The scoop on 'Musser Forests, Inc.'

Company Profile   Mailing Address: P.O. Box 340 Indiana, Pennsylvania 15701 (United States) Phone: 1-800-643-8319 Fax: (724) 465-9893 Catalog Order Page: Hyperlink Paper Catalog Cost: Free Visit Musser Forests, Inc. at: Musser Forests Inc. in Indiana, PA Categories: Mailorder Christmas Trees & Wreaths Mailorder Gardening Association Member Plants: Evergreens Plants: Ornamental Trees and Shrubs Click here to send email to Musser Forests, Inc. Click here to visit Musser Forests, Inc.'s website Recent reviews: Past month Past 6 Months Past 12 Months Positive 0 1 4 Neutral 0 0 0 Negative 0 1 4

Feedback History and Summary   70 positives 10 neutrals 19 negatives

Comments:

Rating Author Content Negative Whatapples (1 review) On July 29, 2008, Whatapples Sheridan, WY wrote: I received my supposed Whitney Crabapple tree in 2001. It finally bloomed and fruited this year.(2008) Well, it is not a Whitney crabapple. So I called the company and they said they have never had a Whitney Crabapple and could I send them a leaf or something so they could identify it. Ha! I could see where that was going. I am not very happy that after the seven years it took to bear fruit that it is not even what I ordered and then they tell me it is not even theirs. It is the only mail order company I have ever ordered from so I know that it is their tree.Their response is very disappointing. Positive jessums (1 review) On June 14, 2008, jessums Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b) wrote: Beautiful garden center with extremely helpful staff. Decided to visit them in Spring and was able to get some incredible deals. If you get a chance to go some time, it is definitely worth the trip. Negative tdawg (1 review) On April 30, 2008, tdawg Westerville, OH wrote: I ordered several bare root trees and a few potted ones last fall. They arrived at the very end of October. The bare root plants looked pathetic and the roots were almost dry. I suspected they wouldn't survive the winter so I called to ask for a refund. They noted this in their files but said wait until spring. Sure enough, all but 2 of the 15 had no buds that opened this year. The 2 that did had major die back and sprouted very low on the trunk. They won't be ready for open ground for at least another year! I reported the news to Musser this spring. They said a supervisor had to review my claim and was very busy. I called back 3 times over the next 10 days to get an answer. They never called ME. The third time they said my money would be refunded for the trees I requested and I would receive replacments for the five holly, as requested. At least they didn't fight me on that. The holly arrived and were even more pathetic than the first batch. One was literally the length and diameter of a toothpick! Yes the prices are good, but what's the point if the stock is substandard and doesn't survive. Negative TandS (1 review) On April 10, 2008, TandS Barto, PA wrote: I ordered about $130 worth of seedlings on line to be shipped to my house. Shipping added another $26, and Tax another $10 to the order. I asked for confirmation about delivery time, so I could keep an eye out for the order, Musser Customer Service decided to change the shipping method, incurring another $67 in shipping charges (effectively $93 to ship $130 worth of plants) but never sent me an e-mail regarding this change. When I found out that the plant order for $130 was charged on my credit card on March 7th for $230, I cancelled the entire order. Customer Service has assured me repeated that they issued a credit for the $230 on March 19th, but no such credit has been issued either on the March Statement, nor the April Statement to date. How deceptive is this? Positive quiltjean (1 review) On March 30, 2008, quiltjean North Chelmsford, MA (Zone 6b) wrote: On the whole I am pleased with Musser. Last year the bayberries they sent were healthy and immediately went to work; however the Annabelle hydrangea died upon impact! I buy only potted treesbecause I've had less luck with bare-rooted stock. Most of my little trees are better than expected, more vigorous and ready to grow. Positive Uaru02 (2 reviews) On February 29, 2008, Uaru02 Simpsonville, KY wrote: I ordered 100 Norway Spruce last Fall. I didn't plant right away and then took too long to plant them when I had them in the field. I still had about a 80% survival rate. Not too bad. For the price, Musser's can't be beaten for bulk orders. I expected a certain amount of loss since I simply dropped the seedlings into the ground with a shovel-full of top soil. In about 75 years, the living screen that I am aiming for should be majestic. I used to live relatively near Mussers and would visit the farm on occasion. It is a well run operation with a real desire to do things right in their niche which is trees. They haven't tried to be All-things-to-all-people. Negative psalm72 (1 review) On