We had one at our last house for 24 years and it went mad - given to us by husband's uncle. I wish I'd brought it with us but the flowers were a pain - stickiness everywhere if you (or the cat) touched it.
lakeview3,
Jan 1, 2:50pm
some people get indoor plants from India as well. I was talking to some people I met last year and they buy in the cuttings as they said they can’t grow them fast enough.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 1, 4:37pm
It is actually a worldwide thing. I have a friend in Montreal talking about the same 'fashion'.
But, having made a nice - and reasonable - profit on a couple of offsets from my own collection, I am not complaining.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 1, 4:38pm
The Black Tulip, an oldie but a goodie for those who like a good book.
joberri,
Jan 1, 4:56pm
My Hoya is now 60yars old, got it from my Grandmother and is now huge, maybe I should cultivate some cuttings.
redhead96,
Jan 1, 6:27pm
Fear of missing out
smallwoods,
Jan 1, 7:17pm
Are they photo's? For "proofs"
Or do you mean "proves"?
leeran,
Jan 1, 11:08pm
Thanks for the contributions but we've kinda got sidetracked onto tulips.
No one has given the real reason anyone would pay up to $4000 for 2 rooted leaves of a Hoya plant. 'More money than sense', 'fashion'. can't believe either of those reasons. There's got to be more to it. Maybe one of the people who've bought one of these overpriced plants could elucidate for me.
leeran,
Jan 1, 11:11pm
You definitely should. Have a look at the ones on TM.
gilligee,
Jan 2, 8:54am
Simply supply and demand.
piquant,
Jan 2, 9:16am
I would strongly suspect that if micropropagation is used, then this small amount of living material could be relatively quickly turned into a large number of plants. But, this is a complex and expensive business, and only someone with the knowledge and access to facilities would deem it profitable, even at these ridiculous prices. However, tissue cultured stock has never been a favourite of mine - often collapsing or reverting in some way and given that the material was a variegated form, its chances of success are even less. However, I would have to agree with a lot of others on this post - that some people DO have more money than sense. This "keeping ahead of the Jones's" attitude is rife in certain aspects of society despite all of the hardships and poverty over a large proportion of our population. Why do they do it? I sure as hell don't have a clue but I suspect it's largely "because they can".
shanreagh,
Jan 2, 9:17am
The two reasons you have stated will be the actual reasons and you won't get a purchaser coming on here to say why any more than you will get a buyer coming on here to say why they have bought $1000 branded 'gym' or 'sports shoes' or leather handbags or any other OTT over priced stuff. Or $1200 for collectable Pokemon cards or, or, .
The sellers are meeting the demand with another phrase coming in and that is 'a fool and his money are easily parted'. While Hoyas can thrive on neglect I suspect many will be over-watered and moved on when the purchasers get a bit tired of the waxy stuff from the flowers over where-ever they are put. They are slow growing and so purchasers may have plenty of time to rue their folly.
Each to their own.
It makes you wonder when so many are hungry and homeless about the disparity in incomes that enables this kind of consumption.
piquant,
Jan 2, 9:32am
Sorry, I didn't (obviously) read the link - for some reason I thought this was the variegated monstera , not the hoya. I doubt even microprop would be worthwhile with this. I think Shanreagh (above) has nailed it. But might I say that it is pleasing to see that there are still people out there that DO know the value of things and call out these ratbags for profiting from the unwitting. Some would say "good on them" - I say "one day - you'll get your come-uppance" and leave it at that.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 2, 10:13am
While I am nonplussed by the bidding wars and outrageous prices achieved on some of these auctions, they are fun to watch. And, if the players have that kind of money to throw around to satisfy their egos then good luck to them. Of course it would be nice if they dropped those thousands on feeding the poor or whatever, but since when was life ever that fair?
I am just grateful no one has made plant collecting at that level compulsory, or those of us without those unlimited budgets would be living in deserts, instead of our lovely jungles!
megan109,
Jan 2, 7:19pm
I could not believe it when I saw the price. Thought my eyes and glasses were playing tricks on me.
mrfxit,
Jan 3, 9:57am
LMFAO>>. wow
leeran,
Jan 3, 6:58pm
Well put shanreagh I think you have hit the nail on the head. Especially liked you last sentence - says it all!
vickyh1,
Jan 3, 7:35pm
I can't wait till rubber plants become the in thing, I will be rich! Time to get on the 'gram.
lakeview3,
Jan 3, 9:18pm
Selling over 20K for a few leaves and some sticks in 2 months. just wow 😳
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