 

[leatherback]

it’s a 3-4 year old cutting worth maybe $12.00.

in a generous mood are you ?

 

[chicago1980]

In the Midwest this tree can a would sell from $25-$50. Prices are strange here.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Looks like winter color, but alive. And WAY overpriced and WAY over pitched.
Buyer beware indeed, it’s a 3-4 year old cutting worth maybe $12.00.

I wondered about winter colors. Your post confirmed my original thoughts.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I wondered about winter colors. Your post confirmed my original thoughts.

Yep. My itoigawas show more winter color than my shimpakus, but it’s still a thing.

Now, that listing asserts nice nebari and movement; neither of which that cutting has.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Yep. My itoigawas show more winter color than my shimpakus, but it’s still a thing.
View attachment 352275View attachment 352274View attachment 352272
Now, that listing asserts nice nebari and movement; neither of which that cutting has.

Imagine his winters are colder up north as he is. Lovely trees Brian.

 

[bwaynef]

Purple & bronze are good. Gold-brown and dry are bad. I agree it seems pricey, but I don't have any doubts its alive.

 

[Forsoothe!]

If this thread runs long enough, every possible color combination will be cheered and damned.

 

[misfit11]

Looks like winter color, but alive. And WAY overpriced and WAY over pitched.
Buyer beware indeed, it’s a 3-4 year old cutting worth maybe $12.00.

I'm familiar with winter color on Junipers. My Junipers bronze up and even go to a purplish hue in the winter. Even the pictures you provided showing "winter color" look nothing like the tree for sale. This one is white and brown. I have my doubts.

Agreed though, $50 is way overpriced if it is indeed alive.

 

[Forsoothe!]

It is obviously dead. It is offered by the best bonsai shop in Michigan and the owner has a good sense of humor. It is a joke.

 

[misfit11]

Maybe a side by side comparison will help shed some light on the situation. When I originally saw the post in FB I thought the same thing, "Maybe just winter bronzing...?". Then after I looked at it for a bit I was like, "No way. That thing is in it's way out".


Cory

 

[misfit11]

It is obviously dead. It is offered by the best bonsai shop in Michigan and the owner has a good sense of humor. It is a joke.

What an odd "joke" if that is indeed the case. It's listed right along a bunch of other trees that I would assume are legitimate postings and the language used to describe this tree is very similar to the others. There is no indication otherwise that they're pulling our collective leg. There's no follow up post claiming, "Just kidding!!!" or anything of the sort. I think you might be giving them a little too much benefit of the doubt.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Maybe a side by side comparison will help shed some light on the situation. When I originally saw the post in FB I thought the same thing, "Maybe just winter bronzing...?". Then after I looked at it for a bit I was like, "No way. That thing is in it's way out".
View attachment 352296 View attachment 352297

Cory

Climate/location. Up north we see far colder temps. than Brian. Just like further south don't see the vibrant fall colors the further south you go. Winter colors in different parts of the country will reflect climate location in their colors.

 

[misfit11]

Climate/location. Up north we see far colder temps. than Brian. Just like further south don't see the vibrant fall colors the further south you go. Winter colors in different parts of the country will reflect climate location in their colors.

For sure. I considered this. Michigan is most definitely not Atlanta.

@Forsoothe! lives in Michigan. Do your Junipers (assuming you have them) look like this right now?

 

[JudyB]

It is obviously dead. It is offered by the best bonsai shop in Michigan and the owner has a good sense of humor. It is a joke.

Auction forums are no place to be making jokes. If this is a joke it should be taken down and the vender kicked off for a week. If this is a joke, I am offended. If it’s not a joke...still offended.

 

[Cadillactaste]

For sure. I considered this. Michigan is most definitely not Atlanta.

@Forsoothe! lives in Michigan. Do your Junipers (assuming you have them) look like this right now?

We had conifer planted in our backyard, years back for a privacy wall. They turned a similar color as the tree in question the first year in. But notice that hint of purple cast too? That's what makes me see the similarities I had in my own landscape. Each winter they are never the same shade. But that first winter...my husband called the nursery to come take a look at them. For his fear they were dead.. Their comment was...see the telltale purple. Its not dead. And they turned a lovely green that spring. At least my monitor...I see some purple tones. Thus...with my own experience...I honestly think its winter color. But...that won't change others opinions. That's fine too.

 

[misfit11]

We had conifer planted in our backyard, years back for a privacy wall. They turned a similar color as the tree in question the first year in. But notice that hint of purple cast too? That's what makes me see the similarities I had in my own landscape. Each winter they are never the same shade. But that first winter...my husband called the nursery to come take a look at them. For his fear they were dead.. Their comment was...see the telltale purple. Its not dead. And they turned a lovely green that spring. At least my monitor...I see some purple tones. Thus...with my own experience...I honestly think its winter color. But...that won't change others opinions. That's fine too.

I could be convinced that this tree is indeed alive if I saw others from this area with Junipers looking similar and hearing testimony that this is normal for the region. I live in coastal CA so my situation is obviously very different from the Great Lakes region.

That being said, if indeed this tree is just displaying "winter color", I still think it was very poor judgement to put it up for auction at this time. You gotta read the room. Even if this is completely normal for Junipers to look like grim death during this part of the year in Michigan, you gotta realize that most people are going to think that you just posted a dead tree for sale. Where's the fire? Wait until spring when it looks better.