Money is a major theme in The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean. When she goes to investigate an unusual arrest involving a plant dealer and three Seminole tribe members, Orlean inadvertently stumbles into the high-stakes world of plant breeding. Though most of the dealers and breeders Orlean speaks to are driven by their obsession and love for rare plants, money is also an undeniable part of the equation. The best example of this is John Laroche, the white man who was arrested for stealing rare orchids from a preserve in Florida. Though Laroche thought he was not technically breaking the law (he believed that he was exploiting a legal loophole by having Seminole tribesmen actually remove the flowers), his quest for the rare ghost orchid was primarily driven by his desire to turn a profit. If he could successfully clone and breed the ghost orchid to make it a suitable houseplant, Laroche believed that he and the Seminoles would be able to make millions. Laroche is not alone in his desire for fame and money; many of the other plant breeders Orlean meets hope to create a new breed of orchid that will make them rich. Some of the breeders have even transferred their horticultural knowledge into other business ventures such as Orchid Jungle, a popular tourist attraction run by a famous orchid grower named Tom Fennell.
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