February 18, 2008, psalm72 Fort Worth, TX wrote: I purchased 5 Paulownia Trees that were described on the website as being 3 years old. Being a little familiar this type of tree, upon arrival they looked like others I've had that were 1 yr old. These are not pot grown, they dig them up in the fall and ship them. They could not give me a specific time they would be shipped, but a 6 week window. I asked to be notified when they shipped so I could be on the watch for them. They refused to provide me with any type of notification upon shipment stating that it was impossible to notify customers of shippments (even through email.) The trees arrived in a condition that was less than expected. Hard to tell if they were dormant or dead. All major roots had been cut 6-8 inches from the ground line and very little or no fine roots in tact ....meaning that most of the root system was missing. Even keeping these in good soil and controlled condidtions 45-65 degrees, only 2 have developed any type of root growth, the other three just rotted in the dirt. I don't plan on making any future purchases here. Positive EugeniaBostwick (6 reviews) On December 11, 2007, EugeniaBostwick Pinckney, MI wrote: Love this company, which is a godsend to the underfunded tree lover:-) Not every tiny tree I ordered from them has lived, but 99% have, and I can't fault Musser if I try to grow Nyssa sylvatica in my highly alkaline soil! I have a beautiful hemlock hedge, though, despite the alkalinity. And 2 of 5 notoriously difficult to establish yellowwoods have made it. On December 11th, 2007, EugeniaBostwick added the following: And by the way...my bald cypresses are doing beautifully, 5 out of 5. I don\'t recall which size I ordered, but I planted them right away. --in heavy clay muck to which I add some sulfur every year. They are two years old and about 5 feet tall. Neutral holly_grower (3 reviews) On October 23, 2007, holly_grower Bear, DE wrote: I ordered ten bald cypress trees from Musser this spring, following the advice of a professional nurseryman. I made the mistake of ordering the larger plants (4 year, 3-5 ft.) - these arrived bareroot as expected, but these plants had already developed long taproots which were ruthlessly chopped off on digging, leaving no more than ten inches of root. Musser shipped eleven plants, and these were well-packaged with moist roots upon arrival. I planted these immediately in 3 or 5 gal. containers and kept them well-watered all summer. By late September, I had just four plants worth planting out into the landscape - in effect, these were rooted "cuttings" with new roots sprouting from the severed taproots. Two more had died to the ground but resprouted and were under ten inches tall - they may be salvageable for next season. The rest have not broken dormancy at all and were discarded. Am I disappointed? Perhaps yes, but the prices charged by Musser are so reasonable that I can hardly complain. I have not contacted the company as I don't really want to repeat the experience with larger plants. I would definitely recommend ordering smaller bald cypress stock from them which might be dug with more root. Neutral webgrazer (1 review) On August 27, 2007, webgrazer Zion, IL wrote: I've been ordering from these folks for about 7 years, twice a year, since we have a large/barren lot that we are attempting to resurrect. Usually their bareroot arrives moist, and the potted are invariably in good shape, size is always generous to what is promised. One ongoing problem is that often I have to call to ensure that my order actually gets shipped - one year it was it was end-November and snowing when the order arrived! This spring's order was disappointing; the bareroot were dried out and many didn't survive (these are hardy standbys such as Lynnwood Gold and Rosa Rugosa), I had to contact regarding incorrect/missed items, and there were mislabelled items. Positive Mongo1 (2 reviews) On August 16, 2007, Mongo1 Janesville, WI wrote: I've ordered from this company many times over the last 10 years, while living in three different states (military moves). They are my first choice for trees and shrubs, period. I usually order items in multiples of 5, and almost invariably, they send 6. Most things I've gotten are bare-root, which arrive with the roots wrapped in wet newspaper and then in plastic. I've never gotten a plant with dry roots, or which appeared damaged. The rare times I've had a problem with a plant, they sent a replacement or gave me a credit, with no hesitation or questions asked. I'm working on trying to establish a coniferous tree screen along one of my lot borders, which is very shady; a tough spot to start trees. Musser's small trees are so cheap, I can experiment with several varieties to see which will establish themselves. The "losers" I can afford to throw away after they've died. This spring's order arrived, as usual, in perfect condition with every plant healthy