The First 14 Days

Most plants that die after shipping don’t die from shipping. They die from what the new owner does in the first week — usually too much water, too much sun, or a repot that the plant had no roots to spare for.

The first hour

1. Open the box immediately, even if you can’t deal with the plant yet. Heat builds up in a sealed box.
2. Photograph everything before you touch it — the box, the packing, the plant. If there’s a problem, this is what our guarantee runs on.
3. Unwrap gently. Leave the sphagnum on bare-root plants for now.
4. Put it somewhere bright but out of direct sun, at normal room temperature.

What is normal

• Yellow or dropped lower leaves. Expected. The plant is triaging.
• Limp, drooping leaves. Almost always transit dehydration. It usually recovers within 48 hours.
• A cracked or torn leaf. Cosmetic. It won’t heal, but it won’t spread.

What is not normal

• Mushy, dark, foul-smelling stem or roots — that’s rot, contact us.
• Visible pests — contact us before treating.
• The plant is not the one in the listing photo — contact us. Every listing is a specific individual plant.

Reach us at hello@uncommonplant.com within 48 hours of delivery, with photos.

Week one

Water lightly once, then leave it alone. No fertilizer. No repotting. No moving it around to find “the perfect spot.” The plant is spending its energy on roots, and every change resets that clock.

Week two

If you see a new growth point moving, the plant has settled. Now you can repot, start feeding at quarter strength, and treat it like an established plant.