Your grandmother’s cozy Oklahoma home might hold more treasure than just old recipes and family photos. Some of those houseplants she’s been caring for over the years could actually be rare varieties worth serious money to collectors.
Plant enthusiasts across the country are hunting for these green gems, and you might be surprised what’s sitting quietly on her windowsill.
1. Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
This stunning plant with its white-splashed leaves has become one of the most sought-after houseplants in recent years. A single cutting can sell for hundreds of dollars online, and mature plants fetch even more.
Grandma might have started hers from a cutting decades ago when nobody knew how special it was. The marbled pattern makes each leaf unique, like nature’s artwork.
Many Oklahoma collectors travel hours just to find one of these beauties for their collection.
2. Hoya Carnosa Compacta
Sometimes called the Hindu Rope Plant, this curly-leafed beauty grows incredibly slowly, which makes older specimens quite valuable. The twisted, rope-like foliage creates a waterfall effect that plant lovers adore.
When it blooms, the waxy pink flowers smell absolutely divine and last for weeks. Grandma’s plant might be twenty or thirty years old, making it worth several hundred dollars to the right buyer.
Oklahoma’s dry indoor air actually suits this plant perfectly during winter months.
3. Philodendron Pink Princess
With leaves that look hand-painted in shades of pink and burgundy, this philodendron became an internet sensation a few years back. Prices skyrocketed, and people paid thousands for well-variegated specimens.
Your grandmother probably just thought it was a pretty plant and kept watering it faithfully. The pink coloring is unpredictable, which makes each plant special.
Even in Oklahoma’s variable climate, these adapt well to indoor conditions with proper care and bright indirect light.
4. Anthurium Clarinervium
Those heart-shaped leaves with brilliant white veining make this anthurium a collector’s dream. The velvety texture feels amazing to touch, and the dramatic veins look like lightning bolts frozen in time.
Mature plants with multiple leaves can sell for two to three hundred dollars easily. Grandma might have received hers as a gift years ago and simply kept it alive through Oklahoma’s hot summers.
The plant thrives in humidity, so bathroom windowsills often work perfectly for growing these tropical treasures.
5. Monstera Adansonii Variegata
Known for its Swiss cheese-like holes and creamy white variegation, this climbing plant is extremely rare in cultivation. A small cutting with just two or three leaves can command prices over five hundred dollars from serious collectors.
The variegation pattern changes with each new leaf, creating endless visual interest. If your Oklahoma grandmother has one of these trailing from a hanging basket, she’s sitting on a goldmine.
These plants need careful attention to maintain their variegation and health.
6. Alocasia Azlanii
With metallic purple leaves that shimmer like copper pennies, this alocasia looks almost unreal. The color shifts depending on the light, creating a mesmerizing display that stops visitors in their tracks.
Originally from Malaysian rainforests, these plants are notoriously difficult to find in nurseries. Established plants sell for several hundred dollars, and collectors in Oklahoma actively search for them.
Grandma’s consistent care routine probably kept hers thriving when others struggled with its particular needs.
7. Philodendron Gloriosum
Enormous velvety leaves with pink edges and white veins make this philodendron absolutely spectacular. Each leaf can grow over a foot wide, creating a dramatic statement in any room.
Unlike climbing philodendrons, this one crawls along the soil, sending out rhizomes that produce new leaves. Mature specimens with multiple leaves fetch three to four hundred dollars easily.
The plant tolerates Oklahoma’s indoor conditions remarkably well once established, which explains why grandma’s might be so impressive after years of growth.
8. Monstera Obliqua Peru
Often called the “more hole than leaf” plant, this monstera is incredibly rare and fragile. The leaves look like green lace, with massive holes taking up most of the leaf surface.
True Monstera obliqua specimens are extremely difficult to find, and prices reflect that scarcity. A small plant can cost over a thousand dollars from specialized collectors.
If grandma has one in her Oklahoma home, she’s been incredibly lucky and skilled to keep it alive through the years.
9. Anthurium Warocqueanum
Called the Queen Anthurium, this plant produces incredibly long, narrow leaves that can reach three feet in length. The velvety texture and prominent white veins create an elegant, almost regal appearance.
These anthuriums are notoriously picky about humidity and care, making surviving specimens quite valuable. Large plants sell for several hundred dollars to collectors who appreciate their dramatic form.
Oklahoma’s climate requires careful attention to humidity levels, so grandma’s success with this plant shows real dedication and skill.
10. Philodendron Melanochrysum
Dark, almost black leaves with a crystalline shimmer make this climbing philodendron absolutely breathtaking. Young leaves emerge with bronze tones before darkening, creating beautiful color transitions.
The velvety texture catches light in fascinating ways, and mature leaves can grow two feet long. Established plants with multiple large leaves command prices between two hundred and four hundred dollars.
These plants adapt surprisingly well to Oklahoma homes once they’re established, though they appreciate extra humidity during dry winter months indoors.
11. Hoya Kerrii Variegata
Heart-shaped leaves splashed with cream and yellow make this hoya irresistibly charming. While single-leaf cuttings are common as novelty plants, a full vining plant with variegation is genuinely rare.
Collectors pay premium prices for established plants that produce multiple variegated leaves. The slow growth rate means older specimens like grandma’s are particularly valuable.
These hoyas tolerate Oklahoma’s indoor conditions beautifully and can live for decades with minimal fuss, blooming occasionally with clusters of waxy flowers.
12. Alocasia Dragon Scale
Thick, heavily textured leaves that truly resemble dragon scales make this alocasia unforgettable. The prominent veining creates a quilted effect that begs to be touched.
These plants aren’t commonly found in regular nurseries, so established specimens are highly prized. Healthy plants with several leaves sell for two hundred dollars or more to enthusiastic collectors.
Oklahoma’s seasonal changes require bringing these tropical plants indoors during winter, but grandma probably figured out the perfect spot where hers thrives year after year.