Are these the little mini gift roses? I've brought home some that looked half dead and they recovered quickly once they got some decent care.

Posted by seil z6b MI (My Page) on Wed, Feb 26, 14 at 16:05

It is a gamble though. Would it not be better that they are happy and long lasting on a better shelf?

Yes, of course, but we're talking Wally World here not a nursery. The people there have no plant training or experience and really don't care. Neither does the company as they'll just write off the losses anyway. Any time you're buying plants, particularly roses, at any of the big box stores the best thing to do is to get them as soon as they come in and get them home where YOU can take care of them properly. That being said I often rescue poor bedraggled things from certain death at these places. I admit it, I'm a sucker for an underdog, lol!

Posted by seil z6b MI (My Page) on Sat, Mar 1, 14 at 10:55

For those giving them as gifts to their families and loved ones, they would be understandably reluctant to buy sickly looking mini-roses.

For people like me, I know these propagate by sticks, so I would not be that sympathetic. In the wild, the sticks mostly dry out naturally.