Hello all , I have never posted in this forum before but have read it on numerous occassions lately. I started my own AV collection last month by getting some leaves of a really friendly online acquaintance. I am doing numerous different experiments with rooting the leaves just to out of curiousty ( and because I told the acquaintance I would ). However some of the one's I really liked I am rooting in the most traditional of ways. This is not the meaning of my first post here but I wanted to give some back story as to who I am.
Now the reason for my post. I know AV's can be quite varied and the rarity of some varieties would be extreme. I am though shocked after browsing e-bay at one particular plant for sale's current sticker price. I know AV's are farily easy to propagate and I also know from my own experience that variegated leaves seem much harder. The price of this AV really caught my attention though. The plant is very attractive but WoW!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/African-Violet-Wranglers-SWINGING-BLUES_W0QQitemZ190125412682QQihZ009QQcategoryZ75640QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
E-bay AV Price!?!
Boy o boy!!! I agree with you that it's an insane price (in my book)...
but OMG, is the variegation GORGEOUS!!! That almost made me drool!
But I would never (and could never) pay that for one of ANY starter plant!
It's called a bidding war.
Yeah, I know... but it's still crazy!
I always stay away from ebay..........we all get competitive and want anything we think we can't have.............there are too many reputable vendors..........Rob's Violet Barn, Lyndon Lyons, Gary (Out of Africa), Bluebird, and many more.......
WOW!! You can get that one from the violet gallery for probably $6-7.
Sandi
Ah yes... eBay is notorious for the "bidding war"...one does have to keep ones wits about them & try not to get caught up in them...funny it is usually a newer eBay person or 2 that can create a bidding war but a couple bidding there are experienced eBayer's???
eBay has it's virtues when it comes to shopping for AV's and some other plants because some of the better sellers post pictures of the actual plant you are bidding on...you know what you are paying for up front and can decide how high of a price you want to pay... not the case with regular vendors, you have to trust them to send acceptable plants, that you can not see & have little control over the price or the substitutions they might make.
I like the fact that it has a place to note the type of service, quality of plants, etc too... for the most part it's just another way to shop forwant you want.
MsC
MsC...............you are too funny...............
This is getting to be fun..........
I do have a rather healthy sense of humor... glad you get me ..lol
Live a full Life, Laugh OUT LOUD a lot, and LOVE ... best motto around.
((((gessiegail))))
MsC
The Violet that really made me fall in love with them was one I saw on eBay, Victorian Ribbons, it went for some ridiculous price and I did a search and ended up at Rob's and bought the same size starter plant for $15.00. A bargain compared to the eBay price I saw!
There was one particular new chimera violet that went for over 100.00 several times on eBay and what I noticed was that the same person bought it each time, guess they wanted to corner the market on it!!!
I love eBay for certain things and have bought some nice violets from there (blueridgecountrybaskets and pjsviolets) but you do have to be very careful not to get "caught" up! :0))
~Brenda
Hehe . Yes I can imagine many getting caught up in the moment. I haven't had very good experiences on e-bay for live plants so in general I would try source elsewhere. I think there are a lot of sellers on there wanting a quick buck. Same deal with seeds. Only one seller on e-bay has consistently sent me good seeds with high germination. I find many have poor germination off e-bay compared to what I have received in trades.
The AV though is beautiful. I wonder if the colour is as true to life as the picture. I really like the pink variegation with the blue flower. I couldn't imagine paying that much for an AV though. Although I am also the one who keeps dayliles under 15 ( up to 20 if I am really enamoured but I am a poor student so... ) . =)
That is a Canadian seller as well! I know her and have purchased from her in the past.
Joanne
Hi there
Just noticed you noticing, while I was browsing around here. Well, for the record, I think the price is insane too, but I have no control over it.
This is a variety that is very difficult to propagate, because of the great amount of variegation. Many of the Wrangler's are difficult because of the variegation. It gives, if you are lucky, a couple of plants for every 4-6 leaves you try. the babies are weak when young and require a great deal of care for many, many months. the momma plant that you see - yes that is the EXACT color of the blooms and foliage. that plant is at least a year and a half old. Slow grower? Yes.
That's why everyone wants the plant. Because they are hard to produce, they are in very, very short supply. Wish I had a dozen - but I only have two. You can see from the Momma picture how much variegation there is. Those leaves are NOT any good to produce babies - too much variegation, so who knows when it will be when I can even put another leaf down, and then a year after that before I have a decent starter. I know who will win it already - or at least I suspect, and yes, it is a very experienced violet grower and seller on and off ebay.
What a beautiful plant!
That's part of the fun of eBay, though. You never know, as a seller or buyer how high something will go. I try to know these days what something is available elsewhere for, a lesson well-learned several years ago. I found a pair of boots I simply had to have. At the end of the bidding war, I won them for over $130. Two weeks later, I found them at an online store for $59.99. LOL Live and learn! I still lose my mind on eBay now and again, but I try to set a limit early into it and stick with it. I saw a variegated Brugmansia go for over $300 on eBay once. I believe I'm remembering that right. I'm too likely to kill something to pay that much for it! ;o)
Plus I think they are doctored pictures .
