New discovery – treasure or trash?

We field quite a few calls each year from folks who think they’ve just found the next million dollar plant and want to know how to monetize their discovery. Sadly, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Take our latest discovery above…a nearly albino form of the hardy orchid, Bletilla striata that popped up here in our propagation department.

Despite it looking amazing, does it really have value?

Since it is a near albino, growth will be very slow due to a lack of chlorophyll, so that rules it out immediately for quantity production.

Will the next division also be equally as variegated or will it go back to green?  The answer is…we don’t know.

The question then becomes how many people would purchase it, knowing it’s going to be difficult to grow and it may never multiply or could revert to green?

In cases like this, a venue like EBay could be the best opportunity to match it with someone willing to take a chance. Each plant is different…so what do you think we should do with this one-of-a-kind?

7 thoughts on “New discovery – treasure or trash?”

  1. Oh my gosh – it is beautiful. I really appreciate “different” “uncommon” perennials, shrubs, etc. Here I am, the type to give an uncommon variety numerous chances in my gardens, until I (finally) find a site that it will be happy and return year after year. But I certainly understand the “value” or lack there-of in commercial propagation. If I were you, I would just keep the “odd-man-out” where it is for a time and see what happens.

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