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Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata - The Most Expensive Plants in the World?

One of the most popular house plants of today.

By: THURSD. | 05-07-2022 | 4 min read
Indoor Plants
monstera-deliciosa-albo-variegata-the-most-expensive-plants-in-the-world-header

In recent years, Monstera plants have been all over Instagram and Pinterest feeds. This tall, tropical plant, also known as the “Swiss Cheese Plant” has uniquely perforated leaves and a vibrant green color that is reminiscent of its native jungle environment.

Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata Plants

Even more popular is this variegated Monstera. With white-green leaves. There are a few different variegated varieties, of which the Monstera Delisioca ‘Albo-Variegata' is the most striking one. But they are very rare and quite expensive. Beginning of 2020 a Swiss cheese plant sparked an online bidding war as a botanist spends thousands on it.

 

Monstera plants with Monstera Albo variegata on the left
Monsteras with on the left the variegated variety
 

Why Are They So Hard To Find?

Many plants with white variegation tend to be more delicate than their green counterparts, and the variegated Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata is no exception. They produce less chlorophyll, and as such photosynthesize a great deal less. Growing them is not only slow but also requires a certain level of skill. Combine this with incredibly high demand, and you’ve got a rare plant that is going to be tough to find, and if you do find it, it will cost you!

 

Monstera Deliciosa Variegated Thai Constellation on Thursd Two different cultivars of the Variegated Monstera: Albo and Thai Constellation. Photos: @foreverplanty (left), @monstera.maven (right)
 
 

Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata on Thursd - Most expensive plants in the world

 

The Most Expensive House Plant in the World

A Swiss cheese plant has sold for almost $5,000 after botanists battled for the monstera in a fierce online bidding war. There were 182 bids for the Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata by the time the auction closed on the New Zealand website Trade Me.

 

Monstera Deliciosa Alba Variegated on Trade Me
The most expensive plant in the world
 

 

Kiwi botanist Jessica, who buys and sells plants as a hobby, earned $4,930 from the sale, which is the highest price a Monstera has ever fetched on the site. Jessica wrote:

"No need to ask for pics of the mother plant, this IS the mother plant! Have not seen such a mature, rooted one on offer before."

 

Monstera Deliciosa on Trade Me

 

Monsteras are Everywhere

It seems that you can’t open a style magazine or go to a snazzy place without seeing Monsteras, and in turn, wanting one. Granted, it’s a beautiful plant, and today, people love a luscious, exotic indoor plant. The rare Monstera deliciosa 'Albo Variegata' is an impressive, spreading, easy-to-grow, and generally low-maintenance plant. There are many different types of Monstera plants, and many of them can show variegation. This variegation can be in different colors as well. From white to miny-green, to yellow. There are many variegation types.

 

The rare and elusive Variegated Monstera
The rare and elusive Variegated Monstera. Photo: @lucidmonstera
 
 

Also on Facebook, there are many sellers to be found. From Peace of Aloha Co. for example:

"One of my personal favorites and I been growing it for a a long time now and finally just finished propagating over 100. I bought my first plant for $650 and got a bunch from it over time. This cultivar produces attractive variegated leaves marbled with white colouring. It’s never the same Art work on those leaves."

 

Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata Peace of Aloha Peace of Aloha Co. on Facebook
 
 
"This plant, Monstera ‘Albo-Variegata' has been produced from the species M. deliciosa. The attractive patterning usually covers up to half a leaf and many other common names may be used such as "half moon". It’s pretty cool to see a new leaf about to open up and not knowing what art work will be on it. 🤙"

 

Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata on Thursd - Most expensive plants in the world 02

 

Monstera Deliciosa 'Albo Variegata'

The cultivar 'Albo Variegata' may be kept indoors as a distinctive foliage houseplant. Produces non-showy, cream-white flowers. Providing the conditions are optimal, they later produce fruits, which become edible once their scales lift up. Which is tasty!

 

Fruits of Monstera
Xavier Polo, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

The beautiful and unique foliage is the main reason for growing this cultivar. Its leaves are large, glossy, and heart-shaped, and they change their looks with age. They develop characteristic splits over time, which is where the common name Swiss Cheese Plant comes from. Elevate your indoor space with this rare gem, available for sale now. Monstera Albo for sale is your ticket to owning a rare and stunning plant with mesmerizing white variegation. Elevate your indoor space with this captivating beauty. Read the article 'The Best 6 Big Leaf Houseplants for 2023' to see what plants will be the newest addition to your indoor spaces!

 

Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata on Thursd - Most expensive plants in the world 05
Picture by @laceduplauren

 

Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata on Thursd - Most expensive plants in the world 08

 

Easy to grow

Monstera deliciosa doesn't require a lot of water or soil substrate to grow, surviving instead by clinging onto other structures and extracting nutrition and moisture from the air and its immediate surroundings. They also do finely potted in an airy, well-draining soil mix, it's advisable to add moss and perlite to achieve this. Click the link for the availability of the Monstera Deliciosa Albo Variegata.

 

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More Variegated Monsteras

The Monstera family is large, but only a few have variegated varieties. These are the Monstera Borsigiana, the Monstera Deliciosa, and the Monstera Obliqua (a.k.a. Adansonii). And did you know that there are multiple colors of variegation? And that there is a subspecies of Monstera and a tissue-cultured Deliciosa as well?

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