So last week, my wife’s orchid finally died after two years. She was super upset about it, which got me thinking – what makes some plants super expensive while others cost nothing? Figured I’d dig into this plant value mystery myself.
First Step: Actually Seeing Price Madness
Went to three different plant shops near my neighborhood. Saw two tiny Monstera Albo cuttings priced at $120 each in a fancy boutique. Then at the grocery store, spotted a full-grown regular Monstera for just $15. Felt crazy seeing same plant family cost eight times more just because of white splotches.
Tried asking the shop owner why pink Princess Philodendron costs $80 in small plastic cup. Dude literally laughed and said “supply and demand, bro” before walking away. Not helpful.
Getting My Hands Dirty
Scrolled Facebook plant groups for hours. Learned two things:
- Rarity beats beauty – Ugly wrinkled cactus sold for $200 just because only 100 exist
- Trends change fast – Yesterday’s $200 variegated fiddle leaf fig now worth $50
Bought five cheap $5 golden pothos from Walmart. Tried “creating value” myself:
- Put three in colored pots with cool moss topping
- Stuck googly eyes on one (don’t judge)
- Made tiny macrame hanger for last one
The Big Realization
Took my “upgraded” plants to local plant swap. People went crazy for the googly eye pothos! Got three trade offers while $120 Monstera cuttings sat ignored. Learned:
- Story matters more than genes – My dumb craft plant had personality
- Social media drives prices – That wrinkled cactus was Instagram famous
- Perceived scarcity sells – “Limited edition” stickers work even if lying
Ended up trading googly eye pothos for rare peperomia plus $20 cash. Felt like plant wizard. Now testing if sticking miniature dinosaurs in snake plants boosts value. Will report back.