u/Asleep-Beginning7805

I’m not promoting anyone , just sharing my online finds. So far my favorite string of hearts has been from Amazon SHOCKINGLY thank goodness they’re a small business. MY SECOND favorite is this etsy seller Bloomingvale. I bought a 6” and fast shipping that’s why it was $47 but her 2” are $10.49

My new addiction is ordering online. please guys if you can share your favorite online sellers for string of hearts ❤️

I have so many different kinds now, this was listed as monstera mint but I don’t trust the labels of monsteras and in Amish country usually the labels are incorrect. Any help would be amazing the last image is a baby leaf so you can see the variegation

So I need advice. I ordered an expensive variegated Hoya Compacta on Etsy from a literal 5-star seller. The plant itself is absolutely gorgeous and was packaged pretty well overall, though you could tell they were probably rushing a bit. Some dirt spilled during shipping, but nothing major.

The issue is the cigarette smoke smell. At first I thought I was imagining it because when I first opened the box I didn’t notice it right away. Most sellers wrap the top with fiber fill/poly fill and that material was completely soaked in the smell. I rinsed the plant and hoped it was just trapped in the packaging, but it’s obvious now the smell is deep in the soil too. Every time I walk by my plant room it smells like cigarettes because of the humidifier and airflow. 😭

I’m honestly so disappointed because the actual plant is perfect. I collect plants and I’m really sensitive to smells, so now I’m stuck wondering what to do.

Has anyone dealt with this before? Can the smell eventually come out on its own? Should I completely repot it immediately and rinse the roots? I’m nervous about stressing out a compacta after shipping because they already seem dramatic enough lol.

Also would you mention this to the seller or just leave it alone? I would hate to be the only person leaving a bad review on an otherwise 5-star shop, but at the same time I’d also hate for someone to spend $100+ on a plant and have this happen to them too.

The weird thing is the outside of the box itself didn’t smell, which makes me second guess everything. Part of me is wondering if maybe it somehow happened during shipping, like being around a mail carrier smoking or something? I honestly don’t know.

And before anyone tells me I shouldn’t order plants off Etsy, every single plant I’ve ordered off Etsy has been INCREDIBLE quality. compared to the greenhouses here in NE Ohio with generalized care. This definitely hasn’t been my normal Etsy plant experience at all.

*****UPDATE - a plant shop owner responded telling me that when these plants flower they can smell like cigarettes. After reading the comments they can also smell like cat urine and other stuff when they’re about to flower and only at night.

I thought hoyas smelled like chocolate honey I didn’t know they could also smell like an ashtray. I communicated this to the seller and I left 5 stars thank you all for your help

I have wanted the variegated string of pearls for a long time!!!! The pots are super super tiny! And string of watermelon?! I didn’t even know they existed! Super cute 🥰 I love that I moved to Ohio now that I got into plants 5 years ago. Thank goodness. It’s just me my plants and my husband 🥹