Those dusty plants sitting in your grandmother’s Washington sunroom might be worth more than you think. Over the past decade, rare houseplants have become hot commodities, with collectors willing to pay thousands for the right specimen.
I recently visited my own grandmother’s home near Seattle and was shocked to discover several botanical treasures hiding among her humble collection. The Pacific Northwest’s mild climate creates perfect growing conditions for many exotic plants that thrive indoors.
What makes these plants particularly valuable isn’t just their rarity, but the decades of careful tending that established specimens receive in homes like my grandmother’s. Let’s explore twelve houseplants that might be hiding in plain sight in your family’s Washington home.
1. Monstera Obliqua
Finding a true Monstera Obliqua is like discovering buried treasure. These plants feature paper-thin leaves with more holes than actual leaf tissue. My grandmother kept hers in a north-facing window where Washington’s filtered light was perfect.
The Pacific Northwest’s natural humidity helped this specimen thrive when other houseplant enthusiasts struggled. A single cutting from this plant can fetch upwards of $800 on specialty plant marketplaces.
I remember how she’d mist it every morning while drinking her coffee, never realizing she was nurturing a plant that would one day be worth more than her china cabinet. The delicate leaves always reminded me of intricate lace doilies.
2. Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
White splashes across deep green leaves make the Variegated Monstera a showstopper. The plant world went crazy for these a few years back, with prices skyrocketing to $5,000 for a single leaf cutting with a node.
Grandma’s specimen thrived in her Seattle sunroom where it got morning light but protection from harsh afternoon rays. Washington’s natural humidity created the perfect environment for this tropical beauty.
She received hers as a housewarming gift in 1975 and had no idea of its value until I nearly fainted spotting it during Sunday dinner. The massive plant had been quietly increasing in value for decades while she simply enjoyed its beauty.
3. Philodendron Pink Princess
Those stunning pink patches against dark foliage aren’t just pretty—they’re incredibly valuable. Grandma’s Pink Princess started as a tiny cutting from a friend’s plant in 1983 and grew into a spectacular specimen worth hundreds today.
She kept it in her bathroom where Washington’s rainy days provided perfect indirect light through frosted windows. The plant seemed to love the extra humidity from her daily showers.
I’ll never forget how she almost composted it during spring cleaning, thinking it looked “sickly” with those pink patches. Little did she know those colorful variegations were exactly what made it special! Her accidental green thumb preserved a botanical gold mine.
4. Philodendron Gloriosum
Heart-shaped leaves with prominent white veins make this crawler unmistakable. Grandma’s Gloriosum sprawled across a special shelf she built just for its horizontal growing habit, creating a living tapestry of velvety foliage.
Washington’s cool nights seemed to intensify the contrast between the dark leaves and bright veins. She potted it in a mixture of orchid bark and soil she collected from the woods behind her Olympia home.
Last summer, I helped divide a small section of her plant and sold it for $350—enough to take her out for a fancy dinner where I finally explained just how special her plant collection was. Her green eyes widened just like those Gloriosum leaves!
5. String Of Dolphins
Dolphin-shaped leaves seem to swim along cascading stems in this charming succulent. Grandma’s hung in a macramé hanger she made during the 1970s, creating a waterfall effect by her kitchen window.
The moderate Washington temperatures were ideal since these plants dislike extreme heat. Her Tacoma home provided the perfect balance of bright light without scorching summer temperatures that would harm this delicate succulent.
I once accidentally knocked a stem off while helping with dishes. Instead of being upset, she showed me how to propagate it in water. That single broken piece grew into my own plant that’s now worth over $75—not bad for a kitchen accident!
6. Variegated Hoya Compacta
Waxy leaves splashed with creamy white make this climbing plant a collector’s dream. Grandma’s specimen wound around a small trellis she fashioned from driftwood collected on Puget Sound beaches decades ago.
Washington’s mild climate meant she could move it outdoors during summer months to encourage the spectacular fragrant blooms that appeared each year. These star-shaped flowers emerged only at night, filling her porch with a sweet vanilla scent.
She called it her “shooting star plant” and had no idea that cuttings from it would sell for $100+ each. When I explained its value, she laughed and said, “All these years I thought my retirement fund was in the bank, but it’s been growing on my windowsill!”
