Your Plant Has Arrived… Now What?
So you’ve done it.
You’ve invited another plant into your home despite promising yourself, “this is the last one.”
We believe you.
Whether this is your very first rare import or your fiftieth, there’s one thing every plant has in common after making the journey from Thailand to your doorstep.
It needs a little time to settle in.
The good news?
That’s completely normal.
First Things First: How Your Plant Arrives
To give your plant the best chance during its journey, we don’t ship plants in pots.
Instead, every plant is:
- Carefully wrapped in protective paper.
- Shipped with the roots wrapped in sphagnum moss.
- Packed securely to minimise movement and protect the foliage during transit.
This is the preferred shipping method used by collectors and importers around the world. It keeps plants lighter, reduces damage during transport, and allows you to inspect the roots before potting.
Please note that the moss may arrive damp, slightly dry, or somewhere in between depending on the length of the journey and weather conditions during transit. This is completely normal and isn’t an indication of your plant’s health.
“My Plant Looks Sad!”
Perfect.
Well… maybe not perfect, but definitely not unusual.
Plants aren’t huge fans of being uprooted, wrapped like burritos, handed to couriers, bounced around delivery vans, and arriving in a completely different environment.
After shipping, your plant might:
- Droop.
- Lose a leaf… or three, depending on the species.
- Develop yellow leaves.
- Wilt slightly.
- Look less vibrant than the photos.
Please don’t panic.
This doesn’t mean your plant is dying.
It simply means it’s adjusting after a very long trip.
Step One: Unwrap Carefully
Remove the wrapping gently and inspect your plant.
Check that:
- The stems are firm.
- The roots look healthy.
- There are no signs of severe damage from transit.
Minor bends, blemishes, torn leaves and cosmetic imperfections are completely normal after shipping and won’t affect the long-term health of your plant.
Step Two: Rehydrate First (Don’t Rush to Pot It!)
This is probably the biggest mistake new collectors make.
Your plant has just spent days travelling. Give it a chance to drink before asking it to establish itself in a new substrate.
For most tropical plants
Place only the roots into clean water for approximately 24 hours.
Keep the stem above the waterline.
After soaking, inspect the roots carefully.
If you find any soft, mushy or rotten roots:
- Remove them using sterile scissors.
- Allow the cut ends to dry and callous.
- If you’d like extra protection, the cut ends can be sealed with a tiny amount of melted candle wax or a small drop of super glue.
Once cleaned up, your plant can either:
- Be planted into your preferred growing substrate.
- Remain in water if you’d like it to develop a stronger root system before potting.
Special Note for Monsteras
Monsteras are particularly susceptible to root rot after shipping.
We do not recommend potting them into soil immediately.
Instead:
- Hydrate the roots overnight.
- Remove any damaged or rotten roots.
- Allow the cuts to callous before sealing if desired.
- Place the plant back into water or into perlite.
Only once healthy secondary roots begin developing should your Monstera be planted into soil.
Special Note for Alocasia
Unlike most tropical plants, Alocasias should not be soaked after shipping.
Instead, inspect the roots, remove any damaged roots if necessary, and plant directly into an appropriate substrate.
Step Three: Let It Catch Its Breath
Imagine getting off a long international flight.
You wouldn’t want someone throwing you straight into a marathon.
Your plant feels exactly the same.
For the first week, keep it somewhere with:
- High humidity.
- Gentle airflow.
- Bright, indirect light.
- Stable temperatures.
Avoid direct afternoon sun, heaters, air conditioners and constantly moving it around the house.
This first week is all about recovery.
Resist the Urge to Fuss
This is probably the hardest part.
Your plant does not need:
- Fertiliser.
- Constant repotting.
- Daily root inspections.
- Watering every five minutes.
- An emergency Facebook post asking if it’s dying.
Sometimes the best thing you can do…
…is absolutely nothing.
Plants are far more patient than we are.
Leaf Drop Happens
Many tropical plants, especially Alocasia, Caladiums and some Philodendrons, may sacrifice older leaves while adjusting.
This is completely normal.
Your plant is simply redirecting its energy into establishing roots before producing fresh growth.
Don’t judge its future by its first week.
Every Home Is Different
The photos on our website were taken in Thailand, where these plants were grown under completely different conditions.
Your home has different:
- Humidity.
- Temperature.
- Light.
- Airflow.
Because of that, your plant may not look exactly like it did the day it left the nursery.
Once it acclimates to your environment, it will begin producing leaves perfectly suited to your growing conditions.
That’s exactly what you want.
Sometimes You Have to Chop & Prop
Sometimes, you’re going to have to chop and prop.
It’s the name of the import game.
While this certainly doesn’t happen with every plant, occasionally root rot can develop during the journey and travel further up into the stem. Imported plants have been through a lot before they reach you, and unfortunately this is one of the realities that can come with importing live plants.
If you find root rot, remove all of the affected roots and inspect the base of the stem carefully.
If the rot has travelled into the stem, you’ll need to cut away the affected section too. Keep cutting back until you reach completely healthy, firm tissue with a clean, fresh cut and no remaining soft, brown or mushy areas.
Once you’ve reached healthy tissue:
- Use a clean, sterile blade for your final cut.
- Allow the fresh cut to dry and callous.
- Once dry, you can seal the cut with a small amount of melted candle wax or a thin layer of super glue if desired.
- Begin the rerooting process.
And most importantly, don’t panic just because your plant has lost its roots.
If there is a healthy, viable node remaining on the stem, your plant still has the ability to survive and produce an entirely new root system.
Place the plant into clean perlite, positioning it so that the node is in contact with or lightly covered by the perlite while keeping the remaining healthy stem appropriately positioned above the substrate.
Keep it warm, humid and in bright indirect light while it reroots.
With a little patience, that node should begin producing fresh roots and your plant can start all over again.
It can feel absolutely brutal chopping an imported plant you’ve just received, especially one you’ve been excited about for weeks, but sometimes removing the rot and starting again is exactly what saves it.
No roots doesn’t necessarily mean no plant. A healthy node can be the beginning of its comeback.
Plants Don’t Read Care Guides
Every species is different.
Every import is different.
Every home is different.
Some plants bounce back within a few days.
Others decide to test your patience for a month before rewarding you with the most beautiful leaf you’ve ever seen.
Rare plants have a funny way of teaching us that not everything happens overnight.
Sometimes the hardest part of growing isn’t providing the perfect care.
It’s simply waiting.
If You’re Worried
If something genuinely doesn’t seem right, don’t spend hours scrolling through Facebook groups where twenty people give you twenty different answers.
Send us a message.
We’re always happy to help you work out whether your plant is simply acclimating or whether something needs attention.
Welcome to the Jungle
Growing imported plants isn’t about perfection.
It’s about patience.
Every experienced collector has watched a plant throw a tantrum after shipping, only for it to bounce back a few weeks later looking better than ever.
So trust the process.
Give your plant time.
And remember…
Patience grows better plants than panic ever will.
Happy growing!