Comments regarding CalPlants

I ordered a Joshua Tree from this guy. After he yanked it out of the ground it must have sat out in the hot sun for months with no root protection. By the time I got it half or more of the green was gone. And the plant was supposed to be marked for orientation as this plant requires. I could find no mark. Repeated emails and phone calls with no response.

I have had two transactions with this company through ebay (they also have a website so beware). In the first transaction the plant pictured in the listing was not the plant sent. At first they ignored my attempts to contact them and in the end refused any kind of refund or replacement. The plant was so pathetic I threw it out. Approximately a year later and against my better judgement, I purchased from them again (I shouldn't have but the plant was rare). This time, instead of a plant, they sent me a note saying that they didn't actually have any of the plants they were selling but they hoped to have some soon (certainly cuts down on the overhead). I declined the offer to wait and see and asked for a refund which they complied with. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. That's it! NO MORE CALPLANTS!!

I've only dealt with this company through ebay. As an ebay seller he is extremely slow to return emails! When he does respond, his answers are overly brief - at times not addressing many particulars inquiried about. In all fairness I will say that I was very pleased with my many orders - good sized healthy plants BUT the way one recent order was handled has left me angry, frustrated & refusing to purchase any more plants from him. This plant died within 7 days. I notified CalPlants immediately. When he finally responded it was to tell me that the plant had changed hands quickly. I explained that his not holding on to plants did not justify my being sent an unhealthy plant. Bottom line, despite what he states his return policy is, he refused my suggestion of a credit for the amount of the plant. I wasn't asking for a cash refund or the amount of shipping...simply the cost of the plant. This seller obviously does not stand behind his plants nor cares about working with his repeat customers when an issue presents itself. Very sad statement about his business ethics. I'm very disappointed, to say the least.