There are a variety of uncommon variations of the beloved Monstera plant. The most uncommon of these is the Monstera obliqua.
Plant lovers cannot get enough rare and unusual Monstera plants because their unconventional colors or shapes transform an indoor garden into an exotic and otherworldly space.
Many species of Monsteras are rare because of supply and demand. Social media influencers showcase beautiful white, variegated, and unusual Monsteras, which drives up the demand.
Rare Monsteras are slow to propagate. Since most variegations are passed on through propagation and do not grow from seeds, the supply cannot meet the demand.
Unmet demand drives the price into thousands of dollars for some mature Monstera plants.
These rare species can be pricey, so I will explain a little about each for you so you’ll know which ones are worth adding to your wishlist.
Read on to learn more about hard-to-find Monstera plants so that you do not get gouged when you buy a cutting or a mature plant.
Rare & Hard-To-Find Monstera Plants
Rare Monstera plants are rare because they have genetic differences that make them scarce, yet remarkable to behold.
The genetic differences that make these Monsteras so unique make them hard to grow. Variegated or holey Monstera plants cannot take in as many nutrients as a common species of Monstera.
Some variegated Monsteras have variegated leaves because of a mutation. A mutation, rather than genetic variegation, means certain Monsteras revert.
With mutations, the white or cream color is not passed on to new leaf growth over time if the conditions are not optimal.
Importing plants is no picnic either, especially for rare plants. With less chlorophyll, variegated and holey plants are less likely to survive a long journey in a dark box.
Shipping costs add up, and each country has different policies for what plant matter they allow into their country.
If you spot any of these 22 rare and unusual Monstera plants for a good price – grab them and run to the checkout!
1. Monstera obliqua
Monstera obliqua is the rarest Monstera because its leaves are delicate and it is extremely slow growing.
Monstera obliqua takes the Swiss cheese plant to the extreme with more holes in their leaves than leaves themselves.
Monstera obliqua is similar to Monstera adansonii with some differences that greatly affect their respective price tags.
Monstera obliqua is rarer than Monstera adansonii with papery thin leaves, rounder holes, and a much slower growth rate.
- Price for a cutting: $5,000 to $8,000
- Price for a mature plant: $23,000
- Country of origin: Central and South America
2. Monstera deliciosa ‘Thai Constellation’
Monstera deliciosa ‘Thai Constellation’ plants have cream-colored variegations that look like paint splatters or stars in the night sky.
The best part? The variegation in a Thai Constellation is genetic, and these leaves will not revert to a full green leaf if light and humidity conditions are not perfect.
Thai Constellation Monsteras sometimes get mistaken for ‘Albo Variegata’. Thai Constellations are cheaper to purchase than Albo Variegatas, and small cuttings of the two species look very similar.
I will further discuss why below.
- Price for a cutting: $150 to $300
- Price for a mature plant: $325 to over $1,000
- Country of origin: Lab produced in Thailand
3. Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Variegata’
There is something supremely beautiful about a plant that produces a half white and half green leaf.
The Albo Variegata has beautiful fenestrated leaves with stark white and green patches. It is eye-catching and highly Instagrammable.
Thai Constellations are sometimes mistaken (or sold to the unsuspecting) as Albo Variegata. Small cuttings of Thai Constellations and Albo look similar in their juvenile form.
The key thing to note about Albo Variegata vs. Thai Constellations is that Albos have the white variegation from a mutation.
On the other hand, Thai Constellations are genetically variegated with cream-colored speckles.
It is not guaranteed that the leaves produced by an Albo will also have the mutation, so variegation may be lost after several new leaves come in.
- Price for a cutting: $200 to $500
- Price for a mature plant: $1,000 to 3,500 or more
- Country of origin: Mexico and Central America
4. Monstera deliciosa f. borsigiana ‘Albo Variegata’
Borsigiana is a sub-species of Monstera deliciosa. The difference between a Monstera deliciosa f. Borsigiana ‘Albo Variegata’ and the Monstera deliciosa ‘Albo Variegata’ is the growth pattern.
An easy way to remember the difference between the two species is that the deliciosa species produces delicious fruit, whereas the borsigiana does not.
Borsigiana species of Monsteras grow more like vines that wrap around moss poles or trees. A Monstera deliciosa does not need a moss pole to wrap around.
If you are particularly interested in the borsigiana ‘Albo’, be sure to contact the seller before bidding on this rare Monstera to confirm the species.
