Around 2020/2021, the plant world suddenly turned upside down. We could no longer go outside, so a lot of vacation money was spent on new or old hobbies and interior design. In this, the houseplant suddenly became very popular. With the help of social media and beautiful photos of unusual species, collecting rare houseplants suddenly became super hip. Variegata plants in particular gained popularity: plants with special mutations, causing unusual colors and patterns to appear in the leaves. A feast for the eyes!
The search by breeders
The plant community also expanded explosively during the pandemic. And the search for many breeders and hobbyists for distinct species was further fueled by this.
In 2024, the search became even more intense to stay ahead of the market. It is always a bit of sensing and testing if hobbyists are looking for a particular species. With a large international network and trusted colleagues, a lot of news can be discovered with the right attention. Special species we didn't even know about before are being imported en masse these days. Faster communication and better logistics, among other things, are making more and more possible. Also for small family businesses, like ours.
New webshops
It is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to discover new species, because so much has already been discovered. The days when everyone had to have a Monstera deliciosa variegata albo, causing prices to skyrocket, are now over. That, as well as the extremely increased energy prices, makes the plant world a lot less attractive for beginning webshops. It is no longer so easy to make a lot of money with plants. To do so, you already have to specialize in unusual plants, which hardly anyone offers, but are very much in demand. Without a network and extensive knowledge or testing capacity, it becomes almost impossible nowadays to claim your place in the plant world as a starter. This is also the reason why a lot of small companies that did well during the pandemic died after this.
What new variegata plants are coming up?
At the moment, the market is extra fast, so many special plants (if easy to grow) are also rapidly becoming more affordable for hobbyists. So for the consumer, there is a nice benefit in that the market is no longer as congested as it was during the pandemic. New Thaumatophyllums (formerly Philodendrons) that we now have in our assortment with separate aurea variegata are also expected to be affordable for collectors with a smaller budget within two years. However, slow-growing plants such as the Philodendron atabapoense variegata will still keep its high price a bit longer.
