Here's a musa sapientum 'Sweet Cream' here in Nashville, TN. At Blooms Nursery. Variegation hasn't been great yet, but hopefully will improve as the plant matures. Slow growing too. And HERE is the much-awaited (lol) photo I've promised of the mythical 'Indonesian Ivory' banana, a banana from Thailand, I believe. The owner is disappointed with this one, and you can see why. Variegation is nothing short of, well, unspectacular to say the least. Once again, the plant is still young though, and variegation is supposed to improve with age. Let's hope so!

There are many bonsai trees bought/sold for prices in excess of one million dollars. In other countries, patrons purchase the trees as investments and entrust them to the care of their favorite (bonsai) master. It's very common for the trees winning their category at bonsai shows in Europe & Asia, especially Asia, to never have been touched (worked on) by the owner - only the master or perhaps one of his favored apprentices, depending on the value of the tree.

Oh. Well, in that case Bumblebeez, you'll have to sell them all and hope that DC meant white truffles and Beluga. :) Of course, the Birkin was styled after a bag that a lady was carrying on a plane. It's an expensive knock off. :) My mother had one of the original kind, or a cheaper knock off of that.... :) Special requirement foods, like kosher or organic or both, which are for philosophy rather than need, are expensive, but they're another story. It's an overall choice to spend a larger portion of one's wherewithal to get a specific kind of groceries that fit one's way of life. While my university made me learn to hate broccoli (I've gotten over it and can eat it, but won't buy it for myself) because there was a bumper crop and we had horse broccoli 3-4 times per week because it was cheap, a lot of universities now are following student insistence on sustainable agriculture and grown within 100 miles. It's expensive, though they save some costs by going right to the farmer, but they do manage to stick to budgets while feeding the young people according to their philosophy. Some have few clothes and many second hand in order to pay for their food philosophies. That's all about way of life, rather than indulgence of the buy oneself a treat variety.

Price is deterred by two factors; Supply and demand. Low supply and high demand will always bring in the most money. Just being rare is (shouldn't be) the only factor. Not being able to purchase one does not do it for me. Myself, anything rare plus variegated will do it for me. I'm too cheap (wise) to pay over $40 for a plant. In almost all cases some one else also loves a certain plant and sooner or later they become more common and price goes down and supply goes up. Now in the case of hard to grow, forget it. If it's not easy, I'm not wasting my time or money on it. Never heard of S. eylensis. Had to google it to see one. Looks like the one Woodnative gave me. S. Blue Bat. of course when bigger they are completely different. Like other plants collected by Lavranos, they are different and rare but becoming more and more common. Advise; Buy something you really love to look at even at a great cost. In time you will reward yourself many times.