That $60 moon cactus I bought is just a grafted Hibotan and I feel ripped off

I paid sixty bucks for what the nursery labeled as a rare moon cactus at the local garden show three weeks ago. Got it home and my buddy who works at a greenhouse pointed out it's just a standard Hibotan grafted onto a dragon fruit rootstock. Sure it's pretty with that bright pink top, but I could have grabbed the same thing at a big box store for under fifteen. The guy at the stand was talking up how hard it was to find and I fell for it. Now half the top is starting to rot because the scion isn't getting enough light. Anyone else get burned by those fancy plant stalls at weekend markets?

2 comments

2 Comments

beth_baker6911d ago

Are you sure your buddy is right about the rootstock? I've seen some rare Hibotan cultivars that actually do look different from the standard ones, and they can run higher. The rot issue might be from overwatering or a bad graft job separate from the price. Not saying that guy was honest, but sometimes a higher price tags on uncommon color morphs that aren't the usual grocery store plant.

the_olivia10d ago

Wait, are you saying the color morphs actually justify the markup?