Acquiring Neofinetias Via EBay

[MattWoelfsen]

I would NEVER spend something like $65 on cut roses--yet I know people who do that every year. Buying this Minmaru-shima is like that to me...maybe if we all chip in we can talk Ryan into buying it? I think he has a ICU for minmaru set up in the basement of his chalet up there on top of Boulder Mountain.

[MattWoelfsen]

Opinions please. Here is a two plant auction ending tonight. These are Kibana. What is interesting and seeking your opinion is regarding the plant on the right with red or muddy brown leaves. Is this a function of light or is this something in this plant's genetics? I think if this is a healthy plant, it would be interesting to grow it to blooming size and having such a contrast of green leaves, muddy red leaves, and yellow flowers.

[coffeecup]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

Opinions please. Here is a two plant auction ending tonight. These are Kibana. What is interesting and seeking your opinion is regarding the plant on the right with red or muddy brown leaves. Is this a function of light or is this something in this plant's genetics? I think if this is a healthy plant, it would be interesting to grow it to blooming size and having such a contrast of green leaves, muddy red leaves, and yellow flowers.

I'm gonna go with too much sun. Reducing the light exposure should bring it back to mostly normal with a few dapples here and there.

[Red Orchid]

Originally Posted by coffeecup

I'm gonna go with too much sun. Reducing the light exposure should bring it back to mostly normal with a few dapples here and there.

My Hokage has leaves like that it is doing just fine.

[MattWoelfsen]

Most of the time, if you loose an auction on a particular plant, you can go to another vendor and find an eBay listing for a similar plant, same variety. For example, up for auction tonight is a Suikaden from Seed Engei, no bid on it--but its early.



But if you get out bidded on Seed Engei's plant, you can bide your time and bid on another plant from "gongoraguy" who is auctioning a Suikaden, but this one has three growths. Remarkable because this plant is from Fishers, Indiana! Since I am also a Hoosier, I want to encourage you to seriously consider bidding on this plant, auction ends this Monday. You know, every business begins with one product and from there--the sky is the limit!!! Someday, Fishers, Indiana will join, Oceanside, California, Plymouth, Minnesota, Manchester, Michigan as a bastion of Neofinetia industry. (Sorry for the hyperbole.)

[dries666]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

Dries,
I have bought this plant for around this price on previous auctions. In fact, I have one plant with 4 growths, that I bought for $28 and another plant with 2 growths for $18.00. So I think this is within that price range. I have a sense that you probably think this is inexpensive since by the time it lands in your part of the world it will be well over $50!!! Yes?

I really wish I can send you some of my duplicate plants and not get in trouble with CITES and other agricultural rules that govern exporting to Eurozone.

Well, I really don't have much luck in this.... Dr. Glenn's offers of coming to europe are almost the only way to get any neo's here... there are some rare other ones but they are utterly overpriced and don't come with any or with any name at all, and to me the price is also in the name . And since these awesome ebay auctions almost never send to europe i miss out on a lot of bargains. My only references to prices are the seed-engei website (to me a bit out of my price range) and the NewWorldOrchid site. I am still really happy about my buys the last years with NWO but I can't help to notice that ebay can be a bit cheaper... normally I get to the 150 dollar ordering price with only 2 or max 3 plants .

And indeed... cites can suck, but if they can protect at least some plants from being plucked from the wild, I am glad that there is something like CITES .
But for now I have 10 different neo's (with one baby offspring plant as well) and one normal sedirea japonica and that's already enough to take care off....

greetings,
Dries

[MattWoelfsen]

Sorry Dries you have such hurdles getting Neofinetia. I think it's a mixed blessing you don't play the eBay auction game. I've been watching the bidding that ends tonight. There are fifteen plants up for bid. Nine have bids. Of the nine, four plants have multiple bids:

1. Kouyou*Yubae has 28 bids that started at $24.99 to $46.49
2. Shunkyuden has 16 bids that started at $24.99 to $46.00
3. Hoshiguruma has 32 bids that started at $18.99 to $59.00
4. Soubiryu has 9 bids that started at $19.99 to $26.00

All of these bids were between two people: 2***i (6) and C***1 (188). C***1 (188) is winning these four bids. 2***i (6) has also bid on two other plants, the Gojo-fukurin and the Shutennou--only one bidding and therefore winning. C***1 (188) has bid on the Oonamiseikai, and is the only bidder for this plant. If C***1 (188) prevails, that would be a nice haul albeit expensive night!

I'm living vicariously through other people's wallet!

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

I'm living vicariously through other people's wallet!

Sure you are. Looks like you managed to snag 3 or 4. Too bad the kabutomaru got away from you; I really like the shape of that one and should have bid on it. I wasn't paying close attention.

Neofinetia Falcata Solid Base Variety Japaneseorchid Kabutomaru

[MattWoelfsen]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Sure you are. Looks like you managed to snag 3 or 4. Too bad the kabutomaru got away from you; I really like the shape of that one and should have bid on it. I wasn't paying close attention.

Neofinetia Falcata Solid Base Variety Japaneseorchid Kabutomaru

I lost that bid by 50¢! I thought I could pick up a nice looking plant cheaply. No one bid on it so I put up my bid 10 seconds before the deadline. I could have gone higher but ran out of time. I'm now limiting my bidding to around $30.00-35.00. I'm living vicariously through other bidders when they get involved in bidding a plant two times it's starting price--like those two bidders did tonight. I think I just revealed my strategy! There was only one plant i wanted--I did get that one plus, got a cheaper one to ride along with it. There were several nice looking plants that no one bid on.

Tomorrow the Minmaru-shima is up for auction. That will be entertaining to see if any one bids on it.

[Dagobell]

A reply to driess, I am an swedish neo collector. I have started with these plants thanks to a orchid collector in Sweden. He is active in an Swedish orchid forum named "orkideprat" www.neovitae.se he has the username Lassse. I have bougth 30 of him, he in turn have bougth from dr glenn so they have the names intakt. His collection are 50+ names strong and he shipsto Europe.