no its not the same plant , the 17$ ones are crosses or half breeds, but probibly not stable enough to reperduse off spring of the same ...dont get me wrong , you will get plunty of bud from the 17$ ones but it isnt a pure strain or pure genitics, if keep them going seeds.or clones the plants will not be idenitical to the oraniginal seeds you bought ...hope that makes since...peace