Orchid cost poll...
 

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? :rofl:

Guess it depends on what you can afford and how badly you want a particular plant. Most of mine have cost less than 25 dollars. Generally the ones less than $10 have been small. I am also more likely to spend more on a plant which I feel fairly confident I won't kill. And due to budget limitations - given the option of getting a specimen size or an NBS (near bloom size) of the same plant - I'm getting the NBS.

the most i ever spend was $32.00 including the shipping. without the shipping, it was $19.00 but i include shipping in my prices. i usually spend not less than $20 but if i like like it alot, than i will get it.

Orchid cost poll
 

Wasn't there a similar thread in another forum last year sometime? I remember participating. ;)
Beverly A.

If I really wanted it... ;)
I prefer now to get larger specimens of large flowering catts with 4-6 pseudobulbs at least.
The most expensive one in my possession is a bit over $100 and was a gift.
The one I will soon receive as a birthday present to myself was a bit more and will be the $king$ :evil:
With each birthday, my "limit" keeps going up :blushing:

So far, my most expensive one has been V David Gardner 'Za Inat' at $60.00...and worth every penny :cloud9:

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

I agree!

Sometimes there's no choice but to pay a ridiculously high sum of money to get the plant you want.

In this case, it all comes down to saving up or waiting until prices drop.

I normally don't like to pay more than $60 a plant.

However when push comes to shove, $200 is the absolute cap for any one individual orchid.

$20 to $30 would be the average.

Obviously, the less the better.

If money is a real issue, the next best thing are either seedlings or seeds. This last bit here isn't recommended for those just starting out in the hobby btw. There are too many unexpected pitfalls with seeds and seedlings (some seedlings look nothing like their adult counterparts).

There's also a lot of give or take with determining how much I'd be willing to pay for an orchid.

Such as...

Scenario 1:

There are two vendors selling Vanda coerulea.

Vendor #1: V. coerulea is $6, but it's a seedling (2 yrs out of flask).

Vendor #2: V. coerulea is $45, but it's an established blooming sized plant.

For me, I'd pick Vendor #1.

Why?

1. I'm relatively young in age, I can wait.
2. I might need all the money I can get for stuff I need, but I have a little to spare for what I want (V. coerulea).
3. I'm confident enough in my skills that I feel that I can pull the orchid through to blooming size.

Scenario 2:

Two vendors are selling Laelia anceps.

Vendor #1: L. anceps is $6, but it isn't an awarded clone.

Vendor #2: L. anceps is $200, but won a ton of awards.

I'd pick Vendor #1.

Why?

It simply doesn't matter to me if the plant won awards. They're not rewards I won. I didn't breed it, so to me it's just another L. anceps. Form, size, patterning doesn't matter much in my case. If it looks like a L. anceps, if it smells like a L. anceps, and if it feels like a L. anceps, award or not it's still L. anceps. If I really wanted to, I can do my own breeding.

Scenario 3:

Two vendors are selling Pleurothallis gargantua.

Vendor #1: Plths gargantua is blooming sized and costs $15, but the root system is somewhat shabby and the leaves have got blemishes.

Vendor #2: Plths gargantua is near blooming sized and costs $25, but it's pristine and has a strong root system.

I'd pick Vendor #2.

Why?

Well, the difference in cost is not terribly significant for the quality I'm receiving. It saves me time and effort.

Stuff like this matters. Just saying.

i agree, although in scenario #1 i might buy the more expensive one, because i can be impatient lol

I don't want to fill up the page with the quote again but I totally agree with all the scenarios but I think I might also go with the more established V. coerulea :Tup:

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. :)

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! :lol:

Hello almost-birthday girl :waving

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

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.

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.

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

Marion

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! :rofl:

Marion

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!

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.:)

Great story :clap:

Great story Jeff! I wish I had an orchid mentor and someone to go shopping with ;)

I've paid anywhere from $5-$50 for an orchid - depending on the type and the size. I'm hesitant to pay more because I'm still not 100% confident in my ability to keep a given orchid alive. If I killed an orchid that was $25 - well, then that's a $25 lesson on how not to kill some of my other orchids, and I could live with that. If I killed an orchid that was $250... I would not be able to rationalize the loss so easily. If I felt more confident in my ability not to send an expensive orchid to an early and undeserved grave, I could see shelling out the big bucks for something remarkable.

Great thread you guys - thank you for sharing.

