Rare orchid

[BlakeeBoo]

yeah i wish a had more money to orchids too

[fred]

I have almost 400 orchids I would have payed for maybe 100 of them
I also get a good discount on the ones I do buy.

[pikevi]

fred: the barter system has not caught up here yet.

I am very poor in world economy but I remember reading something about the future trade amongst countries and it will be based on barter.

You are ahead of time

PhalPal: Honesty at times can have its drawbacks but it is still the best policy to maintain one's sanity.

[fred]

I dont know about being ahead of time
I can get a product alot of growers want

[orchid_girl]

Wish I could say the same ~sigh~ Oh well, I'm eagerly waiting the ones I have ordered

[jay]

Blakeeboo,

Just curious how your flasks of ghosts are doing? Do you have any pictures to share yet? Hope it is going well. That is one that I want to had to my collection when I get a greenhouse.

jay

[Tess1]

I cannot see ogus's photos.

[fred]

I just noticed that to Tess
the pics were not removed at this end.
they may have been deleted in the image host or off ogus pc
hopefuly we will know when ogus sees this thread.

[jbigio]

Maybe it’s me but frankly I don’t see what all the fuss is over ghost orchids. Nice plant to visit but wouldn’t want to own one but good luck to you

[tizzycat]

me neither, I can't se the pics!

[jerrymeola]

I have mentioned before there is no such thing as rare in the hobby. Orchids may be rare in the wild but propagation is easy and limited only by demand.

Ghost orchids are hyped by the news partly because they flower poorly. The article about the recent flowering in Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, right near the walking plants, is an example. It was estimated the plant was there for 10 years or more without previously being seen in bloom.

Genetically they are interesting because they do not have leaves. All the chlorophyll is in the roots. The plant looks dead all the time.

So there is why you do not see them often. Flowers seldom and looks bad when not in flower.

I am a commercial grower in Florida and I would not consider trying to make money selling Ghost Orchids. There is a very limited demand on a difficult to grow plant.

I would be surprised if there are 100 plants in a flask. Usually 10-12 are placed in a flask. If it is as crowded as you say they need to be reflasked several times into less crowded flaskes for the next year or two to allow them to grow.

This is a big undertaking. I wish you luck.

[jerrymeola]

As to the Korean plants, the expense can be viewed in several ways.

Having the first allows a commercial grower to produce enough to fill the market without competition.

Paying 150,000 dollars (they pay a lot more in japan for championship koi) is actually like buying a business. The price is not for a single plant but for the business advantages. It costs several million dollars for MacDonalds franchise and you certainly are not buying just the ability to cook hamburgers.

Think of the price also as advertising. 150,000 for advertising is not a lot of money.

Then there is also ego. I once paid $8,000 for a then scarce African Tilapia which reproduces like mosquitos. It was for business image (it was my business at the time) and I expected to take a big loss on them. (surprisingly I made a profit, but it was not expected)

The price dropped to 50 cents each in under two years.

[pikevi]

$8000 for fish??

I paid $125 for a baby silver arowana and $100 ($200 a pair) for Apple reds (discus). I could not sleep well for a few weeks following those purchases

If I had had paid even a $1000 for a fish I don't think I would have woken up the following morning : either nature or my wife would have seen to that!!

[moneyface]

I once paid $8,000 for a then scarce African Tilapia.....

Oh my goodness! I don't mean to be cruel but tilapias are drain and public pond fish over here! Then there is the prettier pink variety which are cultivated for food but nowhere near that price.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by jerrymeola

I would be surprised if there are 100 plants in a flask.

Mick Fournier (HBI) sells flasks of this species ranging from 10-100 plants/flask. Of course at the number/flask increases the size of the plant decrease. Looking at the photo of the one of the 100 plant flasks on his website, they do look more like an overgrown mother flask, although I wouldn't be game to replate that mess of roots

[jbigio]

Jerry is right in Japan last year a world record was set for a Koi at auction at just under 1/2 million. Boy it must be nice to have money.

[flowerchild]

Originally Posted by pikevi

I have heard of some fish priced at $250,000 or more ( esp. Arowana - Osteoglossum sp.).

If I had the money I'd rather spend it on an orchid than an Arowana. Even a skin lesion on Arowana may become fatal.

Are these rare and expensive orchids kept under specially controlled conditions?

And I thought $38.00cdn for a fish was bad!!!!!(that is the most expensive fish we have in our tanks right now)

[pikevi]

Was that a black koi, jbigio?

Kois and Arowanas are supposed to ward off 'evil'. But for half a million $s it may be wise to hire a few guards. ( just joking )

Black kois are too expensive here.. Some are $300 or more for a 15cm one. I can pick a good ryukin but not a black koi.They all look the same -black!

flowerchild : A tiny arowana with yolk sac still attached will be more than $38 here, . And some discuses are $40 each for a size of a quarter.

I had a beautiful silver arowana , the friendliest Ihave ever seen, which committed suicide. It loved to rub its body agaist my hand and it loved apples. I miss her.

BTW, how was the show? I could not make it.

[chefatplay]

No money to buy orchids? Hah, that's what plastic is for . I went to HD yesterday to pick up some medium for my phals and shepards hooks for my vandas and ended up with another Sugar Baby onc. and two yellow hibiscus. Next time, no basket.

[jbigio]

It was a female black and white type called Shiro Utsuri. Anyone who wants to buy Arowana fry should do some looking on line as to how they catch the fish. The females keep the babies in their mouth when there is danger so as soon as the females are netted or hooked the head is cut off to keep her from swallowing the fry. Breeding size fish are becoming very rare since they are also a major food source for the natives. Because of the size of the fish when it gets to breeding age I don’t think anyone is doing captive breeding

[mbasden]

I have a membership with AOS, American Orchid Society. If you browse the webpage they may have some links to consider. Since I live in a rural area alot of my shopping is done on-line, and through mail order. Check them out.

[pikevi]

I think most of the arowanas sold in the USA and Canada are bred under captivity. There is an import-ban on many species of arowanas.

Some species that are found in the rivers of pacific-rim countries are listed as endangered. I think rainbow arowana is one of them.

I did not know they cut off the heads of the mothers to protect the babies. If it is an accidental catch it may save the babies. If it is done intentionally for commercial purpose it seems very cruel.

Thanks for the info.