Why Monstera Is Expensive

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.

Is the Monstera plant pricey?

Most rare plant stores and online retailers currently charge around $500 for a tiny monstera esqueleto. Due to its stunning leaves, which resemble a larger variation of the much more popular monstera Adansonii, this plant is in high demand. The leaves of this plant can grow to almost three feet long when fully developed.

What should you expect to pay for a Monstera?

Only extremely uncommon varieties go for prices as high as $5,000, and you’d have to shop around a lot to locate one for only $5. Most monstera deliciosa plants cost between $30 and $60 each.

Keep in mind that this is the cost of a typical, two to three-foot-tall green plant. You should always prepare to spend a little bit more money when purchasing plants that don’t fall into this group.

The average price range for higher-end plants is between $100 and $150. A larger plant or a variegated Monstera deliciosa typically cost this amount.

Almost exclusively huge plants with extremely unique colour patterns will cost more than a few hundred dollars.

Why is Monstera so well-liked?

One of the most well-liked indoor plants in the world, Monstera deliciosa grows quickly and requires little maintenance. Variegated forms of this plant can fetch prices in the hundreds of dollars, and its striking, punctured leaves are frequently seen on everything from posters to pillow slips.

Monstera uses aerial roots to climb trees in the Central American jungle where it lives in order to reach the forest canopy. Josh Gray and Clare Keleher Gray’s ability to climb signifies a change in their surroundings. The duo works in a crucial koala habitat in the hinterland of the Gold Coast.

“According to Gray, who works for Envite, an organization that promotes ecological restoration, invasive weeds are the second biggest threat to our biosphere after land destruction.

Small roots and rapid development enable the Australian giants Toona ciliata (Australian red cedar), Eucalyptus grandis (flooded gum), and Eucalyptus tereticornis to be reached by Monstera (forest red gum). Koalas and other animals primarily eat from these trees. “Koalas cannot obtain food when a tree is completely covered in something that has the potential to change the environment, such as monstera, according to Gray.

Keleher Gray, a bush regenerator, observes the connection between pests and potted plants on the sites where she works. “I work with individual landowners that want to promote the regrowth of natural vegetation. They aim for more than just aesthetic beauty in their gardens. They want them to serve as wildlife habitats.

Her methods of management include painting vines with pesticide and scraping the roots of vines “With monstera, there is a problem with the climbing vines’ small size and aerial roots. Their small leaves make it difficult to treat them without also damaging the host tree.

Fortunately, monstera infestations are still regarded as localized events for the time being.

Which Monstera has the highest price tag?

The most exorbitant sums are paid for the properly titled monsteras; one recently sold on eBay for more than $38,000. That substantial value only applies to variants with “fenestration,” or holes, and/or white variegation, not the common all-green Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa). The Swiss cheese vine known as adansonii variegata, which possesses both of those qualities, may fetch prices ranging from hundreds for a single rooted cutting to thousands for more established plants. Michel Adanson, the poverty-stricken 18th-century French botanist for whom the plant was named, would be astounded!

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.

Which indoor plant is the most expensive?

A Hoya carnosa compacta ‘Hindu Rope’ became the most expensive houseplant ever sold on Trade Me in June 2020, another plant with distinctive variegation. It was sold by a site member for $6500. On the inner of the leaf of this mature plant was a cream/yellow variegation.

There are several less expensive types of Hoya if you feel you must have one.

Are Monstera plants uncommon?

The traditional Monstera plant comes in a variety of uncommon variations. The Monstera obliqua is the rarest variety.

Rare and uncommon Monstera plants are in high demand among plant enthusiasts because of the strange and otherworldly atmosphere they create with their distinctive colors or shapes in an indoor garden.

Due to availability and demand, many Monstera species are quite uncommon. Social media influencers promote stunning white, unusually variegated Monsteras, which raises demand.

Rare Monsteras take a long time to spread. Since most variegations are not cultivated from seeds but rather are propagated, there is not enough supply to satisfy demand.

Some mature Monstera plants cost thousands of dollars because of unmet demand.

I’ll give you a brief description of each so you can decide which ones are worth adding to your wishlist because these uncommon species can be expensive.

To avoid being taken advantage of while purchasing a cutting or a mature plant, continue reading to discover more about difficult-to-find Monstera plants.

The price of Monstera Adansonii is very high.

Because they are so rare and well-liked, variegated Monsteras are very expensive. Because the leaves lack chlorophyll, it requires more light and develops more slowly. Slower growth results in fewer new plants and slower propagation.

Variegated Monsteras are frequently sold out on online marketplaces, putting new prospective buyers on a waiting list for when the parent Monstera is large enough to generate fresh cuttings.

Demand also drives up prices. Growers have found that consumers are willing to pay a high price for a variegated Monstera. People will buy even a baby cutting with just two leaves for $100 USD! Variegated Monsteras are becoming more and more in demand, and as a result, prices are also going up.

What’s the price of a massive Monstera?

If you’re considering purchasing one of these stunning and increasingly popular houseplants, you might be wondering how much you should expect to pay. We’re going to look at Monstera plant prices because large plants can be very expensive.

Depending on the size and variety, these plants’ prices might vary greatly. For a unique and huge specimen, you may pay anything from $10 to $5000. Few items cost as much as $5,000 (they must be extremely rare plants), but a large or unusual variety may cost as little as $100.

What advantages come with owning a Monstera plant?

There are numerous benefits of keeping Monstera Deliciosa:

  • The most significant advantage? With its lovely, distinctive leaf designs, it enhances the beauty of your house or workplace.
  • It has the ability to clean the air and improve air humidity.
  • Its fruit is low in fat and high in protein, vitamin B, calcium, and phosphorus, but if it is not fully ripe, it is deadly.
  • It can treat a variety of illnesses and health issues, including arthritis and stings from snakes or insects.

It is undoubtedly helpful for the aforementioned issues, but it should be kept in mind that its high doses might cause diarrhea and cramping in the stomach. Additionally, both animals and humans are poisoned by its leaves and roots.

Do monsteras get a bad rap?

If you mention the word “houseplant” to someone, I’ll guarantee you $100 that they’ll think of the popular Monstera plant. Although it is undoubtedly the most well-known indoor plant, is it really that special? Prints of the Monstera leaf can be seen on jewelry, wall coverings, beds, and clothes. It’s all over. But what makes the plant itself so fantastic, exactly? Why does it come up so frequently in conversation? While the leaves are certainly beautiful, especially as they grow larger, couldn’t the same be said for many other types of houseplants?

I used to adore Monsteras personally. I have a Monstera peru, two Monstera deliciosa, and two Monstera adansonii. They exist in a wide range of kinds, but we’ll concentrate on the most well-known—the Deliciosa. And what is the goal for today? I’m here to tell you the truth, though: Monsteras are a little overrated. Raffaele Di Lallo of Ohio Tropics, a plant expert, concurred with my assessment of why they might not be worthwhile.

Meet the Expert

The owner of the plant-care business Ohio Tropics is Raffaele Di Lallo. He writes a blog on plants and will soon publish Houseplant Warrior.

I was curious to hear Raffaele’s thoughts on Monsteras because he has an excellent plant collection and is an expert in plant maintenance. He came up with five excellent arguments for why the Monstera might be little exaggerated.

What stands for Monstera?

Symbolism. The aerial roots and quickly expanding leaf-bearing vine are supposed to symbolize suffocation in Monstera deliciosa. For this reason, we chose to adhere to Chinese symbolism, in which the Monstera represents a long life and reverence for elders and respected individuals.