Ghost Orchid

[Nanook 2010]

Hey members..

Quick question..Why would a ghost orchid sell for $95? I know they are pretty rare in nature, but I think I've seen them for as low as $20 from a few on line sites...

am I missing something?

would $95 be a good price for 2 very small orchids attached to a 6" piece of wood?

like to hear what you think?

[Daethen]

I swear some sellers think their plants are made of gold.

[WhiteRabbit]

It's possible the pricier ones are more mature - I think the inexpensive ones are usually seedlings. Of course it is also possible the seller is hoping the name "Ghost orchid" will make some people think it's worth the high price ?

[s.kallima]

For that price you should be able to get a mature plant ! not those tiny "out-of-flask" plants sold in many places for $15 to $20...

[Bud]

nope $95 is too much...then you still have to cough out the shipping costs...
two small seedlings in a 6" stick is too much.
The $15 from a reputable orchid seller is the competitive price for it
you can buy a flask for $150 with 50 or more inside it and free shipping...

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I wouldn't pay $95 for any sized Ghost Orchid, especially when you can get less expensive ones.

What's my reasoning, you ask?

Because growing Ghost Orchids are no walk in the park. If you are able to succeed in the long run on the 1st try, you did something remarkably right, whether you were aware of it or not. By long run, I mean growing the plant for over 1 year and counting.

[Exo]

Yeah...these things ain't easy, and when I get one, I'd rather go with a smaller one since I feel that larger specimens of the more dificult orchids tend to be a bit....spoiled, and resent being moved. My reasoning is that they are sometimes so used to a particular set of conditions that they have issues adapting to a new setup. Smaller plants often adapt more easily in my experience and I think it's because they haven't been growing in a single set of conditions as long.

[Bud]

my ghost is a year and three months colony on a grape stick inside a large brandy glass with 1/4 level pool of water...and I just spritz it when it rains...bright shady window and warmer matt under it...
tip:
I had a friend mail me a small piece of a very old bark where a big large ghost in FL is growing... the fungi in the bark must be sustaining my plants in a simbiotic effect and produce the sugars needed by the seedlings.

Hopefully, my Ghost lives to be 4 yrs old and bloom...its really difficult to grow this plant

[dkchristi]

A local orchid place in Fort Myers, Fl had about 30 itty bitty roots on itty bitty pieces of bark for $30 each (no shipping - for sale in store). They bought them for a special sale from Oak Hill. That would make two for $60, no shipping. They didn't look very healthy to me. The store did not regularly stock them.

It takes major devotion to grow ghost orchids and the ability to get over losses. I would rather enjoy them in the wild and enjoy other orchids in my home. However, the challenge...the challenge is worth the potential success. I'd start very small.
D.K.Christi, author of Ghost Orchid

[orchid-eric]

I wouldn't pay 95.00 for any orchid. But that's just me.