In brief
- The Juliet Rose is often called the $3 million rose because of its reported development cost.
- The highest bonsai sale on record is a centuries-old pine sold for $1.3 million in Takamatsu, Japan.
- A variegated Monstera Minima sold for NZ$27,100, about $19,200, on Trade Me in 2021.
- Variegation, slow growth and limited supply drive rare houseplant prices.
As of October 2026, the most expensive plant on this list is the Juliet Rose, which reportedly cost about $3 million to develop. The highest recorded sale is a centuries-old pine bonsai that sold for $1.3 million in Japan, while the record for a single houseplant online is about $19,200 for a variegated Monstera Minima.
Rare houseplants became a serious collector market after 2020. Variegated leaves, slow growth and small supply push prices for some plants into the thousands of dollars. Prices for common versions of the same plants have since fallen as growers produce more.
| Rank | Plant | Price | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juliet Rose | $3 million | Reported development cost, 2006 launch |
| 2 | 800-Year-Old Bonsai Tree | $1.3 million | Sold at bonsai convention, Takamatsu |
| 3 | Juniper Bonsai Tree | $350,000 | Reported sale, Bonsai Empire |
| 4 | Shenzhen Nongke Orchid | $200,000 | 1.68 million yuan at auction, 2005 |
| 5 | Variegated Monstera Adansonii | $38,000 | Reported eBay sale |
| 6 | Variegated Monstera Minima | $19,200 | NZ$27,100 on Trade Me, 2021 |
| 7 | Hindu Rope Plant | Up to $6,500 | Range $40 to $6,500 |
| 8 | Rothschild Orchid | Up to $5,000 | Per stem |
| 9 | Pink Princess Philodendron | About $2,000 | Mature plant |
| 10 | Monstera Obliqua | Up to $1,500 | Six-inch pot |
| 11 | Queen of the Night | Not for sale | Flower cannot be sold cut |
1. Juliet Rose: $3 million
The Juliet Rose was bred by the English rose breeder David Austin, who made the original cross in 1999. It took about 15 years of breeding and testing before it was ready, and it was introduced at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2006.
Also readLuxury Gifts for Men 2026: 12 Premium Picks Worth BuyingIt is often called the $3 million rose because of its reported development cost, not because a single stem sells for that much. Today, Juliet roses are sold to florists and for weddings at normal premium flower prices.
2. 800-Year-Old Bonsai Tree: $1.3 million
The most expensive bonsai sale on record is a pine said to be centuries old, reported at about 800 years. It sold for $1.3 million at the International Bonsai Convention in Takamatsu, Japan, in 2011.
Old bonsai trees are valued for their age, the shape of the trunk and the record of care passed down by owners. Takamatsu is known for its pine bonsai growers.
3. Juniper Bonsai Tree: $350,000
Bonsai Empire lists a juniper bonsai with an unusual trunk among the most expensive trees it has recorded, at about $350,000. Junipers are prized because their deadwood, the bare, twisted parts of the trunk, can look striking after decades of training.
Top junipers usually appear at Japanese exhibitions such as the Taikan-ten, where dealers and collectors trade the most valuable trees.
4. Shenzhen Nongke Orchid: $200,000
The Shenzhen Nongke Orchid was created by agricultural scientists in Shenzhen, China, after about eight years of research. It is a man-made variety rather than a wild species.
One plant sold at auction in 2005 for 1.68 million yuan, about $200,000 at the time. The orchid is said to flower only about once every five years, which adds to its rarity.
5. Variegated Monstera Adansonii: $38,000
The Monstera adansonii, or Swiss cheese vine, is a common houseplant in its green form. Variegated versions with white patches are rare because the white parts cannot produce food for the plant, so they grow slowly and are hard to keep alive.
Gardenista reported that one variegated Monstera adansonii once sold for $38,000 on eBay. Most variegated Monsteras sell for about $100 to a few thousand dollars, depending on the pattern and size.
