Hi Fellow Aussies,
It is time to confess, what is the most you have paid for a plant and was it worth it:)
I paid $50 for a rare salvia that I had to have, it is still growing well and I must confess that I am happy that I brought it but I must have been nuts 50 for a plant, far out, still waiting for it to flower.
Anybody else out there that got carried away????
Annette
My pride and joy Salvia 'La Maria'
Wrong plant, thats better that is my pride and joy and the grasshoppers;0)
Golly what an interesting history on that plant Annette ...whew! 50.00 for a little sage I hope it does well for you.
I can't really think what was the most expensive plant I ever bought, hmmmm ...oh yes about 20 years ago I paid around 130.00 for a v raphis palm ...it had creamy yellow in it's leaves. I had to move and did not want to kill it so the person who bought my home did very well as I have always loved rare things and leave a trail of them behind me :( ...don't forget to post a pic when it blooms :)
chrissy
Forgot to post a link thingy :)
http://www.salvia-divinorum-scotland.co.uk/salvia/ethnopharmacology.htm
I hope it does well as well, I have the right conditions for it, so all should be great.
Rhapis palms are expensive. so are the lipstick palms, guess there are always going to be rare and expensive plants sigh.
A.
True, True what price can you put on a must have;)
Wollemi pine is on my want list. Just waiting a bit longer as the price comes down. I remember when Ginkos were worth a fortune and I picked up 2 not so long ago (4 years) at our biannual CFA plant sale for $2,00 each. Nice sturdy trees now. I can't say I have spent more than $25.00 or so for things like bare rooted fruit tree, a special maple, and a lemon tree. I usually get them small and grow them on or I break bits off and make cuttings. Comes of a miss spent youth working with my father in his wholesale nursery.
Liz
Wollemi has been my most expensive plant too, big W at christmas for $39.93. I re-potted it straight away as its roots were already becoming bound and it has responded very well and seems to be happy. I am thinking of freeing it in the garden, but can't work out where as we get too much shade in winter already.
This is when i first got it, but each brancg has doubled in length, including the main leader. Not bad for 3 months growth!
The Woollemi Pine was my most expensive plant as well and I bought it 18 months ago before the price began to fall. I think I paid $57.50. It is planted out in my garden and has had two growth seasons so far and seems to be thriving.
This picture is as it was when I bought it. I haven't photographed it since. I must get an update picture,
Kennedy
Did you know that they grow from a cutting? ...my cousin had to trim hers and almost cried because she paid over 100.00 for hers a while back ...so she rang Don Burke on the radio program and asked if they could be struck from a cutting ...he said he did not know but why not try.So she did, and guess what it grows from cuttings!
Good morning all. I must say that I usually never have the funds for an expensive plant no matter how much I want it.
however since selling a few plants I was able to buy my epi collection. Can I count that as a plant ?
I spent $200.00 on 4 trailer loads of asstd epis and other cacti.
Hubby bought me an orchid in flower for $30.00 a few years ago. It has not flowered since but thats normal for my orchids anyway.
I see by the threads above that the Woollemi pine is not likely to be extinct now. i have seen them and would like one but they are around $60.00 .
Maybe if they grow from cuttings there will be a lot more around as time goes by.
It's great to see a tree being saved this way.
another really hot day today. We have had very muggy days up around 38C here.. I am only too happy to exchange for rain, chrissy. .
Time I went and threw some water at the pot plants before this hot wind dehydrates them all.
Pic of my stag which was not expensive . He was a little baby about 6'' across 6 yrs ago and I thought he just looks nice and cool and green on a day like today.
Have a great day everyone, Jean
Nice Stag Jean! I think you can include your Epi's for sure!And in that case, I will include my Brom collection! I have no idea of the costs involved, but the dearest plant was a Neoregelia kautskyii that cost about $27 + postage from ebay. I'm a bit wiser now, and have found a local source so the most I pay now is around $20 and thats for a large (up to 1mtre) one with new pups (kikis) forming.
Nice Wollemi Kennedy! It looks about the same size as mine when I got it.
I think if you can grow them from cuttings that would be great for friends and stuff to have one, but no doubt they are protected by some breeders rights or something. Also, some years ago, I recall something about a fungal disease that was affecting them, but I never did hear what the outcome/cure was. I wonder if they are struck from cuttings, if they would be more susceptable to disease?
Interesting question on the wollemi pine ...since it was discovered and not bred, I don't think anyone can claim breeders rights ...is there such a thing as propergating rights? ... I had a look when they were throwing them on the special table at woolies (35.00) and I can't remember seeing anything on the label ...guess it's another google job :) If I recall they were growing them ...clone fashion weren't they since what they thought were a stand of these pines turned out to be a huge one that had fallen down and all the "pines" were really the same tree. So no seed ... only grown from cells /cuttings etc.
