One Etsy seller's seed listings include a hosta that looks like a bunch of screaming demon shrimps, a plant shaped like a butterfly, and a red-white-blue patriotic shrub. The images are obviously AI-generated — and seeds for fake, AI-illustrated roses sold 37,271 times on eBay before the seller was finally banned.
Emanuel Maiberg at 404 Media has a look at this flood of fake seed listings on eBay, Amazon, and Etsy, which has been running for years. A moderator of the r/mycology Reddit community explained the business model: "There is no cost involved beyond an envelope and postage, a plastic bag and a few hours to collect random seeds. The selling price may be low but enough people buy them to make it add up."
Beyond wasted money, buying these seeds risks introducing invasive species — last year, three states issued warnings about planting mystery seeds received in the mail.
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