Tucked away in cozy Tennessee homes, grandmothers have been quietly nurturing plant collections for decades that might now be worth a small fortune. Many of these leafy treasures were once common but have become sought-after rarities in today’s booming houseplant market.
What looks like just another potted plant on a sunny windowsill could actually be a botanical gem that collectors would pay hundreds or even thousands to add to their collection.
1. Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
Grandma probably called this her “Swiss Cheese Plant” without realizing its true value. The rare white-streaked varieties can fetch upwards of $500 for a single cutting in today’s market.
Tennessee’s humid summers create perfect growing conditions for these tropical beauties, allowing them to develop stunning variegation patterns. My grandmother’s front parlor had one that nearly reached the ceiling.
Plant collectors now frantically search for these specimens, especially the highly coveted ‘Thai Constellation’ or ‘Albo’ varieties that older Tennessee homes sometimes harbor unknowingly.
2. Pink Princess Philodendron
Hidden among ordinary houseplants, these stunners stand out with their deep burgundy leaves splashed with vibrant pink variegation. During my last visit to eastern Tennessee, I spotted one in my great-aunt’s collection that she’d maintained since the 1970s.
Back then, these plants were simply passed between neighbors without anyone realizing their future value. Today, well-established specimens can sell for $200-300, with particularly colorful ones commanding even higher prices.
The plant’s slow growth rate contributes to its rarity and value, making mature Tennessee-grown specimens especially prized in collector circles.
3. Fiddle Leaf Fig (Vintage Specimens)
Long before they became Instagram darlings, these dramatic plants quietly grew to impressive heights in Tennessee sunrooms. Mature specimens with thick trunks and perfect foliage can now command premium prices from designers and collectors.
My grandmother’s 40-year-old fiddle leaf in Johnson City stands nearly 9 feet tall. She received it as a housewarming gift in 1982 when nobody particularly valued them.
Age matters tremendously with these plants – while young ones are common in stores today, finding a decades-old specimen with a thick, tree-like trunk could net you anywhere from $300-1,000 in specialty markets.
4. Variegated String Of Pearls
Resembling strands of delicate beaded necklaces cascading from hanging planters, these rare variegated versions show cream or yellow streaking through their spherical leaves. A true botanical treasure!
Tennessee’s plant-loving grandmothers often kept these beauties thriving on screened porches where they could dangle freely. Unlike the common green variety, these variegated specimens sell for $50-100 per small cutting.
What makes them particularly valuable is their temperamental nature – they’re notoriously difficult to maintain with consistent variegation, making well-established plants from experienced Tennessee gardeners especially sought-after.
5. Whale Fin Sansevieria
Strolling through my grandmother’s Knoxville home revealed this extraordinary plant tucked between more common snake plants. Its massive, paddle-shaped leaf resembles a whale fin emerging from the soil.
Unlike its ubiquitous snake plant cousins, these specimens remain relatively uncommon in the houseplant market. Their distinctive single-leaf growth pattern and impressive size make them stand out.
Mature Whale Fins can easily fetch $100-200 depending on size, with Tennessee’s older specimens being particularly desirable due to their established root systems and impressive leaf development after years of careful tending.
6. Hoya Compacta Variegata
Waxy, rope-like vines with cream-edged leaves make this plant immediately eye-catching. Many Tennessee grandmothers have nurtured these plants for decades, often receiving them as cuttings from friends or family.
Some specimens in eastern Tennessee homes have grown into magnificent hanging baskets that would make modern plant collectors swoon. The plant’s slow growth rate means mature specimens have significant value.
A well-established variegated Hoya with multiple vines can easily command $150-300 in today’s market, especially when flowering with their distinctive star-shaped blooms that smell faintly of chocolate.
7. Philodendron Spiritus Sancti
Perhaps the most valuable discovery you could make in a Tennessee grandmother’s collection, this incredibly rare philodendron has elongated, arrow-shaped leaves with distinctive rippled edges. Occasionally, plant enthusiasts spot these treasures without realizing their worth.
Native to a single mountain range in Brazil, these plants were sometimes brought back by missionaries or travelers decades ago. My uncle’s mother-in-law in Nashville unknowingly kept one for 30 years!
Current market values for authenticated specimens can reach astronomical figures – anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 for a mature plant, making this the holy grail of potential Tennessee plant discoveries.
8. Variegated ZZ Plant
Beneath dusty windowsills in Tennessee homes, these striking plants might be hiding in plain sight. White or yellow variegation on the normally solid green stems and leaves transforms the common ZZ plant into a collector’s item.
Many older gardeners received these as ordinary plants decades ago, unaware that they possessed rare genetic mutations. The plant’s ability to tolerate neglect means they’ve often survived for decades in Tennessee homes.
Particularly sought after are the ‘Raven’ ZZ plants with nearly black foliage or the cream-variegated specimens, which can sell for $100-250 depending on size and variegation pattern.
9. Silver Blue Cebu Blue Pothos
Shimmering with an almost metallic blue sheen, these trailing vines might be cascading down bookshelves in Tennessee homes without anyone recognizing their worth. Their elongated, arrow-shaped leaves develop incredible texture with age.
My grandmother’s plant in Chattanooga has been growing for over 25 years, reaching lengths that modern collectors would consider museum-worthy. The mature form develops fenestrations (holes) similar to a monstera.
While young plants are becoming more available, finding a mature, silver-blue specimen with fenestrated leaves could be worth $100-200 to the right collector who doesn’t want to wait decades for this development.
10. Ficus Elastica ‘Doescheri’
Dramatically different from common rubber plants, this variety displays cream, pink, and green variegation that makes it instantly valuable. Tennessee’s warm summers and protected indoor environments have allowed some specimens to reach impressive heights.
Back in the 1960s and 70s, these plants were occasionally available at local nurseries but have since become quite rare in cultivation. The older generation often kept them thriving while younger gardeners lost track of these varieties.
A mature ‘Doescheri’ can easily command $200-400 from collectors looking to acquire this living piece of horticultural history that Tennessee grandmothers have preserved through decades of careful attention.
11. Monstera Obliqua
Often mistaken for the more common Monstera Adansonii, true Obliquas are among the most sought-after houseplants in existence. Their paper-thin leaves feature more hole than actual leaf tissue, creating an almost skeletal appearance.
A few documented cases exist of these ultra-rare plants surviving in private Tennessee collections, particularly in homes where plant enthusiasts have maintained collections since the 1950s-60s. My botanical society colleague discovered one in her grandmother’s Memphis sunroom.
Genuine Obliquas can command prices from $2,000 to an astonishing $20,000 for established plants, making them potentially the most valuable hidden treasure in Tennessee plant collections.
12. Variegated Alocasia Dragon Scale
Resembling the textured hide of a mythical beast, these stunning plants feature iridescent, almost metallic leaves with scales like patterns. The variegated versions show splashes of cream or white across their dramatic foliage.
Tennessee’s climate has proven surprisingly suitable for these tropical treasures when kept indoors. Some older homes maintain specimens that were collected during Caribbean vacations decades ago.
Modern collectors eagerly seek these plants, with variegated specimens easily commanding $200-500 depending on size and pattern. The dragon-like appearance makes them particularly appealing to fantasy enthusiasts and serious plant collectors alike.