and viable. I've dealt with many mail order nurseries over the years, and these guys get my top rating. Positive JeffLuther (5 reviews) On July 2, 2007, JeffLuther Grove City, PA wrote: Was in Indiana on Saturday, so I had to stop. Excellent selections including perrenials,very knowledgeable help. Great shopping experience. For those of you who say, I could have bought a bigger plant locally, why didn't you? I use mailorder only for odd hard to find items, that I can not get locally. Positive dc_luke (2 reviews) On June 12, 2007, dc_luke Washington, DC (Zone 7a) wrote: I've ordered from them twice. The first order was for some potted deciduous trees. They arrived in great shape and are still doing great [cherry birch, alder and arrowood]. I then ordered a two batches of evergreens (hemlocks and arborvitae). I choose 2 day air being that it was getting into May. They arrived in great shape. The young arbs looked better initially, due to the more regular growth habit. However, the young hemlocks new growth is now lengthening and filling them out. They look like they'll pull through the summer heat [with plenty of watering]. Planting 10 bareroots takes awhile, so I heeled them in (5 per pot) in large well drained containers of pine bark fines and kept the mix moist and in a shady spot. This worked so well that they showed new growth while I was getting the various holes prepped. I've ordered bare root from other places where dieback and stump sprouting from dormant buds seems to be more the norm. I will definitely order from Musser again. PS Don't skimp on shipping. Be there and be ready when the trees arrive. Neutral carolinablue (5 reviews) On June 6, 2007, carolinablue Aulander, NC (Zone 7a) wrote: Ordered from Musser for the first time this year with mixed results. The container grown trees and shrubs were great and are growing as expected. However, the " 2-3 year old seedlings" were miniscule, dried out, and despite intensive care, promptly died. I don't understand why a company that sends out quality product would send such an embarrassingly poor product along with it. Neutral kerry_in_ky (4 reviews) On May 18, 2007, kerry_in_ky Dry Ridge, KY (Zone 6a) wrote: I was going to rate this a negative but to be fair I have only had the trees a few days and did not end up contacting the company for a refund. I ordered the white birch and received 6 rather than 5 trees. 3 had crunchy leaves, two had very pale almost white leaves due to a lack of light and one very small one had no sign of growth. I've planted them in pots and am watching them carefully. It looks like two may pull through, too early to tell if the other 4 will make it. Negative tickhill (3 reviews) On May 16, 2007, tickhill Yanceyville, NC wrote: In February of 2005 my husband ordered 10 European White Birch trees from this company. The description said 2 year old 1-3 ft. trees. When we received them none of the trees were more than a foot long and they looked pretty dead. But we hoped that they were only dormant. To increase the trees’ survival rate we planted every one of them in separate containers with rich soil, made sure they got plenty of light and got watered regularly. Only one tree showed any signs of life and that was a sprout from a root. So in fact none of the original stems made it. Of course, this did not become obvious until months after we received our order. So we did not see much point in trying to get in touch with Musser Forests. Their instructions in regards to claims say “notify us in writing within 3 days after receipt of nursery stock”. So 2 years later we have a young birch tree that is about 3 feet tall now. It still has a dark brown stock. So it is not clear yet if we actually have the white birch. The truth is that for the amount of money we paid for this order we could’ve gotten a tree of this size 2 years ago from one of local nurseries….. Positive thecollector (2 reviews) On April 18, 2007, thecollector Farmville, VA wrote: I ordered 10 potted Green Giant Arborvitae, which arrived last week. The plants were robust, very well packed, and, something important to me, were uniform--all were nearly exactly the same size. This place seems like a good source for trees in bulk. Prices are very reasonable and at least in my experience, stock is good. Positive Fangorn (2 reviews) On April 2, 2007, Fangorn Fayetteville, GA wrote: I ordered five Lynwood Gold Forsythia that were so inexpensive it's hard to believe. Were they small? Yes, but this cultivar grows fast. I have a lot of time and patience when it comes to gardening and saving money. Were they rootbound? Yes, I cut ends off the longer roots, untangled the rest and spread them out over a small mound like a bare-root rose. No problem, they are growing beautifully. Were they well packaged? Absolutely. The only better packaging I've seen is from Logee's and Marj Gossler (that lady runs an incredible nursery). Were these small