- Price for a cutting: $200 to $500
- Price for a mature plant: $2,000 to $5,000 or more
- Country of origin: Mexico and Central America
5. Monstera siltepecana
The Monstera siltepecana is a cute little vine with leaves that are incredibly pleasing to look at and watch grow.
The shape, dimensions, and silver venation in the leaves make this rare Monstera worth adding to your plant wishlist.
- Price for a cutting: $2 to $15
- Price for a mature plant: $20 to $50
- Country of origin: Southern Mexico and Central America
6. Monstera pinnatipartita
Plant collectors adore the Monstera pinnatipartita because of the bright green leaves that resemble palm leaves more than a slice of Swiss cheese.
The leaf shape is similar to a Monstera deliciosa, just without the holes.
- Price for a cutting: $30 to $100
- Price for a mature plant: $50 to $250
- Country of origin: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
7. Monstera adansonii ‘Variegata’
When it comes to unusual Monsteras, the Monstera adansonii ‘Variegata’ looks like something you might find in a sci-fi novel.
Like the non-variegated Monstera adansonii, this rare plant has small, pointed, oval leaves with lots of holes in the leaves.
Adansonii species of Monsteras look like a caterpillar has munched away at the leaves. The variegated adansonii has white patches on the leaves.
Though this plant is cheaper than the rarest Monstera obliqua, it will cost you a pretty penny.
- Price for a cutting: $300 to $2,500
- Price for a mature plant: $3,000 to $9,000
- Country of origin: South and Central America
8. Monstera karstenianum ‘Peru’
The Monstera karstenianum is also known as the Monstera Peru. Plant aficionados adore this species of rare Monstera because of their textured leaves.
Monstera karstenianum are vining plants that quickly grow along moss poles or drape over hanging baskets.
- Price for a cutting: $5 to $20
- Price for a mature plant: $20 to $75
- Country of origin: Peru
9. Monstera deliciosa ‘Aurea’
Monsteras have different colored variegations; the name of the plant often indicates the color. Albo stands for white, Aurea for yellow, and Sport for light green or mint.
Aurea translates to gold in Latin. These Monstera deliciosa ‘Aurea’ are aptly named since their leaves have bright yellow variegations that look gold in certain lights.
Aurea variegations are similar to Albo variegations because the leaves lack chlorophyll. Aurea variegations can be strong in some leaves with blocks and specks of yellow, light green, and cream.
- Price for a cutting: $300 to $600
- Price for a mature plant: $1,000 and up
- Country of origin: South and Central America
10. Monstera standleyana
A Monstera standleyana has oval leaves around 6 inches in size.
The Monstera standleyana is often mistaken for some species of Philodendron because of the growth pattern, size, and shape of its leaves.
This rare Monstera is ideal for small apartments since the plant is smaller than a Monstera deliciosa and grows as a climbing vine or hangs down over baskets.
- Price: The Albo Monstera trend is so strong that finding a non-variegated Monstera standleyana for sale online is nearly impossible. See below for prices for Albo Monstera standleyana
- Country of origin: Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama
11. Monstera standleyana ‘Albo Variegata’
A Monstera standleyana ‘Albo Variegata’ has unsteady variegation, so everything said in the description above for the Monstera standleyana is also true of the Albo version.
Before purchasing a mature Monstera standleyana ‘Albo Variegata’, pay attention to the coloring on the new leaf growth. You will see white variegations in the older leaves.
If it is reverting, the new leaves will have incrementally less white on them.
- Price for a cutting: $15 to $30
- Price for a mature plant: $40 to $100
- Country of origin: Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama
12. Monstera acacoyaguensis
The Monstera acacoyaguenisis is a rare Monstera with juvenile leaves that are small and ovular.
This Monstera species has mature leaves that resemble a middle-ground between the holes in a Monstera adansonii and Monstera deliciosa.
- Price for a cutting: $20 to $40
- Price for a mature plant: $100 to $300
- Country of origin: Mexico and Central America
13. Monstera dubia
Monstera dubia is a beautiful species of Monstera that plant collectors like to show off. This rare Monstera grows with its leaves flat against the surface it is climbing.
In the wild, the heart-shaped leaves vine up tree trunks and other plants. The heart-shaped leaves are variegated in different shades of green and the veins are dark green.