Yes great buy on the epi's Jean :)
We have sun today ...what a shock! some blue sky and a little heat ...what's the bet our Autumn will be better than our Summer ...oops what am I saying ...it always is!
chrissy
Hi all,
Wollemi pines DO grow from seed though - the info packet I got with mine ($66 eep!) had a picture of a seedling. I think they have established that there are about 11 or so genetic lineages growing in the original valley, but I think they don't get seedlings in the wild now because it is either too shady under the adult trees, or they get eaten by the local animals while they are small and tender. You have to remember that their wild location is very restricted by the high gorge walls around the site and the adult trees have already occupied all the space they can which is suitable for them to grow in - new trees can now only grow if one of the existing trees dies and makes a hole.
I didn't count the Wollemi as my most expensive purchase though, because it was a birthday present from my Mum last year. I think the most expensive plant I have ever purchased was my $50 Cymbidium - I just couldn't resist the deep chocolate maroon colour so I blew a weeks food budget on it! Oh well, who needs to eat!
Ciao, KK.
KK I hope they do ok for you, I read on a site re w pine that the seed only grow for a little while and then die because it is "inbred" in the DNA or something like that ...which is why they grew the ones for the public ...using clone and cuttings ...the site may have been old and there may be more info now. I think that the W pine will be as common as the Norfolk Island pine one day ...who would have ever guessed when they first stumbled upon it.It rquires well drained sandy /acid soil they reckon ...did you get the seed up?
Good luck with that beautiful orchid!
chrissy
Hey Chrissy,
I think you misunderstood me - I have a nice Wollemi treeling, about 50 cm high - not seeds. My plant came with masses of "info" - a wall chart of the species genealogy and paleohistory, a booklet of cultural notes and background info on the discovery of the tree in the wild and other neat stuff. The booklet specifically said that the trees were being commercially propagated from both seed and cuttings so I guess they will become a lot more common over time. One of the aims of the propagation program is to make it common enough in cultivation that people are not tempted to try and damage the plants which remain in habitat as has happened in the past to so many wild plants. I find it seriously cool to own a plant species which has existed unchanged for so long. Here's a photo of my baby Wollemi.
Ciao, KK.
Yes sorry I thought you mean't seeds ...it is exciting to own a piece of history ...and it is such an exciting story ...kinda undignified for it to be put out on special at Woolies for 35.00 ...I have seen the front of a large property at Wallacia which is planted all along the front fences both sides in W pines about 2ft tall ...would be in the dozens and dozens ...if it sends up the shoots the way the She Oaks do it may even end up becoming a problem.Imagine that ...it is supposed to be slow growing but once it gets going it isn't that slow at all ...interesting to see what it's future will be.
chrissy
so Chrissy, you seem to be minus a Wollemi. You too Jean! Would you like me to send you a couple of cuttings to experiment with? You also Liz, or Chrissy can get one started, or should I ry to get some started ands send them with roots if they do ok. I know conifers are generally very slow to strike as they form alot of callous material that has to be scraped beck to allow the roots to emerge. Anyway, I'm willing to have a go.
Thank you Sue. I would love to try growing one and would appreciate a cutting. It is an interesting experiment to see how the Wollemi will do in our various areas.
Isn't it great to see something so ancient growing in our gardens ?
We would have to start a Wollemi progress thread. Jean
I'll give it a little trim on Monday night and post them Tuesday Jean. I'll pop in a few incase the strike rate is not good. I might try a couple myself in various ways (i.e tip cutings, heel cuttings e.t.c) I also might try in winter which I think is traditional for conifer cuttings. It'll be interesting anyway.
Sue
Hi Annette,
When I was rich and famous (and younger) I paid $50 in 1981 for a beautiful flowering Blue Ginger for my wife's 40th birthday.
I am now broke and unknown (and older) and we had the things growing everywhere. We are now in a new house but the plant came with us.
I still think it was a good buy. All the jewellery I bought over the years is in a jewellery box and we hardly see it. The blue ginger plant, however, seems to create work for me every day.
This year we'll have been married for 45 years and I hope that if she ever leaves me she take the blue ginger plant with her.
Kelvyn
And it would thrive in your area too..a very beautiful plant.I had one once but lost it ,but very easy to strike I found.You will have to post a pic of yours Kelvyn so we may all enjoy!cheers
Hi Chriisy, I have one almost in full bloom today. I love them Kelvyn! I saw a huge clump of them at the Botanical Gardens in Coffs Harbour a few years ago and had to have some. I think they're related to Tradescantia, wandering jew and Rhoeo. I hope my dog leaves them alone!
Gorgeous Pics and I hope that everyone didnt overindulge in too many chocies:)
