I bought this Ornamental Yam plant (Dioscorea discolor) at a local independent nursery for $10. Its in a gallon container, very full and lush. I've seen it around before, finally decided to pop for it.
After I got mine, I was looking at some online stuff and saw one for sale on Easy. It was a single stem rooted cutting with 2 leaves. The price was a whopping $80.
AND IT SOLD

This is not a rare plant. I have seen it before at the box stores. A rooted 2 leaved cutting for $80?

I can't believe someone bought it at that price

No! Some of the prices on Ebay and Etsy are just out of sight, and people will still buy them.

I think people just see something they might not have seen before and think its rare (especially if the vendor says 'RARE') and they don;t do any research. I hope that person isn;t at Lowes or HD one day and finds a hanging basket of it for $12. They will be pretty crushed I think at being duped.

Yes! I always research to see if I can find less expensive plants. "Rare" is very overused on commercial sites.

LOL, It sure is beautiful but I can't imagine paying $80 for it. It does seem like nowadays there are many online sites listing plants as "Rare" when they aren't truly rare plants ... I guess some people pay the asking price.

Gina, it looks like Ornamental Yam (Dioscorea dodecaneura) is another one whose name has changed and now D. discolor is listed as a synonym. Very difficult anymore to know what's what with these name changes.

I would never ever pay $80 for a plant, I know for sure it would die just for spending that much money.

I hope the tuber is at least edible in times of famine?

I don't think its that type of yam is it LOL??

I had to google it, since I read somewhere that Dioscorea elephantipes/Hottentotten bread is supposed to be edible after specific preparations. Hmm.

It seems Dioscorea discolor is available at certain grocery markets. Fascinating!! Surely other types of plant grown from tubers can be bought like that?
https://www.missouribotanicalg...

Colocasia ?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wik...

Interesting, Publix had some odd looking purple-ish tubers I did not recognize the other day. If they still have some I may buy one and see what it is.

Did the $80 include free shipping?

Nope

@tx_flower_child I know another vendor who has been making huge monetary sales on eBay this season, some things have sold for over $3000 for a single plant. And they still ask $10 for shipping. I mean, c'mon....I'd front someone shipping if they were willing to give me $3K for a plant

Gina1960 said:
This is not a rare plant. I have seen it before at the box stores. A rooted 2 leaved cutting for $80?

Rare is in the eye of the beholder. I see the over used complaint from people in Florida a lot. But unfortunately in the Midwest where I'm at tropicals are few and far between even at boutique nursery's my check less big box stores. It's not the fault of the nursery's its that freight from the growers in Florida is astronomical and then storage from the elements is another cost. The discolor has been on my wishlist forever!!!! I probably wouldn't pay 80$ but I'd at least think about it.

It's a sad fact that online sellers have jacked up prices to the point that it's cheaper for me to import my plants than try and find them on the US.

I agree the prices of some plants are out of control. But I predict that the current craze will prove to be a fad and something else will come along. Then prices will drop again

And I'm hoping to find a nice brom tomorrow at the 'survivor sale' a local nursery is having. They were totally flattened by recent tornadoes. They're rebuilding but in the meantime they're having a 3 day sidewalk sale. I bet it will be mobbed and I have my eye on 2 plants that I saw in the pictures they've posted.

I really need a brom so I can take more Broms for the Holidays pictures.

yes these are over 100€ in Europe

i must have a higher tolerance for $ pain...or im too dumb to know better, but i paid $1500 for a seed + $150 in shipping.
fortunately it sprouted and is growing...seems to have survived a adjacent lightning strike to a 35' Cananga Odorata...Ylang Ylang no more
A friend stopped by and said he was glad he built a greenhouse a few years ago as hes gettin big bucks for aroids