- Price for a cutting: $15 to $30
- Price for a mature plant: $75 to $200
- Country of origin: Central and South America
14. Monstera esqueleto
Esqueleto is the Spanish word for “skeleton.” The Monstera esqueleto looks very similar to the Monstera adansonii with lots of holes in its pointed ovular leaves.
However, the rare Monstera esqueleto is sought after by gardeners to add to their Monstera collection for the unique fenestration pattern in the leaves that sets this Monstera apart from others.
- Price for a cutting: $75 to $100
- Price for a mature plant: $250 and up
- Country of origin: Costa Rica
15. Monstera acuminata
The Monstera acuminata is another similar version of the Monstera adansonii that has smaller and narrower leaves.
The ovular pointed leaves on the acuminata have smaller holes, which help them to grow slightly faster than the adansonii.
- Price for a cutting: $10 to $20
- Price for a mature plant: $45 to $100
- Country of origin: Mexico and Central America
16. Monstera deliciosa ‘Aurea Mint Yellow’
The Monstera deliciosa ‘Aurea Mint Yellow’ is another form of Monstera Aurea that has colors other than yellow variegations on the leaves, like mint green, and cream.
17. Monstera deliciosa ‘Mint’
The Monstera deliciosa ‘Mint’ is a rare Monstera that is trending on social media. It resembles a Thai Constellation with more white, cream, and mint-green streaks and speckles in the leaves.
Before purchasing a cutting, request to see the mother plant to ensure that you are being sold a Mint and not a Thai Constellation.
- Price for a cutting: $200 to $1,000
- Price for a mature plant: $11,000 and up
- Country of origin: Mexico and Central America
18. Monstera adansonii ‘Archipelago’
The Monstera adansonii ‘Archipelago’ is similar to the Monstera adansonii ‘Variegata’. The difference?
The Archipelago Monstera has more variegation than the Variegata version, which is slightly confusing and makes these two difficult to distinguish between when purchasing online, especially as cuttings or juvenile plants.
- Price for a cutting: $250 to $350
- Price for a mature plant: $1,000 and up
- Country of origin: Sweden
19. Monstera subpinnata
Monstera subpinnata are rare Monstera plants that are somewhat similar to the Monstera pinnatipartita.
The leaves of the Monstera subpinnata are fragmented, resembling palm leaves.
- Price for a cutting: $25 to $70
- Price for a mature plant: $100 and up
- Country of origin: Colombia and Ecuador
20. Monstera lechleriana
The Monstera lechleriana looks similar to a Monstera adansonii with big holes in the leaves. The lechleriana species, however, has larger leaves than an adansonii.
Plant enthusiasts enjoy adding this rare Monstera to their collection.
The Monstera lechleriana has a variegated version that differs drastically in price.
- Price for a cutting: $15 to $75
- Price for a mature plant: $150 to $350
- Country of origin: South America
21. Monstera adansonii acacoyaguensis
The Monstera adansonii acacoyaguensis is a beautiful rare Monstera that grows large pointed ovular leaves with big holes.
It is similar to the Monstera acacoyaguensis, but the leaf shape more resembles an adansonii.
- Price for a mature plant: $500
- Country of Origin: South America
22. Monstera adansonii laniata
The rare Monstera adansonii laniata is a sub-species of the adansonii that have shinier and deeper green leaves.
- Price for a cutting: $10 to $40
- Price for a mature plant: $50 and over
- Country of origin: South America
Other Rare Araceae Family Members
Monsteras come from a family called Araceae. Monsteras, Philodendrons, and Pothos sometimes get mixed up because these three plant species all fall under the Araceae family.
What Is the Rarest Philodendron?
The rarest Philodendron is the Philodendron spiritus sancti which sold on eBay for nearly $10,000.
What Is the Rarest Pothos?
Harlequin Pothos and Cebu Blue Pothos are the rarest and most sought-after Pothos species.
Conclusion
The rarest Monstera is the Monstera obliqua. The Monstera obliqua is extremely hard to find and slow to grow.
Obliqua plants are coveted by plant collectors willing to pay a pretty penny for this rare plant species.
You do not have to mortgage your house just to have some unusual-looking Monsteras in your home; there are so many options apart from the Monstera obliqua.
Depending on where you live, any one of these 22 rare Monsteras could pop up in your garden center or Facebook marketplace for a price you deem worth paying. Best of luck!
Image credit: Lhangz Nidraj Meje