Orchid cost poll...

[peeweelovesbooks]

Originally Posted by Lady Tottington

Hi friends! Well, this is sort of a follow up to my previous question. My question is, how much is too much to pay for an orchid? Or, to rephrase, how much would you pay for an orchid that you wanted?

I know some of you have said you wouldn't buy anything over $10, what about others?

What is the most you've spent, etc? No judgements, just curious if I need to recalibrate my mind (meaning maybe I'm getting carried away if I put something on my wishlist that I really have no business wishing for)?

make sense?

Ummmmmm.... well. Alrighty then.

The most I'd pay? I think the most I'd pay for an orchid is $500.00-$600.

My dream Laelia anceps is $350.00. I think I'm going to buy it either this or next year. i'm ready for it. I didn't blink an eye at the price either.

Yes, I will probably never win an award, because it's a division of an awarded plant, but I don't care about that. It's gorgeous, it's a piece of history and well, there's something about it that I love.

The most I've paid? Most of my L. anceps are between $150-$200. I have about 5 of those.

I just bought a phal. violaeca that was 100.00 and I'm absolutely head over heels in love with the thing. I've never seen a more gorgeous phal.


For seedlings or flasks? sigh, Ummm the most I paid for a flask was 120 bucks for a flask of Eulophiella elizabethae seedlings. That was last year.


What determines the price for me?

I really don't know. It's a combination of rarity, size, quality, from whom am I buying it, how much does Maria want it? I tend to be attracted to rare or unusual plants and well, there's a price to pay if one wants that sort of thing.

[LauraN]

My most expensive to date is $100 for my Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis. I've wanted one for years and finally found a decent size one for sale at Redland.
Now, I just pray that I can keep it alive long enough to see it flower!

[cb977]

Hello almost-birthday girl

[Lady Tottington]

I love it... these answers where "reasoning's" that I heard in my head, but you never know when the thoughts are coming from your own head if they are sane or not.

I like the different scenarios, and I love all of your thoughts on this. Thanks for sharing with me... I'm feeling more sane when I find myself identifying with all of you.

<3

[trdyl]

As others have already said it depends.

So far the most expensive blomming size plant in my collection was about $95.00 (Laelia jongheana alba) and seedling ended up being about $80.00 (Cattleya schroederae coerulea) not including shipping. Most of my others are in the $1-$40 range.

How much would I be willing to spend. For an everyday plant I would say no more than aound $35.00 but for something really special probably up to $800.00 with the special ones few and far between.

[stefpix]

I agree with King's scenarios.I tend to spend less than 10 $, I try to buy 2 items at once if they offer combined shipping. Most I paid i think 17 / 18 $. DO not really care about awards.

[Rosiefuture]

Originally Posted by cb977

So far, my most expensive one has been V David Gardner 'Za Inat' at $60.00...and worth every penny

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...r-za-inat.html

I'm so in love with your vanda! I want it! Superb orchid! Drool!

Marion

[Rosiefuture]

Lady T, to answer your question

I think the most I have paid for an orchid is $AU50.00 and that was for a noid Phal about a month ago. The opportunity to buy really nice orchids is not very frequent here in Western Oz. I saw this Phal in a florist shop, it's pale yellow with intense dark pink speckles and I fell in lust! I didn't hesitate to pay the $50.

I had the chance to buy a huge and very beautiful Vanda for $AU60.00 a few weeks back and I decided against it. I'm now kicking myself because it was awesome.

At this time the most I would pay is probablly around $AU100.00 and it would have to be totally amazing. I'm sure it will happen eventually and I'm going to have to hide the expenditure and the plant from my Accountant husband!

Marion

[slipperfreak]

My philosophy is simply that you pay for something based on how much you really want it. There really isn't a limit to how much I'll pay for something if it's high on my list, except (obviously) I can't pay more money for something than I physically have. I usually find a way to pay for things though, whether that be selling things I don't need or working extra. I'm the type of collector that goes all out!

I do, however, pay attention to market prices and assess the value of a plant based on its availability and on the market "average". I won't pay more for something than it's worth, but I will pay top-dollar for a plant if it's good quality and hard to get. And, of course, if it's something I'm really after!

[jeffg]

I have a funny story. I was visiting Tom Nasser at Carolina Orchids with my orchid "mentor". Those 2 are old friends. I'm eyeballing some paphs and phrags and Tom pulls some dandy plants he says need to be in the collection. As we are headed for checkout, the first plant in the box is $75. "Seventy Five Dollars" I yell... "wait, maybe he needs to stay". Tom looks at my mentor dismayed. She nods, "put the plant in the box" and I drop the $75 (around $500 traded hands in total).

We dont discuss the sale during the 2 hours home, but I'm angry. $75 bucks for a plant?? When I get home, I google Paph rothschildianum and find for this species you can easily spend $75 for a 4-5" LS. I go down and measure - it has 3 growths and is 2 feet across leaf tip to leaf tip. I see if vendors have any this size - they run $250 - 450.

I call my mentor and she is just hysterical. Then I call Nasser and tell him "you've made a grave error, Tom..." "I have, have I?" he booms. "well, yes, you grossly undercharged me". Now he's all a laughing. We have been pals since.

So, in this case, the $75 orchid I thought was an outrage, actually was.