Should I send this plant back?

[johnbecker]

I just ordered a gariepensis from Arid Lands and noticed a few issues with it--1st, the biggest leaf is totally broken off, just hanging by a thread. It's pretty calloused over, so it's been that way for a little while
Also, the spots on the leaves--is that something to be concerned about? Is this just how it goes? Should I request a new plant? Am I being crazy to be annoyed?

[Spination]

If it were me, I'd keep it. Their most expensive size is the 5" for $11.00. Given that it looks otherwise healthy, it should be building new leaves quickly enough. If concerned about the little spots...although I admit I don't
know exactly what it is, I'd be giving it a spray of insecticide (something like Sevin should be good enough), which is something I do with pretty much all new arrivals anyway. Hardly seems worth the trouble to return it...
That's just me. I'm used to receiving damage...and I take the long view that I know I can grow it to perfection in time.
Here's an example.
I got this from PDN very recently. No, it's not an Aloe - but it was $65, and shipping over $40 (added 2 more other plants since it did not affect the minimum shipping). Let me say, I'm not easily shocked, but I did not like what I saw here...

2017 12 13 A potatorum Verschaffeltii Ikiri Raijin Nishiki b.jpg (87.17 KiB) Viewed 1694 times

Without mincing words, this looks like crap. What the hell is going on with those leaves anyway??? That is pretty nasty... Let's just say I gave it some heavy duty insecticidal coctail.

Even so, I didn't bother complaining. In time (more than a year), it will look very nice. Your aloe is going to look pretty good a whole lot sooner than that...

Anyway, that's just me... Hassling with a return just isn't worth my time, unless the plant is DOA, or soon to be thereafter.


EDIT - a trick I've used to good effect in the case of where the break on that leaf is - fill the gap with triple antibiotic ointment. You'll be surprised what happens - or more accurately, what doesn't happen.

[Gee.S]

^ I have never seen Agave mite lesions on anterior leaf surfaces before, but suspect that is what we're looking at. Absolutely horrifying. I have noticed that some Agave species seem to manifest mite-sign a little differently than most. My guess is that plant has had mites for a LONG time, and is actually putting up a pretty good fight (it's not dead), all things considered. I know of no other malady that causes grease stains like that. Lesions are oddly placed, but look about right in connection with the grease stains.

[Spination]

That's exactly what I was thinking, and not something I expected to see in a rather pricey plant, and certainly not from PDN. A bit disappointed, for sure. I'm assuming it's something the plant fought off (probably got sprayed some time back), and what it's showing now is residual damage. This plant is not going to be looking very good for quite some time I expect. Based on past experience, I figure at least a year before enough new growth displaces those awful leaves...

I'll just add, I'd be very embarrassed to send out a plant looking like that... (I never would)

[Gee.S]

Oh no, that looks like a VERY active infestation. Core doesn't look too bad, but the newest leaf is the sh*ts. Keep it the hell away from your other Agaves.

I wonder if variegation may have driven the mite pop toward an uncharacteristic attack pattern.

NC, they may not have any prior experience with mites.

[Spination]

OK, appreciate the feedback. I did spray it as a precaution, assuming then incorrectly that it was a past problem... but now I'll be spraying the heck out of it again and again. Hate to say it, but I'll be very reluctant to buy anything from PDN from here on out - and I've been a pretty good customer for years... The plants that came with it were Manfreda Kaleidoscope and M. Silver Fox - which I sprayed thoroughly also. They'll be getting more treatments too then...

[Azuleja]

I can't believe Plant Delights Nursery sent out a plant like that. Regardless of your decision to keep it and treat it, I hope you sent photos and a heads up that they seem to have shipped you something out of their quarantine area.

The Arid Lands plant looks good in comparison. I'd probably keep it myself, but yes I'd spray it and keep an eye on it. I'm not sure if those spots are scale, fungal spots or what.

[Gee.S]

OK, appreciate the feedback. I did spray it as a precaution, assuming then incorrectly that it was a past problem... but now I'll be spraying the heck out of it again and again. Hate to say it, but I'll be very reluctant to buy anything from PDN from here on out - and I've been a pretty good customer for years... The plants that came with it were Manfreda Kaleidoscope and M. Silver Fox - which I sprayed thoroughly also. They'll be getting more treatments too then...

Just once every four weeks. And get any Agave within 30' (at least) on a regular regimen along with it.

Do me a favor, post that photo up in Xeric Plant Pest and Disease Reference/Agave Mite thread. Keep spraying everything once per month until everything shows three clean leaves.

[Gee.S]

I can't believe Plant Delights Nursery sent out a plant like that. Regardless of your decision to keep it and treat it, I hope you sent photos and a heads up that they seem to have shipped you something out of their quarantine area.

The Arid Lands plant looks good in comparison. I'd probably keep it myself, but yes I'd spray it and keep an eye on it. I'm not sure if those spots are scale, fungal spots or what.

Tom, @Tony Avent has an account here. You can PM him, and direct him to this thread. He may not know Agave mite from a hole in the ground, I dunno...

[Melt in the Sun]

Back to that Aloe, I think it looks pretty good. The leaf probably got broken in shipping...it happens. A. gariepensis is a fun plant...congrats!

[Azuleja]

Back to that Aloe, I think it looks pretty good. The leaf probably got broken in shipping...it happens. A. gariepensis is a fun plant...congrats!

The form reminds me of A. microstigma and is making me second guess the ID on mine. I see a lot of other photos online where it looks fairly spotted, but in the gallery here it looks very lineated so perhaps they aren't really that similar.

