Nowadays, everyone has houseplants and most people stick to the same species. But what if you are looking for something else?
If you to fill your home with some rarer plants, you are unfortunately going to be looking at quite a high cost.
One option you might not be aware of is going for medium rare varieties, rather than the super unusual ones, as those offer the sweet spot between rarity and price.
In this article we will be looking at some plants that are both unusual and cheap, and also offer a couple of higher budget options for people who want something even rarer.
Here are the cheapest RARE houseplants you can buy, to stand out from the crowd:
1. Fancy Leaf Aaron Caladium (Caladium Aaron)
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This is one of the rarest Caladium plants, and it has beautiful, large foliage.
It can be grown outdoors but it will also grow inside your home.
Its foliage is white in the centers and edged with dark green, and forms an approximate heart shape that is highly attractive.
Price: around $11.99 for a large bulb on Amazon.
Temperature: Prefers to be kept above 70 degrees F.
Light: Low light/partial shade.
Water: When the soil dries out.
2. Miss Muffet Caladium (Caladium Hortulanum)
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The Miss Muffet Caladium is also a very unusual variety, and it’s a dwarf Caladium so it’s ideal if you are short on space for plants.
It has pale green or lime-colored leaves, with splashes of hot pink covering them in random patterns spreading out from the center along the leaf veins.
These plants certainly stand out from the crowd with their extraordinary foliage, and they will grow in your home or outside.
They look very different from almost all other plants, and their crinkly, elongated leaves are bound to draw comments and interest from visitors.
Price: around $10.99 for a large bulb on Amazon.
Temperature: It prefers to be kept between 70 and 90 degrees F.
Light: Bright, indirect light.
Water: Water it regularly and don’t let it dry out. Mist occasionally to boost the ambient humidity.
3. Philodendron White Princess (Philodendron Erubescens)
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If you’re willing to go up a bit in price and you would like an amazing, variegated plant to show for your efforts, you might want to try a Philodendron White Princess.
This incredible plant will climb up any support or trellis to spread its white-edged leaves.
Philodendrons are immensely popular houseplants anyway, but the ones with white on their leaves tend to be particularly sought after.
The variegation provides a wonderful contrast with the green leaves, and these plants look as though they have been painted by an artist.
Price: the cheapest found is at $125.99 for a plant in an 11 cm pot.
Temperature: Between 64 and 77 degrees F.
Light: Bright, indirect light. Like other plants with variegated leaves, it’s important to get the balance right, as they need plenty of sun to make up for the lack of chlorophyll – but too much and they will burn.
Water: Water when the top layer of the soil is dry.
4. Jet Diamond Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum Jet Diamond)
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If you love peace lilies and you never knew there was a variegated alternative, you might be feeling very excited right now.
The variegated peace lily is gorgeous to look at. It still has the long, glossy leaves associated with peace lilies, but the leaves are flecked all over with strikes of white.
They may even have some larger white blotches, running at angles across the leaf to form bands. The “jet” part of the name references how dark the rest of the leaf is, providing some striking contrast with the white.
These plants are highly attractive and if the standard peace lily feels too common for you, this is an ideal second option!
Price: usually $50 for a medium plant.
Temperature: Between 60 and 90 degrees F.
Light: Indirect sunlight but will tolerate fairly low light levels.
Water: Plenty of water, whenever the surface of the soil starts to dry out.
5. Asian Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes)
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If you love carnivorous plants, the Asian pitcher plant is a little different from most that you’ll see.
It looks like it is dramatically wilting, and yet its rich, glossy leaves indicate it is in full health. It has amazing green pitchers for capturing prey.
You can feed your plant a couple of bugs a month to ensure it gets enough to eat, or watch in fascination as it catches its own.
Pitcher plants can be pretty challenging to care for, so this is recommended for plant enthusiasts who want an unusual pitcher to display. It’s not one you are likely to see in your local nurseries.
Price: $29 for a 6” hanging pot.
Temperature: Between 55 and 95 degrees F.
Light: Bright, indirect light; direct sun will burn it.
