Claims about plants in mail order catalogues or online that seem too good to be true probably are, says a new report from Which? Gardening.

A study of 25 varieties of plants found that only six lived up to the bold claims made about them.

Five were nothing like their descriptions in the adverts or catalogues.

Half were found to do what could be reasonably expected of them, but weren't anywhere near as exceptional as their descriptions.

The Everlasting Cauliflower from Plantworld - Gifted Gardener claimed to produce "10 or more sweet and succulent curds", but the Which? Gardening trial failed to produce a single curd.

The Hibiscus tricolour from Bakker failed to live up to its claims about three simultaneously flowering varieties growing on entwined stems - the most Which? Gardening got was two stems flowering at the same time.

The Brugmansia 'Flamenco' produced just five flowers - nothing like the "huge wealth of flowers" promised, and were much paler than the brochure picture showed.

Some of the plants did live up to their bold claims, including the Red Cat's Tail from Bakker and the Lady Boothby Fuchsia from Thompson and Morgan, both of which performed as described in the catalogues.

Plants are covered by the Sale of Goods Act 1979, which states that all items sold must be as described by the seller.

People who find that the plants they have purchased do not live up to their description should contact the retailer for a refund or replacement.

Ceri Thomas, editor of Which? Gardening, said: "Even if we know what we are looking for when browsing through plant catalogues, it's easy to be side-tracked by stunning photographs and extraordinary claims.

"However, you need to be aware that very rarely do plants live up to these bold claims and you could end up disappointed with the end results.

"If a claim or description of a plant seems to be too good to be true, it probably is."

The article Wonder plants that aren't that wonderful originally appeared on 999 Today