I always wonder how much profit is the nursery making off these plants. I do notice at the other rare plant nursery, they have started marking down some of the exorbitant prices, mainly they are not a greenhouse and some of the high priced plants are sitting too long and starting to decline.

Part of me is glad plant growers are making some good money. LikenToffany said, someone is willing to pay. But not everyone is willing to pay. This should get more of said plant in propagation and eventually make them cheap again.

The thing about 'rare' plants is...there are truly 'rare' plants, and then there are 'trendy' plants. IMO, anything that is being produced by tissue culture is not 'rare'. Anything that propagates as quickly and easily as Philodendron Jose Buono is again, not 'rare'. Ring of Fire is believed to be a mutation or a hybrid of Jungle Boogie. I don;t think that's certain, no one knows. Barry Yinger of Asiatica imported Ring years ago. He found it in a Thai market when he was in Thailand and brought it back. The Thai seller called it Ring of Fire. He didn't know its parentage. since before 2010, Asiatica closed in 2010. So its been around enough to not be rare anymore. Its trendy. Plants that are truly rare are plants being imported that have to be taken from the jungle or have been recently collected and described. Everything else is just trendy, and we have Facebook and Instagram influencers to thank for the high cost of some of them. Everytine they talk about a plant the price shoots up

"Influencers," is a new trendy word and those who influence have certainly changed things and not for the better IMO. Actually, it is scary how easily opinions can be changed. I am glad legitimate growers are getting their due but I am afraid too many scammers are getting some too.

I stopped at EFG recently and noticed this little tillandsia for $25. I thought that was pricey, it was "mounted" on a hanger, nothing but a bit of wire. I thought all the prices were higher than I remember, especially the elephant ears, but the place was busy people were walking out with very full boxes of plants.

I have been wanting to go down to EFG for a while.

I've never been there and live so close, I've been told they have high prices, but think it would still be a great day trip.

My friend Mike got me a Diffenbachia 'Reflector' which was a HOT plant a couple years ago selling for big bux for $5 there. It was a starter in a 6 inch pot but hey, you know Diffs they grow fast and its a large lovely plant now

I did break down and buy a plant at auction for $280 from Steve's Leaves which included tax and shipping in winter. But in my defense, I have been looking for Black Maranta since I saw one in 2008. Even back then it was expensive if it ever came up for sale.
This is what it looked like when I got it. The Silver Band I bought on Etsy at the same time was for a lot less but still more than I would normally pay for such a small plant - about $40 without tax and shipping. The Etsy plant had a lot less root development, died back a lot and struggles still but is steadier now. The Black Maranta has great roots and hasn't skipped a beat.

This is what they looked like after unpacking.


Do you come across Black Maranta at all?

Loretta, these look like Prayer plants or Calatheas that are sold as landscape plants down here, very commonly. I'm not sure about your Black Maranta variety, but have certainly seen a ton of different cultivars for sale, even at the box stores. I looked in our database and do not see an entry for 'Black Maranta' there, either. Are you sure it's a registered cultivar?

Glad you got a plant that you're pleased with, but that's a lot of money to shell out for any plant! You could almost fly to Florida and go shopping for plants here for that much.

I should have taken more photos, their prices can be steep. I saw these cute mounted dendrobium kingianumsfor $35 and when I found the potted section of these plants I picked up 3 in various colors and flower shapes thinking they would be less expensive. Then I noticed they were $25 each for 3" pots. It would have made sense to pick up the mounted ones, at least I would have had some interesting mounts. I got a bit bummed and didn't buy anything. I did ask about a huge potted display begonia which I have seen before and it is never for sale. Since they did not have any smaller plants the owner gave me a leaf to propagate which I thought was very nice especially since I did not buy anything. They had thousands of EE's, nothing really unusual, many varieties of philodendrons and foliage plants like the calatheas. It is interesting to see even if their prices are high. My husband was walking around bewildered saying "who buys these things at these prices?" LOL, Then, after looking at the tiny EE's (2" pots) for $7 he fussed at me for not selling more of my little ones.

I agree, the Marantas are common here. I saw someone hawking a variegated form for $60 that I bought at Home Depot for $5.99

And just like that....this is what I am talking about. Not the reply about 3rd down on the 2nd Photo. 'Kaylee (internet 'influencer' for plants) talked about it' and now this girl 'needs it'.

I have to say Loretta's plants look very healthy, I am impressed with the quality.

yes I have heard Steve's Leaves has high quality plants

Sorry, but the phrase "more bucks than brains" comes to mind when I see those online comments. Sheesh! It's a plant, for goodness' sake. It may grow (slowly) or it may die. Not something to spend big bucks and set your heart on.

We taught our kids to spend money on things that last. Plants aren't collectibles because they may not last.

Sorry but those marantas you see at the garden centers are not Black Maranta. Lemon and Lime, Green, Red, Kim's Beauty, they are all cheap or averaged priced plants. Silver Band starts going up. If you find Maranta leuconeura massangeana cheap, I would say grab it. The price on auction on Steve's Leaves is not higher and even less than postings from personal collectors over the years who mostly sold cuttings, rooted or not. I have been watching on and off for 14 years.

Now that Steve's Leaves auctions it off regularly, I suspect it is going to start showing up. Especially in a place like Florida.

The black Maranta is unique. I have Lemon Lime Maranta

Red Maranta

I bought both at the same time at a pest control shop of all places, they certainly are different than the Black one you bought Loretta. I paid $8. each for them, the pictures are shortly after I bought them. The Lemon lime has always been happy, but the red one has been temperamental, half of it died off.
They don't pray like my Calathea plants.

Got this in my email today from Lukas nursery in Oviedo, just in case anyone is interested. No prices, but I'm sure they carry a nice price, I am going to at least venture over there and check them out. I've never heard of P. 'Chocolate'.

P. mayoi and Painted Lady grow like weeds. I have most of those plants, only in the green form. The variegated form will set ya back extra LOL. The only ones I do not have in some form are the Spilt Milk (Unless its a synonym for 3 Kings) the Hoya K, P. domesticum and Syn Strawberry Ice. I don;t know what P. chocolate is either