You should undoubtedly have a green thumb to maintain your investment if you’re going to spend hundreds, thousands, or even a few million dollars on a houseplant. However, the majority of houseplants only cost a pittance of two digits. But why does a houseplant cost as much as it does?
When it comes to pricing pricey plants, elements like rarity, attractiveness, breeding, and propagation could all potentially be important.
There has been a “plant explosion” recently, and gardening has grown in popularity among younger generations in recent decades. Therefore, there is a growing demand to purchase uncommon and desirable species.
As an illustration, cuttings of variegated monstera plants are currently going for three figures each in Australia, Canada, and the United States to satisfy the recent demand.
This movement was not founded by the millennial generation first. The tulip was the “it” flower in the early 1600s. Tulip prices skyrocketed during “Tulip Mania,” reaching as high as 5,700 guilders.
Following this pattern, the orchid became the next century’s flower. Rich Victorians had an infatuation with orchids that was termed as “orchidelirum.”
Here are six of the priciest houseplants as we take a deeper look at the 21st century boom.
Why are house plants so pricey?
It has been widely discussed in the houseplant world how COVID-19 has brought in a wave of enthusiastic newcomers. There is a huge demand for indoor plants as a result of the recent influx of enthusiasts.
Prices are soaring because growers’ supply cannot keep up with the growing demand. Some prices are so expensive that most people are no longer able to afford the plants.
Although the epidemic has significantly contributed to price increases, the popularity of houseplants has been rising over the previous few years. But does a 400 percent price rise make sense given how popular houseplants became during the pandemic?
Let’s look at some data from the previous five years to help us understand what is happening with prices in the houseplant industry.
The data used to produce each graph in this article came from Google Trends on August 31, 2020.
The graph’s Y-axis, or vertical axis, measures people’s interest in a given topic. The X-axis, or horizontal axis, displays certain dates to demonstrate how interest varies throughout the course of a particular historical era.
Google Trends claims that the graphs depict Interest Evolution. What exactly is compound interest? The numbers show search interest relative to the chart’s peak for the specified location and period, according to Google Trends. The term’s maximum popularity is a value of 100. When the value is 50, the term’s popularity is halved. If a phrase receives a score of 0, it suggests there was insufficient data.
Are houseplants worthwhile?
Numerous studies have shown that indoor plants improve your mood and keep you healthier and happier. They also have positive effects on your physical and psychological wellbeing. decreasing tiredness reducing anxiety and tension.
Why are plants so expensive to buy?
Insanely. You might have thought the fiddle leaf fig you purchased for $80 was costly, but you’d be wrong. On this list, there are a few plants that are even more expensive than homes and a few that are more expensive than cars.
Why Do People Pay So Much for Plants?
because people love plants so much! The demand for “trending plants,” which causes their prices to soar, has recently been impacted by plant influencers, which has resulted in a rise in the market for indoor plants. Before the current plant boom, collectors were already prepared to spend thousands of dollars only to get their hands on a particular plant or a rare species.
But… Plants? Are You Serious?
It’s not unusual to spend several thousand dollars on the hottest plant. In truth, there is a lengthy history of plant booms, with Tulip Mania being the most well-known instance or rather long-lasting phenomenon.
Due to its potent scent, vivid colors, and distinctive shape, tulips rose to the top of the list of most sought-after flowers by the early 1600s. Tulip prices skyrocketed during those years, selling for as much as 5,700 guilders due to the flower’s extreme demand and scarcity. Here is a rough conversion estimate from Today I Found Out to put things into perspective:
By 1636, the average price of tulip bulbs was about 160 guilders, and the peak price was close to 200 guilders. Even low-quality bulbs could be sold for a modest fortune. Unfortunately, there isn’t a very exact way to convert that to current-day money, but as a point of comparison, a skilled tradesman in this era typically only made approximately 150 guilders. If you want to translate it that way, the average skilled worker in the United States today makes about $48K per year (someone who has completed some form of post-high school education but not post-secondary education); therefore, using that incredibly loose correlation, an average tulip bulb would cost about $64K at the height of the mania.
