Misleading Labels

© 2024 CTC Productions Pty Limited. All rights reserved. The material presented on this website, may not be reproduced or distributed, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of CTC Productions.

Plant labels are often misleading or, in some cases, quite wrong. Unfortunately this means if you are buying plants you should be quite cautious & ask the horticulturist at the nursery or store to confirm that the information (especially regarding size & growing requirements such as whether they need a sunny or shady position) is correct.

For example, an often used privacy plant, Leyland Cypress, can grow 50m or more – Don showed one that was 10m tall. The label says the plant will grow 7m – however there was fine print that says “in 10 years” . In other words there’s a label that says the plant will grow 7 metres when in fact they can grow up to 50m. To keep it at a reasonable height regular maintenance trimming would be needed which many people wouldn’t have time to do.

An excellent alternative is the Spartan juniper – good privacy plant but doesn’t need trimming so is a low maintenance plant as well as a screening. Magnolia ‘Little Gem’ is another plant with a misleading label. The label says it grows up to 4m when in fact it can grow to around 10m.

You have been warned ….