Well it ended up going for $202.50... amazing. logan :)

Logan, I can't believe it! That's so ridiculous! I'm sure it is unusual but $200? I think people get caught up in the auction rush, gotta beat the guy who just outbid me...

That's exactly right gardenmadness...I admit I have gotten caught up in it in the past...not for plants but for other items. It is like a game and the competition got to me. Sometimes it doesn't seem like you are spending money since you are just sitting in your home playing ... lol. Thankfully, I never got totally out of control. :) logan

Hey Logan, look again, another one is up for sale on ebay. What do you think it will go for this time? And yes, I have been guilty of getting caught up in auction madness too. It makes me so mad to get outbid in the final moments...lol....

I can only assume that you don't have a variegated S. hallii :)
They are expensive because they are desireable AND they grow slowly.

I have a nice collection of Sansevieria - some variegated. I have a hard time growing many of the variegates -
* they grow much slower, sometimes only growing one pup every few years;
* they burn easily, but if I don't grow in the sun, they grow only green leaves;
* they rot over the winter if I water, but they dry out into Sansevieria crisps if I don't water at all;
* they can only be propegated by division.

All of these issues make the plants more uncommon than other plants. Are they worth $200? Maybe not to you.

Rare plants can go for a lot of money. Check out the Amorphophallus titanium prices - usually you will get ONE SEED for $40 or so - plants are proportionatly more. Or check out some Orchids. Expensive Sansevieria have an advantage over all other plants - the LEAVES are where the beauty is, and the leaeves are pretty much going to last for years. It can be funny to see people do wacky things on ebay, but try and check out retail prices of plants to get an idea if ebay is expensive or cheap. I'll bet that no one has this in stock, and it still lists for about $100, with no real possibility of getting one. Just check with Glasshouseworks.com about availability.

I know that the S. masoniana that I have that has a creamy white centered leaf and a dark green edge is one of my most beautiful plants. I have only 2 leaves on seperate plants, and it hasn't grown a leaf in 2 years. It is $300 worth of plant to me, and MANY peple ask if they can have a pup when it grows one. Since each leaf cost me $150, how likely do you think I'll just trade this one off without a second thought? Or be generous and GIVE one to someone?

Joe 'Not likely' DeRosa

This is exactly why I took my trade list off of Gardenweb. I have a trade list that reads like a botanical garden for tropical plants. I have been told by more than one person that I have possibly the largest and most varied ***private*** collection of tropical plants in the Southeast. I do not know if this is true, I am an introvert and don't seek out other plant people on a routine basis to "compare" collections.
But I know I got tired of people doing a "plant search" on Gardenweb for rare exotics and having my trade list surface, and then having them email me asking for rare plants for postage, or offering me something I can;t even grow (like hosta or black eyed susan) for something like Green Jade Vine or ALocasia Borneo Giant. Then having them call me STINGY or a B*TCH when I refused. So, no trade list for me.
I understand your point of view perfectly, Joe. I have just started being interested in sanseveria and actually have no idea which ones are rare or expensive. I only know which ones I like based on photos. I guess the photos I have seen are the expensive ones (LOL) I see now why you don't have the ones I inquired about available for trade

Joe,
I understand your point about rarity and difficulty to grow. I certainly don't have a variegated hallii so I don't know how difficult it is to grow. I do have a hallii 'Pink Bat', which according to Chahinian's new Sans book is quite unusual, but I wouldn't expect anyone to pay big bucks for it only because I wouldn't pay big bucks for any plant, no matter what the rarity. I understand people on ebay sometimes make a living out of selling, but it seems like gouging to me. Look at Bob Smoley's list, almost every Sans you could ever want and all quite reasonably priced, much more so than glasshouseworks, which has some their sans mislabeled anyway. Also, Smoley sent gorgeous plants and glasshouseworks were small and measely in comparison. Smoley's most expensive plant is a variegated masoniana and it is $50. That I can see. $200 for a variegated anything is too rich for my blood, too broke for that. I would rather trade, and I think the sans collecting community is diverse enough for that. In fact, I think we'd be better off for it. But then, everyone has an opinion and that's what makes these forums interesting.

I have had the pleasure of buying plants personally from Bob Smoley himself...he has moved his operation nearby to Dunnellon FL and was a vendor at our last local Botanical Garden sale. He had very VERY nice plants at reasonable prices. A friend of mine and I are going to make an appointment soon to go to his nursery.