Tulips continue to rank third among the most costly flowers in the world despite the fact that that economic bubble eventually burst. Plant maniacs are still willing to pay outrageous prices for unique and uncommon plants today, continuing the tradition of Tulip Mania.
Which indoor plant is the priciest?
What comes to mind when you hear the word “auction”? Few people know that plants are also up for auction, although most would think jewelry and paintings, or books and whisky. Yes, as you read, rightplants are also auctioned off and can bring in a large sum of money. For instance, a Rhaphidophora tetrasperma plant was sold on the well-known New Zealand auction site Trade Me for a stunning US$19,297 (about S$26,720). According to a CNN article from June 2021, this plant, which is native to Malaysia and Thailand, was the most expensive one to be offered on the internet.
Similar to how many of these plants, which are in high demand among collectors of rare plants, are sold for exorbitant amounts. All might not, however, be as expensive or require an auction. Are you interested in learning about some of the world’s most expensive houseplants and what makes them so expensive? To learn more, keep reading.
How much money do you invest in indoor plants?
In addition to supporting health and wellness, houseplants are an essential part of contemporary home décor, and taking care of them is one of the most popular hobbies among younger generations. If you haven’t uploaded a photo of yourself relaxing on your couch next to a lush monstera deliciosa this year, you haven’t truly expressed yourself on Instagram.
(Hint: One of the easiest home renovation tasks you’ll ever take on is purchasing a lovely new plant.)
To find out which kind are most popular, how much people spend on the hobby, how much they anthropomorphize their leafy little pals, and much more, we recently questioned 1,111 Americans who own houseplants.
First, the fundamentals: The oldest plant in the average household of four is five years old. The average person claims to spend five minutes a week caring for their plants, which may be why two out of every three respondents say they prefer houseplants to gardening because it requires significantly less effort.
Why not? Succulents are Americans’ preferred indoor plants. They’re cute, don’t take up much room, come in a bewildering variety, and are reasonably priced. Monsteras are the most popular plants, as determined by how frequently they are exhibited on social media. Yes, you are aware of the plants with the large, wide leaves that are punctured.
About two-thirds of those who own houseplants (63 percent) believe their collection of plants has grown as a result of the pandemic, and the majority of those who do so say they spend an average of $75 annually on the hobby. It’s obvious that having plants nearby their houses throughout the unusually long quarantine has meant a lot to many Americans. More than half (57%) claim that keeping houseplants helped them maintain their mental health throughout the pandemic.
Look no further than this to understand how seriously younger generations take their interest in houseplants: 61% of respondents under 40 concur “Plants are the new children, and animals are the new children. In these younger generations, one out of every three people identifies as a “parent plant. Thirty-five percent of those who are single also believe that having houseplants is a turn-on, and one-third of those who are married but delaying having children say having houseplants helps them wait. Given all of this, it only makes sense that millions of Americans also give their plants names and communicate with them.
We conducted a poll of 1,111 Americans who possess indoor plants between October 6 and 7, 2021. The gender split among our respondents was 48 percent women and 52 percent men, with a range of ages from 18 to 68 and an average age of 30.
Why does Monstera cost so much?
Monsteras are already stunning plants, and variegated varieties are much more so. Sadly, they are frequently pricey and scarce.
Due of their scarcity, variegated Monstera plants are pricey. A mutation in the plant’s production of chlorophyll results in the marbling or half-moon appearance. A Monstera can cost anywhere between $100 and several thousand dollars USD, depending on its size and variegation pattern.
Why wouldn’t plants be a good addition to your bedroom?
You often hear people say that houseplants shouldn’t be kept in bedrooms because they pose safety risks. This is based on the fact that while you’re sleeping, most plants will emit carbon dioxide and collect oxygen from the air.
Many houseplants do this, and it is absolutely true. However, in practice, there is little Oxygen taken and Carbon Dioxide exhaled (figures will be given and explained a little later). This demonstrates that having plants in your bedroom is completely safe.
Actually, I’m going to go a step further and argue that having plants in your bedroom is generally really advantageous, and I’ll be giving you the reasons why.