plants well branched? Yes, all except one had multiple branches. Was it worth a little over $20.00 (including S & H) for five beautiful plants? Duh, I challenge you to find them for less. These were potted not bare-rooted. Would I buy from them again? Definitely. Positive forgebalst (1 review) On March 31, 2007, forgebalst Nicholson, PA wrote: Packaging was A++ the trees are healty and a generous size. I would not hesitate to order from this company again. Positive naal (6 reviews) On March 30, 2007, naal Fairfax, VA wrote: Ordered or the first time from Musser (5 bare root Hetz Wintergreen) and must say was quite impressed. The trees were all larger than ordered and had healthy root systems. They were packaged very well and arrived in VA healthy and moist. Planted them upon arrival yesterday and now it's just wait and see! Positive dragoness (1 review) On January 16, 2007, dragoness Hampton, VA wrote: hi, i just joined and want to tell you that last spring i bought 10 rosa rugosa. when they got here i had to call them because they were 2ft long sticks. they were extremely friendly and advised me to just plant and wait i have to say by the time fall had crept up here in zone 7 they were HUGE! blooming and even full of hips. i am sold on them. do not be discouraged by the fact they are bareroot and look like twigs there are roses in there!! thanks musser my front yard will be gorgeous again this year im sure. Neutral steffinger (1 review) On November 24, 2006, steffinger mahaffey (United States) wrote: I worked at this company in the 70's before I left for college. In my opinion they have not changed that much in that they use those folks who earn minimum wage. (Nothing against the employees) I was personally treated as a second class citizen; watered down like cattle, yelled at, etc. (If I knew then what I know now.....) My vehicle broke down in front of their store a few years ago and they would not even let me use their phone! I have ordered trees from them, which in bulk are a pretty good buy-but I live nearby and can pick them up. I think they charge a bit over most though for trees and flowers at the store. Positive southgrower (1 review) On November 14, 2006, southgrower Utica, MS wrote: I have ordered many times from Musser over the years. While their upper PA climate has little in common with mine in the deep south the results have always been satisfactory. The best "deal" from them is the potted plants. I recently bought two potted bald cypress trees. Both had extremely healthy root systems. I also purchased two chinese dogwoods. Since we were in the middle of a drought I planted the trees in clay pots until conditions improved. When I finally got around to planting the trees, about three months later, their roots had filled the pots! Be more cautious about the bare root trees, but I would have no hesitation ordering any potted tree from them. Negative StarhillForest (1 review) On June 18, 2006, StarhillForest Illinois, IL (Zone 5b) wrote: I had ordered from Mussers several times, many years ago, and the plants I received always were fine. But this spring I combined on an order with another person, and it was a disaster. Half the plants were dead or had such poor root systems that they couldn't be expected to live. Some of them were mislabeled (and not just a missed cultivar name -- spruces were called firs!). Replacements were sent, but the replacements were DOA. They looked like someone had carelessly pulled wild seedlings from a vacant lot and mailed them to us. I suspect this fine old company must be going under, and I will never order from them again. Positive rcaretti (3 reviews) On May 25, 2006, rcaretti Woodsboro, MD wrote: I ordered Canadian hemlocks from Musser last year and they were in good shape when I received them. They were not huge, but were a reasonable size considering the cost and were packed well. I would order from them again. Positive JohninMichigan (1 review) On April 25, 2006, JohninMichigan Delta Township, MI (Zone 5a) wrote: I ordered 2 Bald Cyprus and 5 Catalpa trees in Spring of 2005. These trees survived the first year and are doing great this year. Musser's Forest is a company that I will use in the future for buying trees. I have had no problems with this company. Positive CT_Ohio (4 reviews) On April 23, 2006, CT_Ohio Millfield, OH (Zone 6a) wrote: Just received the 25 Canadian hemlocks (3+3) I ordered and could not be more pleased. The trees have heavy, healthy root systems and well branched, full tops. There were at least 25 trees the size stated in the catalog as well as 4-5 smaller but very healthy trees in the package. Packing was excellent for bare root plants and included instructions for planting were explicit and easy to understand. I am quite impressed with the quality of the plants I received. Positive schobm1 (2 reviews) On April 23, 2006, schobm1 Bloomfield, NJ wrote: Very pleased with the of value of well wrapped