So last year, our office was gifted with one of those rare-ish Monstera Thai Constellation houseplants. As you can imagine, we were pretty pumped to have one of these houseplant beauties to care for, and wanted to give it all the plant care, love and attention that it deserved. But, team We the Wild got into a really busy period, and our office houseplant care regime fell away. All we could do is put the plant in a bright corner, slosh some water with Grow Concentrate every now and again, and hope for the best.
Guess what? This plant babe THRIVED!
It got us thinking; if we could make a Monstera Thai Constellation thrive with a bit of neglect (and some help from We the Wild's organic plant food products), does that mean that other rare plants are easy to care for?
If you're looking for some advice on whether rare houseplants are a fit for you, and want to know some of the basic differences between rare houseplants and regular, common houseplants, then this is for you!
Is There Such Thing As A "Rare Houseplant"? If So, What Makes A Houseplant “Rare”?
We believe that all plants should be accessible to all people. Plants should be about inclusion; we should all be able to discover the joy of houseplants if we so desire. Nevertheless, plants are now purposely bred to create uncommon species with interesting patterns, leaves and growing behaviors. Companies can control the release of these plants...especially if they're slow growing, as most rare houseplants are. Generally, a rare houseplant is a plant that is tightly held and hard to find in your standard store. They're expensive and elusive.
Rare Houseplants vs. Common Houseplants: Do They Require Different Care?
Finding the right light for rare houseplants: 9/10 difficulty
Common houseplants like the peace lily, the pothos or the monstera generally have green colored leaves with standard patterns; stripes, ribbed textures or small amounts of variegation. It means that these plants are pretty adaptable when it comes to changing light conditions, and can generally handle bright, indirect light, or even low light.
On the other hand, tropical rare houseplants have higher amounts of variegation (they have lots of white or colored bits on their leaves). Because of this, they can be pickier with lighting. Read our guide to variegation for more info here. Too little light prevents them from photosynthesising and growing. Too much can burn delicate leaves. Finding a space with lots of bright, indirect light in order to maximize full spectrum light rays on the leaves is often crucial. Some plant parents even use grow lights to give a steady supply of vitamin D.
Watering rare plants correctly: 7/10 difficulty
It can be pretty easy to keep common houseplants like snake plants and ZZ plants happy with the right amount of water. A good rule of thumb; if the soil is starting to be dry, give your plant a good drink. Many of the comparative rare plants follow a similar style of watering; your rare monsteras and philodendrons for example.
But, as you move into the top tier rare houseplants like an Alocasia silver dragon or a begonia maculata, water management can be a little trickier. Some of these rare plants are so sensitive that they even require distilled water!
Whether it's a rare houseplant or a common houseplants, as long as you keep a consistent watering schedule, and don't keep the soil water logged, you should be ok!
Fertilizing rare houseplants correctly: 2/10 difficulty
This one is pretty simple. If you're using standard chemical fertilizers, and trying to keep a delicate balance of NPK ratios and micronutrient levels, you are overcomplicating what it takes to grow a thriving rare houseplant. Often, fertilizer companies will drive fear to sell highly priced bottles of chemical fertilizers. But guess what? More often than not, it's the SAME THING.
We always recommend using a bioactive, organic houseplant food like We the Wild's Plant Food Bundle. Whether you're growing rare houseplants or common houseplants, the needs are the same. Every plant needs the mix of fungi, hormones, enzymes, microbes, nutrients and micronutrients that only bioactive houseplant fertilizer products provide. By making the switch to bioactive fertilizer, you are reducing the complexity and worry that comes with fertilizing rare houseplants and common houseplants.
So, Are Rare Houseplants More Difficult for Beginner Plant Owners?
If you're just starting our with houseplants, you might be wondering if, and when, you can start expanding into exotic, rare houseplant beauties. While many can try and confuse you with different techniques and theories, the reality is that all plants require some core fundamental plant care basics that you can master quite easily.
First, start off researching the natural habitat of the rare houseplant. Does it grow naturally in a jungle? Is it a desert plant? Is it a tree that stretches above a canopy? Or a vine that wraps itself around the trunk of a tree? These will give you clues about the care that your rare plant will need. Once you have figured out the care regime for your plant, it's about consistently caring for it, and watching for signs of stress.
Our verdict; to rare houseplants really need more care than common houseplants?
The short answer is yes, and no. Yes, they need a bit more care than your common houseplant, but with the right decisions, you can actually make the care of your rare houseplants just as easy as a common houseplant. At the end of the day, some common houseplants can be difficult to master, and some rare houseplants can be easier to master. Just apply the same level of research, plant care and patience, and you will start to see your exotic, rare houseplants thrive in no time!
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