Most expensive and best deal?

[quiltergal]

My most expensive plant is Paph. William Ambler @ $65. My best deals are a Phrag. Grande (or Paul Eugene Conroy depending on who you talk to) and a Paph. Lynleigh Koopowitz @ $ 3 ea. I'm kind of cheap and have never paid more than $75 for a single plant.

 

[JeanLux]

My by far most costly was a Fritz Schomburg from OL (250), and I was stupid enough to kill it! Nevertheless found another one now in Dresden for 55 euro ! Jean

 

[John Boy]

Without much doubt I'd have to say my Cattleya mendelii coerulescens select, and yes, even as a 3 bulb piece I gave substantial $$$ for her... But now, that she's huge, you can tell I was right, right?

Besides next to my very best striata coerulea purpurata...

 

[Dido]

My most expensive one was a cyp Hybrid till now for 150$ wich till now did not flower it should be a natural hybrid of farreri, when I got it it had the biggest roots I ever seen on a cyp beofre and it had 3 growth but it had problems to establish, so I hope for a bloom this year, but at least it did not pass away, I hope as it is under the snow. He think that it could be a wenqing but who knows. The best deal was some of the plants I got for free from some vendors.
One of them from Popow are now going to put a bud on, it was a pot with 2 nearly dead vietnamense X emersonii, one I could save the other I loosed after 1,5 years of fight. So I hope I will have a good flower soon

 

[Clark]

One of the lovely ladies on the forum, has sent me a bunch of goodies for free

$100 for each- Pk seedling(pathetic size), Allison Strohm(pathetic size), Paph. sanderianum(decent size seedling).
Two are compost. AS grows like a weed, but always blasts on me.

 

[Heather]

Cool! My most expensive has to have been my mexipediums. Best deal - probably not orchid related but the irises I got from Diane in our first auction for about $6.00 which now are extremely abundant and I really need to divide this year!

 

[nikv]

My most expensive orchid was a Laelia anceps var. vietchiana that I purchased from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate when I visited them a few years ago. I paid $100 for it. Here is a photo:

The plant is doing well in my greenhouse and I'm very pleased with it. I was told it was "award quality" but I've never submitted any of my orchids for judging.

My best deal was a bunch of Cymbidium divisions. All I had to do was to help a friend divide his clumbs a few years ago. I went home with several divisions.

 

[NYEric]

i know, the best (non-freebie) deal for me was those specimen size plants I got for $1.00/pot inch for the clearence in Amish country a few years ago.

 

[Carkin]

Thank you for those photos, The Orchid Boy, John Boy (yes, you were right!) and nikv! Gorgeous blooms!!!

 

[Carkin]

Thank you for all the fantastic replies! I am really enjoying all the stories that have gone along with your purchases. Even though some of them are very sad...but there are lots of great success stories too! And what a great variety of plants too!

Keep them coming!!!

 

[Carkin]

i know, the best (non-freebie) deal for me was those specimen size plants I got for $1.00/pot inch for the clearence in Amish country a few years ago.

:clap: What a deal! Thank you for thinking about it and coming up with that!

 

[Shiva]

Most expansive is a kovachii I just bought from Glen Decker for $600. Best deal was three huge multi paphios I got for free from my family doctor. Among them Bel Royal who is in spike for the second time now.

 

[Carkin]

Most expansive is a kovachii I just bought from Glen Decker for $600. Best deal was three huge multi paphios I got for free from my family doctor. Among them Bel Royal who is in spike for the second time now.

Outstanding!!!

 

[koshki]

Most expensive so far was a phal violacea in bloom for $100 (hey it was my birthday). I haven't killed it, but it has done practically nothing since Sept. 2011. Best deal...got a great phal equestris keiki in bloom for a box of cookies! (Wink, Dot!)

 

[cnycharles]

Most expansive is a kovachii I just bought from Glen Decker for $600.

probably one of my most expensive that wasn't a horror story was the mexipedium from bloomfield orchids, that flowered so nicely two years ago and I just repotted (tough plant - it's still alive and looking okay)

 

[likespaphs]

i convinced an old boss to spend about $600 on a Paph that died in short order....

 

[NYEric]

And you wonder what happened to your raise!

 

[Trithor]

It is difficult to compare with exchange rates, as our currency fluctuated so wildly, but in all honesty, nearly every purchase from outside of South Africa is very dear in real terms. Many years ago I purchased 3 sanderianum for USD800 each, but in real terms would be at least double that. Of the 3 I have one plant which nearly died along with its brothers and sisters, it has sulked and refused to grow for the last 10 or so years, but last year finally agreed to flower and make a new growth. So in reality it was both my worst and best purchase all in one!

 

[SlipperFan]

Most expensive so far was a phal violacea in bloom for $100 (hey it was my birthday). I haven't killed it, but it has done practically nothing since Sept. 2011. Best deal...got a great phal equestris keiki in bloom for a box of cookies! (Wink, Dot!)

...and the cookies were delicious!

 

[Silvan]

Well my most expensive orchid (yet) was a division of a Phrag. Frank Smith, that I bought for 300$ and my best deal yet was a mature Phrag. Andean Tears that I got for 45$ from the Jardin Botanique de Montréal (and no, it hasn't flowered yet..but God does that plant likes to make babies..lol)