plants received from Musser. Ordered both bareroot and potted. Yes, looked like a stick and tiny. But with proper planting and care have been pleasantly surprised with the results especially given my New Jersey clay, heat and drought. When buying any plants mail order or local, highly recommend similar growing climate. Local nursery tried to sell me established evergreens grown in Oregon-don't see how that would work for my garden. Mussers customer service representatives treated me professionally on the telephone and that is how I treat them. Positive Enchantra (5 reviews) On April 19, 2006, Enchantra Farmington, NY (Zone 6a) wrote: I have ordered from this company and so has my Father. All the trees have arrived packaged in damp paper mulch with plastic wrapped around the roots. There has been no breakage in shipment at all, and the trees all took so far. I ordered several potted Red Japanese Maples from them this year and they were much larger than I expected. The stock seems to be of good quality. Positive provincialblond (5 reviews) On April 12, 2006, provincialblond Lansing, MI wrote: I've ordered numerous trees from Musser Nursery: Corkbark Fir, Pitch Pine, Mugo Pine, Douglas Fir, Japanese Black Pine, and Austrian Pine; the quality of the aforesaid orders have been excellent. Musser is very accomodating when It comes to shipping: I changed my delivery date 4 times and they followed my instructions accordingly. I plan buying from Musser in the immediate future. Yours truly, Kriss Schrandt Michigan Positive snyderlm (3 reviews) On April 12, 2006, snyderlm Paoli, IN wrote: I have placed two really large orders with Musser Forests and been well-pleased with every aspect of the transaction. The first order had a few 'duds,' which I would expect when I'm paying so little for things. They replaced them quickly and courteously. After the initial glitches, I am pleased to report that these plants have all grown and thrived for several years...through bad winters and droughts (and truly awful soil in some cases). This year, I placed another huge order. I was amazed at the quality of the plants they sent! The root systems were huge and the plants were well-developed. There are 'bargains' out there, and there are rip-offs. I would definitely place Musser in the bargain category. Their plants are priced very cheaply. So their 'experts' aren't really knowledgeable. Buy a book! I've found very few mail order nurseries who can tell me how to handle my plants when they are located in different growing areas from mine. Don't expect that! If you receive nice plants...well rooted...alive!...haven't they lived up to their end of the deal? Even some breakage is to be expected. They probably needed to be trimmed back a bit anyway, to ensure successful transplant. I like them and will continue to do lots of business with them. Negative rhodesja (10 reviews) On March 30, 2006, rhodesja Manchester, CT wrote: we ordered some persimmons and some bald cypress this time. last time we orded jap black pine and bristle cone pine which all died and we got credit for . the bald cypress was bent and broken to fit in the box and the persimmons were very small and had no buds. all i can say is they do stand up to their guarantee and will give replacements or credits but quality is low and packaging is poor compared to other companies like oikos and university of idaho forest research nursery. Positive AvDaBr (2 reviews) On March 26, 2006, AvDaBr Pioneer, TN wrote: I ordered 10 winterberry hollies early this month. They were listed as 4 year old seedlings at 2-3 feet. The total, with shipping and handling, came to just a shade over $30. Okay, the price was very reasonable, but what about the timeliness and quality of the shipment? Well, in less than two weeks, a long cardboard box arrives on my porch. Inside are the specimens bundled together ratherly tightly, with the roots well wrapped in plastic with a finely shredded paper material covering them for moisture retainment. I lightly watered the roots and waited several days to plant. To date, all are doing well. The plants all fell into the advertised size range, and they even shipped me one extra. They are well rooted, vigorous plants. Based on my initial experience, I couldn't discourage anyone from buying from them. Neutral orionfarms (7 reviews) On March 8, 2006, orionfarms Linden, VA wrote: Last spring we ordered several dogwood, sourwood, and osage orange trees, as well as some crownvetch. All of the trees arrived in standard "stick" form. We planted some and gave others away to friends. With good light, water, and fertilizer, only two dogwood and two sourwood trees showed minimal leafing. Nothing else greened up at all. The only reason that this is not a negative is that we did not attempt to contact the company to see whether they would replace or refund the entire order. Positive Live2garden (6 reviews) On March 6, 2006, Live2garden Waterford, WI (Zone 5b) wrote: I love Musser forests - in fact, if there ever was something to get me to drive "east" it would be to visit their nursery in person. Over the years I have ordered many different trees and shrubs. And they all arrive very well packed, very healthy looking - as if they were just dug from the ground. I have tried all their different options - from bare root to the different ways of being potted and each time the plants are very well shipped and arrive in good condition. I only had one disappointment in that I lost all of my shipment a few years back but that was due to very severe drought conditions and a personal illness (I wasn't able to haul water to the transplants) so I do not blame the company. I have never had to ask for replacements. I haven't had as much success when speaking to the horticulturists though. My impression is that they are reading rote responses listed in some "FAQ" manual and not listening to the specific concerns brought up. Maybe I just hit them on a bad day, we all have them. I absolutely recommend this company based on my experiences....I am probably known there as the "sky rocket" queen as I order a dozen or so every year. But they are so quick growing, so cute when they are little and I have never lost one due to shipping or handling. Positive jbrockettm (8 reviews) On February 18, 2006, jbrockettm Fort Plain, NY wrote: Ordered about 100 trees from Musser in 2005, both spring and fall. Thuja Green Giant, Beech, Red Oaks, Black Walnut, Cornus, Cercis... Only a couple didn't survive and not by fault of Musser. One or two succumbed to the summer drought (cornus kousa and black walnut) and one or two to my neighbor's well-intentioned, though ill-sighted, mowing efforts (was that a tree you planted there? oops). They were shipped quickly or when they needed to be, and always packed well. Yes, you have to untie them and sometimes the roots are a little tangled but I don't see that as anything unusual, you just pull them apart gently and they are fine. I have ordered mail order trees and plants from many companies and Musser has always been reliable for me. Positive RollingAcres (5 reviews) On November 16, 2005, RollingAcres Reedsville, WI wrote: I have Ordered from most of the major tree nurseries and now do most of my business with musser unless their is a species that they do not carry , I'm Sure if i contacted them they would contract grow them for me . As for other nurseries for the most part the quality of their trees from a growers stand point is i have to toss 1/3 -1/2 because of poor form.Not with Musser. P.S. I give their trees a workout growing most on in containers and they do fine,as well as ground grown which is healthier for a tree or most any other plants. Positive flash317 (6 reviews) On June 18, 2005, flash317 Monroe, NY (Zone 6a) wrote: Just received ten potted Green Giant cedars, which arrived with beautiful, strong root systems and in excellent condition. The were larger than expected, especially considering the very reasonable price. Interestingly, this variety wasn't listed in the catalog--only on the Internet. What I really liked was that Musser waited to ship them until we had a cool window in the heat wave we've been experiencing. That kind of care is what I'm looking for in plant sources; I received my order a bit later, but the trees look wonderful. This was my first order from them, but it won't be my last! Positive treehugger1080 (2 reviews) On June 17, 2005, treehugger1080 Dousman, WI wrote: This spring I ordered 12 each of their "hand selected" 5-year Canadian Hemlock and Norway Spruce transplants. On first inspection all of them looked wonderful, with extensive roots. 2 months after planting, 11 of the 12 Spruces are flourishing. However, 9 of the 12 hemlocks have lost their needles and are dead. I have no idea what caused this, as all 24 planting holes were in the same type of soil which has supported other hemlock transplants in the past. I informed customer service of the situation and they promptly sent me a store-credit for the 9 dead trees. I will do business with them again but will avoid the heavy hemlock transplants. On June 18th, 2006, treehugger1080 added the following: I ordered about 15 of the potted Canadian hemlocks this spring to redeem my credit for bareroot trees lost last year. The new trees were small (as advertised) but were full of life and had great root systems. I was so impressed that I ordered another 25 or so. All 40 trees are prospering and have put on nearly the same amount of growth as my well-established hemlocks. If you have bad luck getting mail order bareroots to live, and don\'t mind starting off with smaller trees to save money, I highly recommend the potted trees from Musser. Positive fpgill (21 reviews) On June 11, 2005, fpgill lexington, MA (Zone 6a) wrote: Very nice stock, and great customer service.

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