- J

I still would not pay $75 for a plant that is even worth $300. It is not a real estate investment. I like plants but I would rarely spend more than 20$.
I am considering a Den laevifolium for 22 but need to ponder. Maybe I end up spending 75 on multiple plants in a little time and somebody may just spend 75 for months . Well it all depends how much money you make. I would not spend 50 K on a car.

I can identify with this logic very much! It is part of my concern as well. ;)

I love that mini-dend... post pictures if you get it ;)

I don't have 50K to spend on a car, and if I did, I wouldn't. So, I get what you are saying.

I had about $125 of birthday money, and I bought about 10 named plants, with only four of them being blooming size, the others are all hopers and waiters. Hoping that I can keep them alive to bloom and become specimens. :)

Even if I could keep it alive I would not justify $250 for a plant. Recently I got into heirloom hot peppers and there is a lady that sells plants with tags with specie and cultivar names for $3. Found a site that shows how to overwinter and bonsai hot peppers [google bonchi bonsai chilies]. I bought a beautiful brazilian dwarf tree fern that was quite large for $16 at Gowanus nursery. I see a lot of boutique gardening stores that sell plants for a lot that you can get for cheap if you look around. At the botanic garden I loved the Den gonzalesii and the Den victoria-reginae. Found on ebay a primary hybrid of the 2. a small division for 5 + 9 shipping [if I found another cheap plant from teh same seller add'l shipping fee would have been a dollar or 50 cents].
Yes you can spend 100, 200 or more for a large specimen but after all someone else grew it to that size under different conditions. There is more satisfaction in getting something small and make it grow.

I got 3 pieces of sugarcane. 4 inches from a west indian market and they are growing on my window sill, I did not have to pay for it.

I got a ficus benjamina for 3 $ at the farmers market. It was 3 plants in one 6 inch pot and I mounted one on a brick and is growing nicely and happily.

I sometimes fear that collecting expensive stuff mught turn into an obsessive/ compulsive behavior.

I buy myself too many plants for the space I have. I understand that some nurseries invest time and energy and money to create great plants. But I do not care about awards and perfect flowers. Now I have an Eulophia graminea that is blooming without leaves. It is very interesting looking. Like somehow a mini Encyclia, vaguely. It is a weed in Florida but I like it.

If i made 100K a year maybe I would live somewhere with a yard and maybe I would get some mini greenhouse and maybe I would buy plants that cost 30 / 40 $ but I get a lot of satisfaction just by sowing seeds of fruit I ate and see them become plants. Prickly pears, mangos, dragonfruits, ginkgos, hot peppers from jamaica, DR, trinidad...

It does! I definitely fall into that category. But I don't spend my extra money on anything else. I still save and go to school, even with my obsession. But I'm also living at home. When I start having to support myself I'll be tooting a different horn!

Joe,
I have an obsessive side as well and it is hard to fit everything. I just rationalize by spending limits.

Then if you are into slippers... those are more expensive and apparently harder to propagate!

I am sure a lot of people can trade a small division of an Onc or Bulb or Den etc... but slippers? you have to get a division of your bank account to get a plant!
I think if you start growing something cheap and from seed. not just orchids you may save $$ and have diversity. I like tropical fruit plants and carnivorous plants are nice and easy.

I highly recommend an "orchid mentor" (as well as involvement in the local OS). Mine has been invaluable. She has 20 years of experience and has not only introduced me around, but, as noted, assisted in some great purchases. She has also guided me against purchases - plants that would not fare well in my conditions. Her "taking me under her wing" has helped with the vast series of questions that have percolated in my newness and grown my confidence in taking care of these wondrous creatures. I find myself jotting down questions and consulting with her regularly. It reminds me of the value of this board - to hear the wisdom of folks who have more experience then me. My job then is only to be teachable.

The most I have spent on a plant was $48, for a small single fan Phrag. Jason Fischer. I have contemplated spending up to $75 on some lovely Joseph Wu Phals but I just can't do it.

I'd rather spend $100 on 10 seedlings and grow them to specimen size myself than pay someone else to grow them to specimen size and only have one. I do have the confidence in my ability to raise seedlings and I do have the patience.......both of which are free! ;)

I would pay up to $250 for an award quality plant.

