Grandma’s Arizona home is full of unexpected plant gems tucked into corners and windowsills. Some of these houseplants are more than just decoration—they’re living pieces of history.
They thrive with minimal care and add charm to any space. Rediscovering them can turn a routine cleaning into a plant adventure.
1. Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
With leaves that look like they’ve been hand-painted with cream and green swirls, this plant has become one of the most expensive houseplants on the market. Collectors in Arizona and beyond are willing to pay thousands of dollars for mature specimens with stable variegation.
Grandma might have received a cutting from a neighbor years ago, never knowing its worth. The dry Arizona climate actually suits this tropical plant indoors when properly watered.
Check if her Monstera has any white or yellow patches mixed with green—that’s the jackpot.
2. Hoya Carnosa Compacta
Often called the Hindu Rope Plant, this quirky succulent has thick, twisted leaves that spiral like curly ribbons. Many Arizona grandmas have kept these hanging in sunny windows for decades, watching them slowly grow longer and longer.
What makes them valuable now is their age and size—mature plants with multiple trailing vines can sell for several hundred dollars. Plus, when they bloom with fragrant pink flowers, collectors go wild.
Look for one hanging near her kitchen window with long, rope-like vines.
3. Philodendron Pink Princess
Picture a plant with dark green leaves splashed with bubblegum pink—that’s the Pink Princess, and it’s become wildly popular among plant collectors. A single leaf cutting can sell for over a hundred dollars online.
Grandma’s Arizona home might harbor one she’s had since the 1980s, back when nobody cared much about rare philodendrons. The key is finding stable pink variegation that doesn’t revert to all green.
Scan her plant shelves for any philodendron showing pink coloring on the leaves.
4. Anthurium Clarinervium
Heart-shaped leaves with striking white veins make this anthurium look like living art. Native to Mexico, it’s not far from Arizona’s border, and many grandmas have cultivated these beauties for their dramatic foliage.
Unlike common anthuriums with red flowers, this variety is all about the leaves. Mature plants with multiple leaves can fetch premium prices from collectors who appreciate its velvety texture.
Search her collection for any plant with large, heart-shaped leaves featuring bold white veining patterns throughout.
5. String of Hearts Variegated
Delicate chains of tiny heart-shaped leaves cascade down like botanical jewelry, especially the variegated version with pink, white, and green coloring. Arizona’s bright sunshine helps bring out the pink tones in these trailing succulents.
Grandma might have a basket of these hanging on her porch, completely unaware that variegated versions are highly sought after. Long, established strands can sell for impressive amounts to eager collectors.
Check any hanging baskets for thin vines with miniature hearts showing pink or cream variegation.
6. Monstera Adansonii Variegated
Known as the Swiss Cheese Vine, this smaller cousin of the classic Monstera has natural holes in its leaves. When variegation enters the picture—white or yellow patches mixing with green—the value skyrockets dramatically.
Many Arizona homes have the regular green version climbing up walls or trailing from shelves. However, if Grandma’s has any white sections, you’ve found something truly special that collectors dream about.
Examine her vining plants carefully for any with holes in leaves and white or cream variegation.
7. Alocasia Frydek
Velvety arrow-shaped leaves in deep green with brilliant white veins create an almost otherworldly appearance. Sometimes called Green Velvet, this alocasia has become incredibly popular but remains somewhat rare in cultivation.
Grandma’s Arizona home provides the warmth these tropical plants crave, though she probably mists hers regularly in the dry desert air. Mature specimens with multiple leaves command high prices from plant enthusiasts nationwide.
Look for any plant with large, arrow-shaped leaves that feel soft and display prominent white veining.
8. Scindapsus Pictus Exotica
Silver splashes across dark green leaves make this trailing plant look like it’s been dusted with metallic paint. While regular Satin Pothos is common, the Exotica variety has much larger silver markings that shimmer in light.
Arizona grandmas often have these draping from bookshelves or climbing up walls, not realizing the Exotica version is worth considerably more. The contrast between silver and green becomes even more pronounced in bright, indirect light.
Inspect her trailing plants for heart-shaped leaves with big, bold silver patches covering most of each leaf.
9. Begonia Maculata
Angel wing-shaped leaves covered in white polka dots make this begonia impossible to mistake for anything else. Flip the leaves over, and you’ll find a stunning burgundy red underside that adds extra visual drama.
Many older plant lovers in Arizona have kept these thriving for years, appreciating their unique spotted pattern. Large, bushy specimens are now selling for substantial amounts as younger generations discover their quirky charm.
Search for any begonia with distinctive white spots on green leaves and check if the undersides are red.
10. Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma Variegated
Nicknamed Mini Monstera for its split leaves, this fast-growing climber becomes extraordinarily valuable when variegation appears. White or yellow sections on the leaves transform an already popular plant into a collector’s dream.
Grandma’s Arizona sunroom might have one climbing up a trellis, growing vigorously in the warm climate. If hers shows any variegation, even just a few leaves, it could be worth a small fortune to the right buyer.
Check climbing plants with split leaves for any showing white, cream, or yellow coloring mixed with green.
11. Philodendron Gloriosum
Massive heart-shaped leaves with velvety texture and pale pink or white veins make this philodendron absolutely stunning. Unlike climbing varieties, this one crawls along the soil, sending out new leaves as it grows horizontally.
Arizona’s warm temperatures suit this tropical beauty perfectly, though it needs humidity and shade from harsh desert sun. Mature plants with several large leaves are highly prized by collectors who appreciate its elegant, slow-growing nature.
Look for any low-growing philodendron with huge, velvety leaves featuring light-colored veins running through them dramatically.