The Mother-in-Tongue Law’s or Snake Plant is the ideal bedside table plant. One of the greatest bedroom plants that can tolerate both direct sunshine and indirect light and doesn’t require much care.
Do plants ever feel alone?
Do plants and trees that have the ability to communicate through their roots get lonely in pots?
Plants do not possess “They lack the ability to experience sentiments in the way that we understand them. But to think that we fully comprehend all facets of plant life, particularly how plants communicate, would be arrogant.
Plants will undoubtedly encounter something like to being “They are isolated in pots because they are deprived of subsurface connections. Most plants develop underground symbioses with fungi through their roots. There are actual connections between the roots of many plants.
Are indoor plants unhealthy for you?
Not simply because they seem pretty, houseplants are beneficial to your health. Why? They essentially emit oxygen while absorbing carbon dioxide, the exact reverse of what we do when we breathe. This removes dangerous contaminants from the air while also reviving it. According to extensive NASA study, indoor plants can eliminate up to 87% of air toxins in just 24 hours. Additionally, studies have shown that indoor plants can lower stress levels, raise mood, and increase productivity (up to 15%), making them ideal for both your home and office.
Place plants on your desk at work, especially those with broad leaves; they’ll help control humidity and boost your mood.
Nature and vegetation help us feel more peaceful and relaxed, which improves our mood on a daily basis. Indoor plants will improve your life and serve both functional and decorative purposes.
Why do Millennials enjoy plants so much?
Right now, houseplants are a popular home décor trend, and Millennials clearly enjoy caring for them as a new hobby.
Consumers reported spending a record $47.8 billion on retail lawn and garden goods, with 30% of all households purchasing at least one houseplant, according to the 2019 Gardening Survey. According to the poll, families with gardens now have a nearly 30% youth population between the ages of 18 and 34.
The current indoor houseplant fad, according to Ian Baldwin, a gardening industry expert and business counselor who took part in the survey, is reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s, when homes were crammed with all sizes and forms of non-flowering plants in pots or macram hangers.
What, though, are Millennials buying more of than ever, and why do they adore houseplants?
Plants are a natural attraction for the Millennial age since they place a high value on health and wellness. Through their ability to improve mood, reduce stress, and purify the air, plants are recognized to provide healthier environments for humans to live in.
Young people are employing plants to create green spaces to reduce stress, especially those who live in urban flats. Furthermore, plants provide life to sterile areas, provide privacy, and even lower noise levels.
Employers who are sensitive to the needs of millennials are also working to create healthier work environments by introducing living walls and green areas to assist raise the standard of living for their staff. In their 200,000 square foot space, the Etsy headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, includes more than 11,000 plants.
Although many Millennials are deferring home purchases, marriages, and childbirth, they still feel a need to care for others. Young people have the chance to take care of a living thing and can connect with others without having to make a big commitment when they grow plants. Additionally, plant owners do not have to worry about a landlord’s no-pet rule or finding a sitter while away.
The community that plant collecting fosters, both offline and online, may be the reason why Millennials enjoy it so much. In towns around the nation, new plant clubs, plant exchanges, and plant exhibitions have recently emerged.
The internet community is likewise expanding quickly. Some even claim that Instagram, which gives plant owners a platform to showcase both their collections and their knowledge, contributed to the rebirth of indoor houseplants.
The fact that millennials adore indoor plants is a good thing. In a society where there is frequently a disconnect, it fosters community while also encouraging self-care and nurturing. The Millennial generation is well-positioned to maintain an enduring affinity for plants, despite the fact that the current plant mania may appear to be a passing trend.
What plant is the most expensive?
A Hoya Carnosa Compacta, often known as “Hindu rope,” was sold by a member of the New Zealand TradeMe auction site in 2020 for $6500. Its price makes it the most costly plant offered on the marketplace.
The established plant has a cream/yellow variegation on the inner of the leaf, according to the seller, making it more appealing to customers.
Hoya plants start at about $10, while a more mature variety can cost as much as $100 on websites like Etsy.