Yes, for me, because I chiefly grow slippers, I am forced to pay $30 and up for my plants. There are no $10 plants in the slipper world! $30, unless you get a good deal, will get you a lower-end plant like a Maudiae type, which I don't even like. The average cost for a plant of my type is about $40-45. Some of the newer Phrag kovachii hybrids are $75 and up. If you're in to multifloral Paphs like me, seedlings a good 4-6 years away from flowering are anywhere from about $25-50, sometimes more if they're from awarded parents. I recently invested in a good quality Paph sanderianum, which cost me $225, and will bloom in about a year. Most people would rather buy a smaller seedling for less and wait 5 or 6 years, and I usually do that too, but I like to treat myself once in a while :D. Because these plants only bloom every couple years, I'd like to see the first bloom on this plant sooner than later. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't Phals and Catts generally bloom 2-3 years out of flask? That wait is a lot easier than 5 or 6!

Many Phals will bloom within 3 years out of flask not so with Catts you looking at 5 to 6 years.

Hi Joe! I have seen the kovachii... I am in love with that paph. as well as the and was the main reason behind this question actually. I'd also like to get a paph. armeniacum... both are so amazing. Who is your source for paphs? I heart them and really would like to collect more, but am unsure where to "start" and how much I should expect to pay. Considering the wait of 5-6 years from seedling and the temperamentalness of these, I'm thinking I would be better off getting something already near blooming size, or at least within a year or two. I tried to talk my husband into letting me get a 12" tip to tip paph. kovachii (laura x ana) for $150, but he about had heart failure and said "uh, no." But I think I will start saving for it and get it when I have enough. :evil:

Do you get your slippers online or local to you? Can you recommend places online? thanks!

A while back I saw someones photos here of their slippers in white pots on a white window ledge, and I saved all of their pictures and dream of my own similar collection one day. It was stunning. I forget who posted them... I will have to go find it on the OB again! :bowing

smiles,
m

I've ordered mini Phrags from Woodstream Orchids and been very happy with them. They have a great selection of species Paphs, as well as hybrids. Here's a link. Woodstream Orchids The large multi florals are the ones that take 5-6 years to reach blooming size. The other sections will bloom in 2-3 years.

The member who poses his Paphs on the windowsill is Jim Blanford. He does have a lovely collection that would be the envy of any slipper collector.

Psst, kovachii is a Phrag. ;)

doh. :blushing:

I like to spend under $20 on a plant, but would be willing to pay more depending on how much I want it. I have limited myself to around $20 because I'm still new to the world of orchids and wouldn't want to kill a more expensive plant if it came to that.

I don't have "a" source for slippers, but rather many, both local and abroad. I have plants from Orchid Inn and Piping Rock Orchids (the latter sells kovachii), and they are both awesome. Paphanatics is reputed to be fantastic as well; I won't have any plants from there until I receive my first order in a couple weeks. Orchids Limited is another one that is supposedly excellent (albeit expensive), but again I won't have any plants from them for a couple weeks.

My Canadian sources, outside of my orchid society, include Paramount Orchids and Cloud's Orchids. Both are very good and will ship to the US, but the paperwork could be gruelling and I would suggest sticking to domestic sources for now.

If you're new to slippers I would strongly recommend buying exclusively blooming sized plants for now. Younger plants can be more difficult to keep and the wait is not worth it for a newbie. Have you grown a Phrag before? If not, I wouldn't be too hasty buying a kovachii. They're ridiculously expensive, and tricky. A 12" plant would probably take another 2 years to bloom. Start with a besseae hybrid, which is cheaper and easier, so you can get used to Phrags. Kovachii prices will go down eventually, too.

Paph. armeniacum is a somewhat tricky Paph as well. If you like that style of Paph, look for Magic Lantern, Norito Hasegawa, or delenatii for a starter plant.

Thanks for the suggestions I heart them! I will try to get a phrag, as I only have one little happy paph now whose id says Paph. (canticle x Macabre) 'Leopard Kitten' x Somer's Isle Open Armes' (which I found at a local store, so I'm sure it's nothing super special, but I loved it.

I realized I was sort of out of my league in looking at the kovachii, but boy oh boy, that sure is a gorgeous flower! I will try a besseae hybrid as you suggested, and I'll look at the places you suggest... the Piping Rock I have seen (kovachii) and drooled over many of their slippers. I would love it if you post photos of your orders that you receive! Thanks for the tip to get blooming size plants... I will. The paph I have I had seen at the store for at least a month and a half before I bought it, and finally I could resist it's charm no longer... even though it's bloom was about ready to fall of, which it did promptly the next day, :rofl: But alas, she is happy and has grown a whole new set of leaves and hopefully will flower for me : )

Thanks for your comments and suggestions... I appreciate you my friend!

smiles,
m