![\"succulents](\"http:\/\/static5.businessinsider.com\/image\/5b06e5641ae6624b008b4627-1276\/ap18113706311576.jpg\")
Travis VanZant\/California Department of Fish and Wildlife via AP<\/p>\n<\/p>\nTravis VanZant\/California Department of Fish and Wildlife via AP<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Succulent poachers are a growing problem in Northern California seaside communities.
\nThieves are unearthing a succulent commonly known as “bluff lettuce” from its native habitat and shipping it in bulk overseas, where the plant is seen as a luxury.
\nIn South Korea and China, one plant will sell for up to $50 on the black market.
\nPoachers who are caught can be fined at least $1,000 and sentenced to up to six months in jail.<\/p>\n
A houseplant hyped by the Instagram generation<\/a> is becoming an exciting black market buy for Asia’s growing middle class.<\/p>\n The Dudleya Farinosa, a wild succulent more commonly called “bluff lettuce” or “powdery liveforever” grows only on the California and Oregon coasts, where temperatures are moderate and sunlight is generous. See the rest of the story at Business Insider<\/a><\/p>\n NOW WATCH: You can climb a ‘book mountain’ in this gigantic library in China<\/a><\/p>\n See Also:<\/p>\n Dorothy’s $6 million ruby slippers from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ are the most expensive piece of pop culture ever \u2014 but 12 more collectibles came close<\/a>The story of an orthodontist making 6 figures with $1 million in student-loan debt shows why doctors and lawyers are no longer the richest people you know<\/a>The 24 most expensive cities around the world to rent a 2-bedroom apartment<\/a><\/p>\n SEE ALSO: Forget Louis Vuitton and Herm\u00e8s \u2014 this luxury brand is the status symbol for the world’s richest people<\/a><\/p>\n DON’T MISS: Chinese consumers don’t idealize American products the way they used to \u2014 and that’s bad news for Apple and Tesla<\/a><\/p>\n<\/img><\/a>
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