The Best Orchid Prices
You get what you pay for…that old adage certainly can be used when it comes to discussing orchid prices. You have choices when it comes to buying orchids, and while price can be a factor, it shouldn’t be the only factor.
Like any product, large discount stores can often offer an item at a lower cost. This is the case for orchids as well. Common orchids, such as the Phalaenopsis, the Moth Orchid, can often be found for under $20 in grocery stores and ‘big box’ stores such as Home Depot or Lowes. While you’re getting an orchid for a good price, you’re buying an orchid in which you don’t even know the species and therefore the proper care.
Orchid growers may not always have the lowest orchid prices, but you know what you’re getting. Quality growers will provide orchids that are properly identified, along with care requirements.
Proper orchid identification includes the Latin name for the genus, which will be in italics. It can be abbreviated to just one letter or the first few letters;
P or Phal for Phalaenopsis
E or Epi. For Epdendrum
The second word is the epithet that is also in italics, which indicated the origin, a name or a characteristic. These two words make up the species name, and this is needed to properly identify the orchid.
For example: P. violacea or Phalaenopsis violacea – a purple Moth Orchid.
Common Orchids
Growers offer the more common varieties of orchids at reasonable prices, usually in line or slightly higher than the discount stores. While the price may be slightly higher, you’re getting a product that has been properly cared for as well as invaluable growing advice. Expect to pay from $15 to $50 for more common orchids. The older the plant, the more it will cost. Seedlings and flasks are the lowest priced orchids, as they can have as many as five more years of growing before they bloom.
Rare Orchids
Expect to pay $50 and up for the rarer varieties of Orchids, even for younger seedlings. Flasks, on the other hand, tend to cost less, as they often have several years to go before the plants bloom. Flasks contain orchids that have been propagated in sterile lab conditions and may have as long as one year until they are reading to pot as seedlings. As seedlings, they then require a year or more of nurturing until they are ready to bloom.
The Bottom Line
For beginners, consider starting with more common varieties or orchids to avoid expensive mistakes. While orchid prices can range from discount to luxury, consider the cost of seeing your investment in bloom for the first time: priceless!
