Your grandma’s windowsill might have held more than just pretty greenery. Back in the day, many Illinois homes featured rare houseplants that have now become collector’s items worth serious money.
Some of these vintage beauties can fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars from eager plant enthusiasts today.
1. Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
White and green marbled leaves make this plant a stunning showstopper. Collectors go wild for specimens with dramatic white patches, sometimes paying over $5,000 for a single cutting.
Grandma probably got hers from a neighbor decades ago, never imagining its future value. Today’s plant lovers hunt for these beauties at specialty nurseries and online auctions. Proper care requires bright indirect light and consistent watering to keep those gorgeous leaves healthy and vibrant.
2. Hoya Carnosa Compacta
Twisted, rope-like leaves earned this plant the nickname Hindu Rope Plant. Waxy pink flowers bloom in clusters, filling rooms with sweet fragrance that grandma loved.
Many Illinois homes had these hanging in kitchen windows, thriving on benign neglect. Modern collectors prize mature specimens with thick, cascading vines. Some rare variegated versions sell for several hundred dollars online, making that dusty hanging basket potentially quite valuable today.
3. Philodendron Pink Princess
Bubblegum pink splashes across dark green leaves create a magical color combination. Your grandmother might have called it just another philodendron, unaware of its rarity.
Plants with more pink coloring command higher prices, sometimes reaching $300 per plant. Maintaining the pink variegation requires specific lighting conditions and careful pruning. Illinois plant collectors now search estate sales hoping to find forgotten Pink Princess specimens from decades past.
4. Syngonium Albo Variegata
Arrowhead-shaped leaves with creamy white sections made this a popular Illinois houseplant. Grandma appreciated how easily it grew, sending out runners and filling empty corners.
Nowadays, variegated Syngoniums fetch impressive prices from collectors seeking unusual foliage. Plants with half-moon variegation patterns are especially desirable. Simple propagation methods mean one vintage plant could generate dozens of valuable cuttings worth $50 to $200 each in today’s market.
5. Anthurium Clarinervium
Heart-shaped leaves with striking white veins look like nature painted them by hand. Velvety texture adds another dimension of beauty that photographs cannot fully capture.
These tropical treasures prefer humidity, which many Illinois basements naturally provided. Mature plants now sell for $100 to $400 depending on size and leaf quality. Grandma’s specimen might have quietly grown for years, becoming a valuable heirloom worth preserving for future generations.
6. Alocasia Zebrina
Zebra-striped stems support large arrow-shaped leaves in a dramatic display. Bold patterns made this plant a conversation starter in mid-century Illinois living rooms.
Finding healthy Zebrina specimens challenges even experienced plant parents today. They need warmth, humidity, and careful attention to watering schedules. Collectors willingly pay $75 to $150 for well-established plants. That forgotten Alocasia in grandma’s sunroom could represent a small fortune waiting to be discovered.
7. Begonia Maculata
Silver polka dots dance across olive green leaves with burgundy undersides. Angel wing-shaped foliage and delicate pink flowers made this a beloved houseplant choice.
Many Illinois grandmothers propagated these freely, sharing cuttings with friends and family. Today’s market values healthy specimens at $30 to $100 depending on maturity. Rare variegated forms command even higher prices. Easy care requirements explain why so many survived decades in Midwestern homes.
8. Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma Variegata
Often mistaken for a mini monstera, this fast-growing vine sports creamy yellow variegation. Grandma probably trained hers up a moss pole or let it trail from a high shelf.
Standard green versions remain affordable, but variegated specimens are extremely rare. Serious collectors pay $200 to $800 for plants with stable variegation patterns. Illinois estate sales occasionally reveal these treasures, hidden among more common houseplants and waiting for recognition.
9. Streptocarpus Saxorum
Fuzzy gray-green leaves and tubular purple flowers created year-round interest. Many Illinois grandmothers kept these on bright windowsills, enjoying their easygoing nature.
Also called false African violet, this trailing plant thrives in hanging baskets. Current market interest in unusual flowering houseplants has increased demand significantly. Mature specimens with full, cascading growth sell for $40 to $80. Propagation from leaf cuttings means one plant can become many.
10. Ceropegia Woodii Variegata
String of hearts with pink and cream variegation looks like living jewelry. Delicate chains of heart-shaped leaves cascade gracefully from containers, creating romantic displays.
Standard green versions remain common, but variegated forms are scarce and pricey. Collectors hunt for plants with strong pink coloring, paying $60 to $200 for cuttings. Grandma might have received hers as a wedding gift, never suspecting it would become a sought-after rarity decades later.
11. Scindapsus Pictus Exotica
Silvery splotches cover dark green leaves like someone splattered them with metallic paint. Satin pothos varieties graced many Illinois homes, appreciated for tolerating low light conditions.
Exotica features larger silver markings than common varieties, making it more valuable. Current prices range from $35 to $100 for healthy plants. These vines grow quickly with minimal fuss, explaining their popularity across generations. Grandma’s neglected corner plant might actually be a collector’s dream.