6. Variegated Monstera Minima: $19,200
The Monstera Minima is the common name for Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. In June 2021, a white variegated plant with nine leaves sold on the New Zealand site Trade Me for NZ$27,100, just over $19,200. Trade Me called it a record for a houseplant on the site.
Trade Me also reported that the average price of indoor plants on the site rose from NZ$34 in May 2019 to NZ$82 in May 2021, during the boom in plant buying.
7. Hindu Rope Plant: Up to $6,500
The Hindu Rope Plant, Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’, has thick, curled leaves that twist along its stems like rope. It is easy to care for and flowers with clusters of small, scented, star-shaped blooms.
Gardenista put its price range at $40 to $6,500. Common green plants are cheap, while rare variegated forms and large, mature hanging plants sell at the top of the range.
8. Rothschild Orchid: Up to $5,000
The Rothschild Orchid, also called the Gold of Kinabalu, grows only in and around Kinabalu National Park in Malaysia. It can take about 15 years to flower.
A single stem can sell for up to $5,000, according to the flower site Thursd. The species is protected, and trade in wild plants is restricted.
9. Pink Princess Philodendron: About $2,000
The Pink Princess Philodendron has dark green leaves with bright pink patches. The pink comes from variegation, so no two leaves look the same.
Small plants now start at about $79 at retailers such as The Sill. Gardenista notes that a small specimen costs a couple of hundred dollars and a mature plant a couple of thousand.
10. Monstera Obliqua: Up to $1,500
Monstera obliqua is known for leaves that are more holes than leaf. The rare Peru form has very thin leaves and grows slowly, which keeps supply low.
Small plants and cuttings sell from about $75, while a six-inch pot can cost up to $1,500, according to Gardenista. Sellers warn that it is hard to grow at home.
11. Queen of the Night
The Queen of the Night, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, is a cactus with large white flowers. In Sri Lanka it is linked with the Kadupul flower. Each flower opens at night and fades before morning, so it cannot be picked and sold.
That is why it is often called priceless. The plant itself is cheap and easy to grow from cuttings, but the bloom cannot be bought.
How we ranked these plants
We ranked plants by the highest reported sale price or development cost from named sources. Bonsai and orchid figures are one-off sales, while houseplant figures show the top of the resale market. Prices for many rare houseplants have fallen since the 2021 peak as tissue culture made them easier to grow.
For more rare luxury items for the home, see our list of the most expensive house decors.
Sources: Apartment Therapy, Rare houseplant sells for nearly $20,000 (2021), Newstalk ZB, Trade Me record houseplant sale (2021), Gardenista, Expensive indoor plants explained, Bonsai Empire, Expensive bonsai, Thursd, World’s most expensive flowers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most expensive house plant ever sold?
A white variegated Rhaphidophora tetrasperma, sold as a Monstera Minima, fetched NZ$27,100, about $19,200, on Trade Me in June 2021, a record for the site. Gardenista has also reported a variegated Monstera adansonii selling for $38,000 on eBay.
Why are variegated plants so expensive?
Variegated plants have white, yellow or pink patches that lack chlorophyll, so they grow slowly and are harder to propagate. Each plant’s pattern is unique, and stable variegation is rare. Low supply and high demand from collectors push prices up.
How much is the most expensive bonsai tree?
The most expensive bonsai sale on record is a pine reported to be about 800 years old, which sold for $1.3 million at the International Bonsai Convention in Takamatsu, Japan, in 2011. Top junipers have also sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Why is the Juliet Rose called the $3 million rose?
David Austin spent about 15 years breeding and testing the Juliet Rose before it was launched at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2006. The $3 million name refers to its reported development cost. Individual stems sell at normal premium flower prices.
Are rare houseplant prices still high in 2026?
Prices for many rare houseplants have fallen from their 2021 peak as growers use tissue culture to produce more plants. The Pink Princess Philodendron, once costly, now starts at about $79 at some retailers. Rare variegated and mature specimens still sell for high prices.
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