$20 000 orchid
 

Incidently, I've been inspired by the thread http://www.orchidboard.com/community...id-ebay-7.html so I want to start this thread to discuss about it.
A few days ago, I've come across an orchid while searching for a red phrag and I found this:
Orchid Web: Phrag. besseae 'Robs Choice' AM/AOS 4N
and as you slipper fan know, this clone is well known to produce bright red flower.
here's the link from other forum:
The King of besseae. 'Rob's Choice' - Slippertalk Orchid Forum- The best slipper orchid forum for paph, phrag and other lady slipper orchid discussion!
The offspring of besseae 'Rob's Choice' AM/AOS - Slippertalk Orchid Forum- The best slipper orchid forum for paph, phrag and other lady slipper orchid discussion!
I think it looks gorgeous and I'd like to have a division of that. However it is way over my budget :biggrin:
Feel free to give any opinion and discussion about it. Please don't bash Orchid Limited if you disagree with the price. I've been a customer of OL and I give OL lots of respect.

Awww...we don't do bashing here ;)

This is a stunningly beautiful flower but even if I had that kind of money, I could never bring myself to spend it on a plant when people are living on the street and can't take care of their families. :(

I ocasionally browse orchidweb's stuff- they have an amazing variety, but I SAW this plant this summer and had trouble swallowing the number, but once again its their plant and thats their call

I cant imagine how you would treat a plant of such expense-
I give a nod to what sue said above- i think even if I had that money, it could be put towards far more important things

That is amazing, but even if I had $20,000.00 to spend on an orchid, I would be so afraid of killing it and nothing to show for the $20,000.00 spent! Could you imagine?

Fantastic for sure.....BUT worth the money? There are collectors that are willing to pay any amount for such a special specimen. In 2005 in Japan a Neofinetia falcata went for $70,000. But most went for $1,000 + in the auction for a Neo. falcata

I can't even begin to comprehend having that much money to spend on a plant . .. or wanting to. but what other people do with their money is up to them. And if they were intent on cloning it or hybridizing it I guess they could make a massive profit off of it . . . .but $20,000 . . .wow

Hmmmm, I'm not sure what we're debating or giving opinions on here. But here goes.

The beauty of the flower? It is stunning! I'd add a phrag of that caliber to my collection without hesitation!!

The price? I'm a firm believer in free enterprise. In my opinion, the plant is worth whatever it will bring, whatever a buyer is willing to give for it.

The seller has every right to ask whatever he pleases and the buyer has every right to either accept or decline.

If I had 20,000 bucks to spend in any form or fashion I chose, I wouldn't buy the plant. With my luck, it'd expire on the drive home.

Plus, I'm not a breeder and it would be a shame to let it languish until death in my greenhouse when it's genes need to be shared with the world.

I wish I did have 20,000 dollars to give, though. I'd go to Wal*Mart and secretly pay for people's groceries like that one guy did.

I'd also help support 'no-kill' animal shelters and back anti-cruelty laws. Help provide more land and care for the zoo animals. Help finance foster care for abused animals. Try to save the rain forests.

I guess I've spent my $20,000. I need MORE MONEY!!!!! Anybody wanna buy an orchid for a good cause?

(anybody wanna tell me why my smilies don't work?)

I would imagine that a plant like that is geared mostly towards someone who's looking to produce something with the plant, and turn a profit. I deal a lot with reptiles, and a while back, there was the big ball python craze, with new morphs and forms popping up almost every month, and going for extremely large amounts of money (i.e. $100K leucustics, $40K+ piebalds) and these snakes were bought up, I believe, almost exclusively by breeders looking to produce these snakes and turn a profit on them. Since, the prices have reduced drastically...but when something's rare, and in demand, you can get what you want for it, if you're pitching to the right crowd.

You might have disable them ... When you go to advanced to answer a post .. scroll below the window to the Additional Options and uncheck the box next to 'Disable smilies in text'
If that doesn't work .. let me know ;)

Well said DebsC. I think MOST people would agree the money could be spent in better ways. I just wish I had more to more sharing.