I think it's interesting to see what people pay for some plants, even when they go way out of my league. Since plants aren't necessities, I don't think there's anything wrong with sellers getting whatever they can. If it's not worth it to the buyer, one doesn't have to buy. Caveat emptor-- shop around and don't bid more than you'd have to spend to get the plant elsewhere.
Personally, I can't imagine spending more than a couple bucks for a stamp I'm not going to use...but some people pay thousands. An autographed baseball, an old comic book, a painting, a piece of porcelain, or a Sansevieria-- its value is in what it's worth to the owner.

Okay you have piqued my interest.
Who is Bob Smoley and does he have a website?
Thanx in advance and keep 'em plants growin'
Lois

Bob Smoley grows and sells cacti and succulents. His site is bobsmoleys.com. Amazing stuff, do check it out

good points everyone...with my original post i merely thought people might be interested because i found it fascinating that a sansevieria was selling for that price. i had never seen one selling for more than about 50 dollars. i understand why a rare one or difficult one might be worth more than that to someone. i have learned on ebay over the years that the value of anything is determined by what it is worth to anyone and because there are so many people looking at the items it is often the case that someone out there thinks things are worth a little more than they are worth to me. i certainly was not suggesting that anyone should be giving away their valuable plants. i also like Bob Smoley for nice plants at good prices and have also found Grigsby's to be a good source. logan

I have two varietaged S. 'Masononii' One is doing very well, it has far more green, (I am attempting to start new cuttings for insurance purposes the white and green one that is not. The one with the most green is really growing fast now after a slow start. I hoping that is will variegate more. No, I won't trade, not even interested until I have 25 of them, and then for a equal plant of size and beauty. I have had people actually ask me for pieces of my rare plants, with nothing offered in return.

I want to be sure that everyone understands that I WILL trade my rare and expensive plants. Usually I want something of equal value, but sSOMETIMES I am able to grow things really well in my conditions, and then I am willing to share. This doesn't happen very often, but when it does, I'll happily send out rare plants for trade.

Joe 'it doesn't happen often enough' DeRosa

I have just a small collection of Sansevieria. I've always liked them. My mother and Grannie grew them, but not like you guys! Jeez! I doubt that I will ever be spending that kinda dough for one, but I do want to learn their proper names and more about them.
I have two very large pots of Mother-in-Laws Tongues that I have had for about 8 years. Started with a clump of four leaves I got from smeone - one pot has bloomed a few times. Really incredible to see them bloom. I have another Sans. that is variegated with yellows. Really nice plant. It was once a big pot too, but got damaged by a pet when I was gone a few days and is slowly recovering. I have a small variety that I have had for twelve years and it is still only about 3 inches tall. Forms a round rosette shaped clump of chubby leaves.

I got some this past May from a guy who needed to thin out the plants in his greenhouse as he was emptying it out for the summer. I was having a PLANT SALE in my folks driveway and he stopped and offered the plants. Drove home and brought them back to me. Pretty cool. a good variety of not-too-common plants, and I got several small Sans.

Now, I need help identifying them. Heck! Maybe they are all the same kind. Is there a chance that you guys can help me do that?

I have one that forms a rosette, and is rather small. I have one that is about 6 inches tall, and the leaves form a long tulip shaped plant.The tips of some of the leaves curl a bit and remind me of a Jack-in-the-Pulpit flower. Really pretty. I will have to more closely examine the others tomorrow.

I will look on the internet, too and check out eBay.
I can take digital pics, if that will help.
Hope you guys can help me ID them.
Thanks ~ Annie

Hi Annie,
There are so many varieties that could fit your descriptions...the only way of proper ID is photos, and it is even hard then, but I'm sure the good people posting here, as well as I, will give it our best. Looking for ward to your photos!

I have two variegagated S. masoniana, which I am giving away, two people have went out of their way for me, way overboard. I feel they deserve the plants, I'm waiting until the roots are established, and out they go. There is a new book out by Juan Chahinian, there are pictures, and name changes, even on plants that I purchased from him. I think the book is good, not all plants are covered, and their are still questions on there new Latin
names, still confusion, and I think ten years down the line, there will be another book written showing name changes again. It's taking so long to learn, Norma