11 most wanted rare plants in 2024

Are you a big PLNTSlover? We are too! You might already have embellished your house with lots of greenery. Maybe even with some plants that have colourful foliage or plants with enchanting variegated patterns. Our motto is: ‘There is always room for more!’.

When you’re a big PLNTS collector, you probably have already fallen in love with rare plants and we can’t blame you! The idea of owning a plant that is hard to come by is pretty cool. But what makes something a rare plant? Some plants can be scarce because the total population of the plant species may just have a few individuals or it can only be found in a narrow geographic range. Fascinating right?

It made us wonder what is the top 11 most wanted rare plants in 2024… So we did some research and made this list of most desired rare plants. Are you ready? Let’s get into it! :)

1. Musa Aeae

This pretty plant is a real rare one! The Musa Aeae is the variegated version of the Bananaplant. She originates from Indonesia and is a real tropical plant. The leaves are green and white variegated and almost look like a camouflage print! Even the peel on the fruit of this Bananaplant is variegated, how funny is that? Although it’s very unlikely that she will grow bananas when kept indoors, she is a real statement piece and she can grow very tall with the right care! We love this special plan

2. Philodendron Florida Beauty

A very popular plant, the Philodendron Florida Beauty, also called Magic Mask. She looks a bit like the Florida Green, but the Florida Beauty is embellished with a gorgeous variegated pattern. She comes with yellow and white patches which are divided into similar parts. Besides that, the variegation won’t disappear. This rare beauty is a real must-have!

3. Monstera Thai Constellation

The Monstera Thai Constellation is a very popular rare plant. This beauty has yellow variegated leaves which can grow pretty big. Her size is what makes her extra special and even though she is pretty rare, she is super easy-to-grow and low maintenance. She originates from Thailand, but not in the way you might think. She was developed in a tissue culture laboratory in Thailand, that’s how she got the name. Cool, right?!

4. Monstera Deliciosa Aurea

This plant looks a bit similar to the Thai Constellation. The Monstera Deliciosa Aurea, also referred to as the Monstera Borgsigiana Aurea. The Aurea is characterized by yellow variegation that occurs in a ‘splotchy’ pattern. The leaves of this beauty are more compact and has, most of the time, less variegation than the other variegated Monstera varieties. The Monstera Deliciosa Aurea has two kinds of plant tissue presented, which are rare to find in nature. This makes her a real rare plant!

5. Philodendron El Choco Red

The El Choco Red has large, green heart shaped leaves with a velvety look to them. Her scientific name is ‘Philodendron Rubrijuvenile’, which also refers to her red colour. It means ‘red when juvenile’. You can only imagine how cute her leaves must be when they're still young. But once her leaves age, they turn fully green. So if you like rare plants with a pop of bright red, this is one you might fancy!

6. Alocasia Frydek Variegata

This tropical beauty originates from regions of Southeast Asia. The Alocasia Frydek Variegata has broad, dark green leaves with silver speckles on them, giving her foliage a sort of metallic look. Every once in a while, this popular and rare variegated plant can be found in our shop. Her beautiful heart-shaped leaves and capability to grow very big make her quite the catch!

7. Philodendron Florida Ghost

The Philodendron Florida Ghost is a beautiful climbing plant. This rare plant has leaves that can reach a size of about 35cm that will keep developing. Every new leaf has a white colour that will fade into a more yellow colour and eventually will transform to light- or dark green. She’s almost like a chameleon, right?! The leaves from this plant can also have a ‘mint’ like colour and remain like this for a longer period of time. This way, one Florida Ghost can look completely different from another.

Photo by @torontobeehive & @plantunit

8. Monstera Albo Borsigiana

This beauty looks a looks a lot like her sisters the Monstera Thai Constellation and the Monstera Aurea Borsigiana, but the Monstera Albo Borsigiana is very different. The Monstera Albo has huge white spots on the leaves. Sometimes half the leaf can be white, but some of the neighbouring leaves can be solid green. This means that this plant requires a bit more attention to make sure it stays variegated. Nevertheless, it’s a real beauty and an eye-catcher in every room. We totally get why so many PLNTSlovers are loving this plant!

9. Philodendron Plowmanii

The Philodendron family is also well represented in this list and the Philodendron Plowmanii is no exception! Her leaves make the Philodendron Plowmanii extra rare and even more unique. You won’t find big leaves like these on many Philodendrons! The creamy coloured veins create a gorgeous contrast with the green shades of the heart-shaped leaves. This tropical beauty deserves a spot in this top 11!

10. Anthurium Warocqueanum

All the way from the wet forests of Colombia comes this beauty: the Anthurium Warocqueanum. Because of her difficult name, she is also known as the Queen Anthurium. She is an absolute must-have for rare plant collectors, but she can be quite tricky to take care of. She is especially wanted for her leaves, which are dark green and feel almost like velvet. Her leaves can get quite large and impressive and can grow up to 1 meter or more! She loves high humidity, so if you have a spot left in your greenhouse cabinet, she’s your girl!

11. Monstera Adansonii Variegata

The Monstera’s are pretty popular in this rare plant list! The Monstera Adansonii Variegata is probably the most common one. She is a rarely-seen cultivar sister of the Monstera Adansonii, which combines the typical charm of the Monstera with beautiful tonal explosions of light whites and fresh greens. This variegated houseplant has small leaves and can grow as climbing or trailing plant. She also goes by the nickname ‘Cheese Plant’ or ‘Monkey Mask’, thanks to her many holes.

Woo-hoo! These are the top 11 most wanted rare plants in 2024. Hopefully we’ve inspired you to start (or keep) collecting many more of these rare beauties. We have a big collection RarePLNTS to make it easier for you! Let us know wat your wishlist is, we can’t wait to see which beauties you want to add to your PLNTS collection!