[Spination]

I can't believe Plant Delights Nursery sent out a plant like that. Regardless of your decision to keep it and treat it, I hope you sent photos and a heads up that they seem to have shipped you something out of their quarantine area.

Azul, I honestly can't believe it either. Regarding the other... No, I didn't. I wouldn't know what to say. I don't know what to say to a person or company who thought that was a decent plant to sell ( $100+ with shipping)? Broken leaves and crushed plants I have dealt with in the past without a second thought (true). Once upon a time shipping damage bothered me, but now I just accept that's part of the price to pay when shipping is involved. Not always, but sometimes. That stuff gets outgrown fast though anyway. However, when I opened that box, I took one look at those grotesque leaves, and wanted to puke. That won't grow out fast... Maybe I'm looking at it wrong, but I imagine people watering it, caring for it, watching it grow, and not have a clue what a butt-ugly plant it was. And then, someone selecting it, handling it, boxing it up, and still not catching on something was very much amiss? Blind? Brain-dead? Seriously, what am I supposed to say to such carelessness, such obliviousness? I'm dumbfounded. Some things are understandable, some things excusable... others, not so much.

Anyway, I've done the necessary, when it needed doing, and have no more time to invest pursuing the matter. Within 10 minutes of opening the box, that plant got drenched with a heavy-duty concoction that includes Avid, and the other 2 plants got sprayed too. You might laugh, but I burned the box too. I would not have bought the plant had I known what it would be, but once it was here, I did know what to do. Been there...done that... Also good, is now I know they have a problem, and I know going forward the best and easiest way not to let their problem be my problem...

[Agavemonger]

'Ikari Raijian Nishiki' is an indicator plant for eriophyoid mites. It absolutely must be on a continuing, rotational miticide-centered spray program to be kept clean.

The Monger

[johnbecker]

Thanks for the discussion everyone. I realized when I got up this morning and looked closely at the plants I got from Arid Lands that only *one* of them has one leaf broken--the other has *three* of the biggest leaves broken. Sigh. The purchase was a birthday gift for a friend + adding one for me, so I guess I need to give him the healthier one and keep the one with the broken leaves. I emailed them and they said that they lost a lot of plants during last summer's brutal heat and rain, so they can't replace it with anything close to its size. Guess I'm going to soldier on with them.

When I plant them up, should I remove the broken leaves, if they're still hanging on? Is there a chance that they'll heal over and recover? I swear a broken leaf on my a. polyphylla just healed up like a cut and now I can't even tell which one it was. I know Spination suggested antibiotic ointment to help scar them over, but any ideas?

[Spination]

Monger, what you taught me must have rubbed off, because that's exactly what I was thinking too. Other than go into reaction mode and deal with it right away, I thought it must be much like A. parrasana as far as being one of those easily susceptible or some sort of mite-magnet. An observation in that regard is wide leaves, which wrap around the core, even over-lapping the same leaf vs another species with not-so-wide leaves. In the other case, I would imagine an easier time for mites to gain access to the core attacking in between leaves in genesis, rather than the necessity of going through them. The only other strong impression was that I just don't know how anyone can look, or even glimpse at that plant... much less actually handle it, and being in the business, not know what was being sent out. If nothing else, a plant that looks really, really bad, and not worthy of their name. I know I would not want something like that being sent out by me to someone else, and then representing my work and integrity. Nothing good can come of that. I can understand a plant which showed no sign at the time, sent out, and then displaying subsequent damage from early infestation...but not something that already got whacked that hard. The unpalatable aspect of it is looking at the stock photo for that offering (absolutely gorgeous), having something akin to that in one's mind when opening the package, and then finding that changeling in there instead. Let's just say, my reaction was more than a grimace. One thing I do feel good about, is that someone else who might not have known what they were looking at did not get that plant, and wind up with a full blown mite attack within their existing collection, due to proximity to clean plants. Been there, done that...not happening ever again.

_________________________

John - I understand wondering what is acceptable or not when one finds one broken leaf...but the other with three - yikes! The way I see it, if one can prevent infection and necrosis of the leaf (hence the antibiotic ointment idea - it works), the remaining leaf (or leaves) should have some remaining function. The ointment sticks well, and provides a barrier to air, and microbes/infection. It's almost like a new skin, so to speak. If some leaf function can be preserved, any energy it can convert from sunlight would further the faster growth of the plant, and speed up leaf replacement. They can be cut off at any time later. If they turn brown and mushy, then I would cut them off at the base, and dust the cut with sulfur powder to stop further rot. Others may have other experience or ideas, but that's what I would do based on stuff I do which does work, in my experience.

[johnbecker]

Ok, here's what they look like potted up. I sprayed them with neem oil because I'm out of real deal pesticide, and if you look close you can see the Neosporin I put on their booboos. They don't look so bad this way. I think the real lesson is that I need to get a couple more to hedge against any disease!

If anyone does have thoughts about the spotting on the leaves I'd love to hear them. They were tiny bumps.

[Spination]

Wow, potted up, they look pretty darn good to me! Do you know if the spots are something growing out of the plant, or can you scrape one off to find out if it's instead attached to it? I'm asking because you describe them as tiny bumps....

[Bananaguy]

I would contact PDN as I did one time with a plant I purchased locally. It never did perform well no matter what. They sent me another free replacement. Not sure what went on with agave shipped.. I have purchased stuff locally from them and everything is healthy.

[Bananaguy]

Sorry to jump off topic from original poster. But for you to it never hurts to voice your opinion as you spent money on it. Won’t hurt, either they work with you or they careless. It’s not like we will be out of anything unless aloe would die.