7. Calathea Orbifolia
Silver-striped dinner plate-sized leaves make this Calathea stand out even among rare plants. Grandma’s specimen reached an impressive size in her Vancouver, Washington sunroom where it enjoyed consistent temperatures year-round.
The naturally higher humidity of the Pacific Northwest suited this tropical beauty perfectly. She placed it in an eastern window where morning light illuminated those stunning silver stripes without burning the delicate leaves.
I always marveled at how the leaves would fold up every evening as if in prayer. Grandma told me they were “thanking the sun for another day,” a sweet sentiment for a plant now worth over $200 for a mature specimen. Her gentle care created a true botanical heirloom.
8. Anthurium Clarinervium
Heart-shaped leaves with striking white veins make this Mexican native instantly recognizable. Grandma received hers from a traveling botanist who stayed at her Bellingham bed and breakfast in the early 1990s.
Washington’s coastal climate mimicked aspects of this plant’s native cloud forest habitat. She kept it in her guest bathroom where the shower’s steam provided perfect humidity levels that would normally be difficult to maintain.
I helped repot it last spring and counted seven new growth points—each potentially worth $75 as a cutting. When I told her this, she joked that her bathroom plant might pay for her bathroom renovation! The velvet-textured leaves still feel magical under my fingertips.
9. Pilea Peperomioides ‘Silver Splash’
Round pancake-shaped leaves with unique silver speckles make this rare Pilea variety a collector’s item. Grandma’s plant produced countless babies over the years, which she happily shared with neighbors not knowing their value.
The plant thrived in her Spokane home where dry indoor winter air would normally challenge tropical plants. She cleverly placed it on a pebble tray filled with water to create a microclimate of humidity.
Last Christmas, I spotted a tiny ‘Silver Splash’ at a specialty nursery priced at $85. I couldn’t help laughing, thinking about the dozens Grandma had given away as hostess gifts over the years. Her generosity had unknowingly spread botanical wealth throughout eastern Washington!
10. Staghorn Fern
Antler-like fronds mounted on a wooden board create living wall art unlike any other plant. Grandma’s specimen hung in her Port Townsend dining room for over 30 years, growing into a massive statement piece worth hundreds today.
Washington’s marine climate was perfect for this epiphytic fern that naturally grows attached to trees. The naturally humid air meant she rarely needed to mist it, unlike collectors in drier regions who struggle with these finicky plants.
I remember helping her soak it in the bathtub monthly, an odd ritual that felt like bathing a strange pet. “Plants are just like people,” she’d say, “some need more attention than others.” This particular attention-seeker turned out to be quite the investment!
11. Oxalis Triangularis ‘Black Beauty’
Deep purple leaves that fold up at night distinguish this uncommon Oxalis variety. Grandma’s ‘Black Beauty’ grew in a hand-thrown pottery bowl she purchased at a Seattle craft fair in the 1960s, creating a stunning color contrast.
Washington’s seasonal light changes triggered spectacular blooming cycles with delicate pink flowers emerging in spring and fall. She placed it in an east-facing kitchen window where morning light made those purple leaves practically glow.
My cousins always called it the “butterfly plant” because the triangular leaves resembled butterfly wings. Little did we know this humble plant would become a sought-after variety worth up to $65 for a well-established specimen. Grandma just loved it for its daily “dance” as leaves opened and closed with the light.
12. Begonia Maculata ‘Wightii’
Polka-dotted leaves with crimson undersides make this angel wing begonia instantly recognizable. Grandma’s plant reached ceiling height in her Gig Harbor solarium, creating a dramatic display few collectors can match.
Washington’s filtered sunlight through often cloudy skies created ideal growing conditions without the leaf burn that plagues these plants in sunnier regions. She propagated dozens from a single cutting given to her by a garden club friend in 1978.
I once accidentally broke a stem while vacuuming and cried thinking I’d ruined her prized plant. She simply stuck the broken piece in soil, where it rooted and grew into another spectacular specimen. That “accident” now graces my apartment and is worth around $75—a living inheritance from Grandma’s green thumb.