Water: Water with rainwater or distilled water until it comes out of the bottom of the pot, and then drain it.
6. Mother Of Thousands (Kalanchoe Daigremontiana)
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Mother of thousands is one of the more unusual succulents, and has an amazing aesthetic, with smooth leaves that are edged with tiny frills of baby plants – hence the name.
The leaves look as though they have been iced with a fancy piping bag.
It is also known as the Alligator plant or Mexican hat, and it’s native to Madagascar.
Price: $15.50 for baby plants.
Temperature: Between 65 and 75 degrees F.
Light: Plenty of bright, indirect light.
Water: Water once the soil is dry; this plant is drought-tolerant but not as hardy as some succulents.
7. Aloe Coral Fire
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This amazing variation of the common aloe vera is a must-have for any succulent fan.
It has bright red “teeth” along the edges of every stem, where the aloe’s spines usually form.
It also has bright red spots on its leaves, and because of the contrast between the vivid green and scarlet, it’s an extremely striking plant.
If you’ve already got a collection of aloe veras that you would like to spice up a bit, this is certainly the plant to do the job.
Price: chepeast found is around $35 for a 4 inch plant from Amazon.
Temperature: Above 45 degrees F.
Light: Strong, bright light, but slow acclimatization to full sun.
Water: Water when the soil is beginning to dry out.
8. Black-gold Philodendron (Philodendron Melanochrysum)
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This plant has become slightly more common in recent years because of just how incredibly beautiful it is – everyone wants one.
These plants are also relatively easy to care for, but they are a challenge to propagate, so they have remained rare in spite of the growing demand.
They have a sleek, elegant appearance that makes them perfect for the modern home, with dark green leaves lit up by golden veins in the centers. These give the leaf beautiful definition and a delicacy that is often missing from plants with big leaves.
Price: around $39.
Temperature: Between 65 and 80 degrees F.
Light: Bright, indirect light.
Water: Allow the soil to dry to 2-3 inches down before watering.
9. King Anthurium (Anthurium Veitchii)
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The King Anthurium is one of the most expensive plants on this list, but if you love textured leaves, it’s one that you need to see.
The leaves grow the most incredible ripples across their width, making them look as though they have been intricately folded into a concertina.
They are elongated and glossy, with pale veins at the center, and the leaves can grow to over 3 feet, making them an impressive addition to any home.
There is no other plant that looks quite like this one, although many other Anthuriums are impressive too.
As a tip, it could be worth getting the biggest, healthiest plant you can afford. If you manage to reproduce it succesfully you will likely make your money back as they are very sought after!
Price: $110 for a small plant, up too $300 for a bigger one.
Temperature: Between 60 and 80 degrees F.
Light: Bright, indirect light and no direct sun.
Water: Keep the soil moist but not wet at all times, and don’t either drown the plant or let it get dried out.
10. Purple Shamrock (Oxalis Triangularis)
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You might be surprised to see something as easy to grow as an oxalis on this list, but it is surprisingly unusual to find the purple shamrock growing in people’s homes.
It is a striking plant with deep purple leaves and thick rhizomes beneath the soil.
It flowers throughout the year and produces delicate pink blooms on long tendrils. It is relatively easy to care for, but does need regular inspections for aphids and other pests that love to eat it.
It also requires a good spot without too much direct sun, or its leaves will burn.
This plant isn’t at the top of the “rare plants of the world” list by any means, but if you’re just looking for a cheap houseplant that won’t break the bank and will still stand out as unusual, it’s an ideal option.
Price: best price we could find is $6.95 for 10 rhizomes.
Temperature: Between 60 and 75 degrees F.
Light: Full sun to partial shade but will burn if it’s put into too much direct sunlight without time to adjust.
Water: Allow the soil to dry to an inch down before watering.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you’ve found a great deal of variety on this list.
Some of these plants are much rarer and harder to get hold of than others (and a bit higher in price as a result!), but all of them will stand out in your home for being very rare or unusual, and all of them are cheap enough to consider adding to your plant collection!