That's nothing. A few months ago there was a Chimera that went for over $350! I kid you not! In fact we posted right here about it!
violets321,
Such a beautiful well grown plant... don't take us all to mean any harm most of us are just hobby growers and are amazed at some of the prices that some ebay buyers are wiling to pay.
I love the Wrangler's AV's and have a few ,they have been a lil harder to propagate for me, too.
MsC
Gardengirl, I remember when the Japanese african violet chimera 'Yukako' was going for that when first offered. Very unusual blossoms of lavender w/green stripes.
How do you make her leaves lay flatter?.........a ring doesn't seem to help Miss 'Yukako'....
Or does it really matter, Snowrose????
Yep - that's the one! These people can throw their money MY way!!!
I grew mine in natural light and it seemed to like it just fine. Sometimes the violets with light green leaves do as well or better that way.
Please tell us what else you grow in natural light? This just frees up space.........
I have been thinking about growing Kohlerias in natural light once they get rooted from cuttings......it seems I even read somewhere that some Kohlerias can even be grown in west sun???
Kinda funny about Yukako...now it's going for $28.
http://cgi.ebay.com/African-Violet-Yukako-Chimera-in-Bloom_W0QQitemZ130128584348QQihZ003QQcategoryZ75640QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Wouldn't you just kick yourself if you'd bought it at the higher price?!
Natural light. Let's see, of gesneriads, I have some large streps in natural light, and a couple violets. I haven't tried Kohlerias yet as they get get lanky fast if they don't receive sufficient light but may try it sometime and see how they do. After a while, if I have enough to spare and take a chance on, I'd like to try some kohleria potted outdoors. Oh, I forgot to add since they are outside on the porch now, I do grow aeschynanthus in natural light in my big living room window.
cjolene, I know what you mean. It's all simple economics...supply and demand.
I would gladly have paid more for this bloom.............it is all choices in life..........some have clothes, etc.......I only have plants...........(LOL).....and I am really telling you the truth........my plants are my jewelry (ROTFL)
Boy, that Yukako is beautiful! If I were ever gonna get brave and try to grow a chimera, that would be the one I'd pay big bucks for! Not too big, though! LOL Do you have any more pictures of the one you had, Snowrose? I'd love to see them. I know this isn't the thread for them, but maybe we could start a thread for chimera pictures...
I am waiting for quite a few from Lyndon Lyons the second week of July..........so very excited................I am sure they will come as starter plants............I have nothing to show yet.....................Snowrose, you have a bit of everything...........are you hiding any blooming chimeras somewhere????????????
back to potting up streps...........i will never get through today and tonight!!!!!!!!!!!! then I have to take a break and be sure nothing is happening on DG that I might be missing...
This message was edited Jun 28, 2007 4:33 PM
gail... shall we call you EVE???
:-)
Wholly seduced...
I have Wrangler's Spanish Cavalier and YES, it is hard to propagate from leaves. I have got a few started, though.
I can say no to anything in life that needs to be said no to!!!!!!!!! (LOL) I just can't say no to plants!!!!!!!!! just pathetic,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
back to streps so I get to plant leaves tonight..........yeah..........most people don't think that sounds like a fun night.........but you do!!!!!!!! and you know you think this is fun!!!!!!!!
Now gail.. that's not pathetic... that's what we call a hobby.... or a heathy addiciton!
And yes we all agree....
MsC
I think we're all a bunch of EVEs....
now we are telling the truth, SnowRose................everyone on the AV forum ...............
Hey violets321!!!
Is that you Helen? Fancy seeing you here!
Joanne
That is like Toronto Belle....a lot of people have a hard time with that one too!
I put down seven leaves in the fall last year (Sept 17, 2006) and I lost four....I have one with its first bloom now. Took that long from leaf to bloom. Gosh that is nine months!!! I could have had a baby....glad it was a violet though...LOL!!!
I put four down with the UG and every one took! Go figure!
Joanne
I am surprised at it's price but it is understandable that some have hobbies and have money to spend on these hobbies. I just couldn't imagine myself first off being able to justify spending that much and secondly being able to sleep at night not worrying about the plant.
I am trying to propagate a Wrangler's Dixie Celebration from a leaf. Hopefully it works out for me that I can get a plant out of it.
It is a beautiful plant though and I am sure whomever does win it will be very happy. Hopefully it stays alive for a lengthy period of time for them to enjoy.
Raingazer, it would be fun to start an av chimera thread. I do have a not so good photo of Yukako. I'll post it.
Westocast - Dixie Celebration has beautiful foliage. One of my top favorite Wrangler's. Good luck with your leaf and hope you get a few nice plants out of it.
Joanne - do you have a picture of Toronto Belle?
I just noticed this thread for the first time .... and I have never bought plants on ebay. I just cannot imagine bidding on plants! As much as I love all plants, I know if I saw one I really, really wanted badly ... I would feel so depressed if I was outbid! I guess I am just the type who would never do well with auctions.
My husband has bought and sold a few times on ebay. I remember bidding on something once ... that did it for me! I was so disappointed when it got right down to the very last minute and someone outbid me. No Fair! :)