The $1800 Phragmipedium

[Selmo]

Looking back at some old threads , I came across a very interesting thread about some high priced plant ($10,000 plant on EBay) that raised the blood pressure of a lot people. It got me thinking about how much someone would pay or have to pay for an orchid. I have heard of people offering plants for sale at extremely high prices. And have wondered if it was a very rare and desirable plant or if it was to pay the legal bill, because some idiot had collected illegally. We have never payed more than $75 for an orchid, which we bargained down from $100 (in bloom vanda), so apparently that is all we are willing to pay for one. But I did see a $1800 Phrag. (Phrag. mem. Dick Clements 'cardinal') a few months back at a local grower in the area. It did start up a conversation and found out he really did not want to sell it but if there was a fool and his money. We now get most of our new plants by bartering and trading, but sometimes you have pay cash for them so your local grower can pay the bills and stay in business. Saying all that, what is the most that you or anyone you know has spent on one orchid (or at least admit to), and why?

[No-Pro-mwa]

I'm cheap and don't think I have ever paid more than $40.00 for one at least yet. I know some are more than others and so it would depend on what it was. But I am not going to pay to much if I'm not sure I can keep it alive. I do however keep looking at some phrags and thinking if I have some more luck I might pay more of one.

[estación seca]

My parents and grandparents survived the Great Depression and told endless tales about it while I was a kid, so I grew up really cheap. I like to buy small seedlings.

[Fairorchids]

I think you need to ask this question two ways, to two different groups of orchid people:

A. How much for a plant you would like to have?
B. How much for a plant you would like to use for breeding?

My answer to 'A' is probably $40-50.
My answer to 'B' is $400 in cash, but $800 in labor.

A division of a good (awarded) Phrag is probably worth $3-500 in most cases, with the value declining as more divisions become available. However, many growers who sell plants, have a few that they would prefer not to sell, but if someone throws enough cash on the table . . .

[Optimist]

I am a poor graduate student. Believe me, I should not be buying orchids at all. But I am an addict. I have a yearly maximum of 100.00-150.00 not all on the same plant. I have to be honest with myself. Not all live the year out in my care. I am getting better though.

I am a real "deal" person, but yes, an honest businessman and grower should get an honest price. I don't buy all my plants at sale prices (just most of them).

[terryros]

First, a true orchid breeder, commercial or serious collector, would pay a lot of money for a unique orchid species or hybrid because selling offspring could easily bring more money than the cost of the expensive parents.

For the non-breeder, when you are first starting out, whether young or older, you have to buy cheap because you don't know if you can keep things alive or make them bloom. After you have learned what you can grow and bloom, you begin to get more interested in certain types of orchids and you begin to learn more about certain species and the history of some hybrids.

This is the transition zone into being a serious collector. At this point, certain species or hybrids in your special orchid genera are more attractive and you become willing to pay more to acquire them. It becomes more like collecting art. The older you get, the less willing you may be to spend less to acquire a seedling that takes 5 years before it will bloom. You will spend more money to get a good division of an outstanding plant.

In the glory and mania days of orchid collecting from the mid-1800s up through the 1950s, before mericloning was developed, special orchids frequently went for very high prices. The market for these very special orchids is now smaller, but it is a world-wide market and these special orchids can still command a high price.


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[wintergirl]

My most expensive plant just happened to be a phrag, but it wasn't $1800 It is my only phrag. I'm not really into slippers but I loved those blooms, shape, color and the fact that it tends to be a smaller plant.

[Trollsvans]

Cheapskate here too.
My pain threshold is sort of fluid; I probably could cough up a fair bit - for the right specimen (simply due to math: a 35-bulb plant is bound to cost more than a 3-bulb one of the same species).

Exorbitant price tags due to "this is sooo special, you can't find it elsewhere" isn't my cup of tea, with 25k species and Hades knows ho many hundred thousand hybrids I can settle for something similar enough.


Most expensive plants I've seen in the trade:
25000 SEK (roughly 3000 euros) Paph, one of the long-moustache ones. Five active growths, three spikes.

18000 SEK (roughly 2200 euros) warm growing Coelogyne. Approximately 1x1x0,6 m (3x3x2 feet), a couple of hundred bulbs.

[My Green Pets]

Check out orchids limited or orchid zone if you want some pricey plants.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by CambriaWhat

Check out orchids limited or orchid zone if you want some pricey plants.

I actually have some orchid zone plants bought on the second hand market. It is like a used car, yes?