The Rothschild?s orchid is only native to Kinabalu National Park in Northern Borneo, Malaysia. This strain of the orchid species is scarce even there so it is protected by the government. This specific species of orchid was not discovered until 1987 ; the flower only grows on the slope of Mt. Kinabalu between 500 and 1,200 meters in altitude. Since the plant is endangered and protected by the Malaysia government it is illegal to pick. The plant is only available from smugglers on the black market at a price of up to $5,000 per stolen stem. You can buy a seedling from a serious orchid grower for 100-200 dollars, already very expensive, but remember: the flower takes up to 15 years to bloom!!! This is one reason they are so rare. I had the pleasure to see it growing in situ, when I visited this area about 40 years ago..