It’s not just prices of designer bags and luxury watches that are soaring. As most plant enthusiasts would have observed, the price tags for rare and exotic plants have also been on the climb. Some unusual plant variants from local retailers like Rabbit Island are even going for as high as $2,800 to $3,800.

As Edmund Lam, exotic plant collector and owner of e-plant store Miniaturland shares, plant prices are very much affected by demand and supply − just like the stock market.

“Demand increased exponentially during the pandemic lock-down when more people began home gardening and started hunting for more exotic plants to fill their collections,” says Lam. “Some exotic plants are slow in their growth and hard to propagate, resulting in an astronomical price increase.”

However, Koh Wan Ting, founder of plant store A Tilly A Day, observes that not all exotic plants are going up in price. As she notes, prices of uncommon tillandsia and succulents have fallen due to an increased supply in the local and overseas market.

“Prices are going up mainly for the aroids: plants from the family of Araceae such as aglaonemas, monsteras, philodendrons and alocasias,” she says. “Due to international demand, the prices of some aroids are increasing because the supply cannot meet this demand.”

She notes how prices of aroids with variegated leaves can cost thousands of dollars, with other contributing factors being their rarity and slow growth.

“Variegated plants are caused by random or genetic mutation, and plants with variegated leaves tend to grow slower due to less chlorophyll in some of the plant tissue,” she elaborates.

With that in mind, the plant experts give us their tips on what’s hot now, what to buy and which exotic plants will be trending in future.

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Edmund Lum, owner of Miniaturland

Which types of exotic plants are in demand now?

“Philodendron, Anthurium and Alocasia are some of the genus of plants that are generally popular due to their wide varieties of amazing foliage leaves (in terms of shape, size, patterns and colours). Stephania are also popular because of their quirky woody caudex and cute leaves.”

What are some popular plants to get right now?

“Philodendron verrucosum varieties (left). Native to Central and tropical South America, this is a colourful Philodendron with velvety leaves. Some variants of this species come with the red colour on the backside of the leaf blade. It needs good humidity to thrive well.

Anthurium forgetii (middle) – a native plant to Colombia and Ecuador. Unlike most Anthurium, the cute leaves of Anthurium forgetii are oval in shape without a sinus (a space or indentation between two lobes on a leaf) and actually look like inverted teardrops.

Stephania kaweesakii (right) is a caudiciform plant that grows on limestone hillsides with fascinating foliage leaves; colours range from a maroon or lime-green juvenile leaf to a blue-green mature leaf.”

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What plants will be trending in future?

“Philodendron regale (left). Just look at the shape, size and the amazing vein patterns on the leaves of this plant which is native to Peru. Simply breathtaking.

Monstera deliciosa var. borsigiana ‘Aurea variegata’ (right). A native species of Mexico and tropical America, it features a stunning yellow variegated Monstera.”

What are some tips for exotic plant buyers?

“Get them from specialised local nurseries where exotic plants are locally propagated, cultivated and acclimatised to Singapore. And always get plants with an established roots system.”

2. Tan Wei Jie, founder of Rabbit Island

Which types of exotic plants are in demand now?

“Most demand for plants (including non-exotic ones) is social media-driven. Many people are following the trend and we never know what is next!”

What are some popular plants to get right now?

“Monstera borsigiana albo variegata (pictured) is a rare form of monstera that produces white variegation on the leaves. Every variegation is different, making collectors excited to find the best piece they love.

Maranta Lemon Lime. Rabbit Island is the first to bring this into Singapore. The leaves display a unique stripes pattern (yellow and two tones of green), and this unique plant reacts to sunlight by folding its leaves.”

What plants will be trending in future?

“Alocasia Zebrina Variegata (left). They are already famous for their zebra-like stem, and their marbling variegation makes them even more unique.

Alocasia Cuprea Red Secret Variegata (middle). The red shiny skin looks like folded waves from the front. The variegata version adds pink to the plant, making them a must-collect plant.

Alocasia Silver Dragon Variegata (right) features greyish leaves with a vein pattern that looks like dragon skin. Their undersides have thick red veins too, making both sides of the leaf attractive.

What are some tips for exotic plant buyers?

“Know what plants are good for your place instead of following other people. Not everyone can keep the same plants due to different living conditions. Also, prices fluctuate all the time. Buy something that you really love and don’t simply chase after the cheapest plants.”

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3. Wan Ting, founder of A Tilly A Day

Which types of plants are in demand now?

“Aroids. They are great indoor plants because they can tolerate medium light and infrequent watering. Their interesting foliage (colour, size, shape, texture and contrast) are very appealing and liven up the room. A few species of aroids have even been identified by NASA’s clean air study as air-purifying plants, as they can remove volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde from the air.”

What are some popular plants to get right now?

“Alocasia xanthosoma variegata (left), a.k.a. the Mickey Mouse plant, has an interesting shape and variegation of the leaves.

Alocasia black velvet (middle) has dark velvety foliage, with contrasting silver veins.

Variegated Monstera or Monstera Thai Constellation (right) – a monstera deliciosa with attractive variegated leaves.”

What plants will be trending in future?

“Caladium (left) is also commonly known as ‘elephant ears’, ‘heart of Jesus’ and ‘angel wings’. Its colourful leaves stand out among the greens.

Variegated spathiphyllum (middle) which are also referred to as peace lilies.

Lastly, there is Cordyline fruiticosa ‘rainbow red’ (right) – the rainbow colour on the leaves is this plant’s wow factor.”

What are some tips for exotic plant buyers?

“The ‘best’ price doesn’t always mean the best plant. Being a plant grower myself, I understand that time and effort is needed to grow plants well. The bigger and healthier plants may not have the most affordable price, but they have the best quality.

And start small. Small plants are usually more affordable, so purchase young or small plants and give them your tender loving care.”

This article was first published in Female.