There are over 450 different Philodendron species found in the wild that have been observed and studied. There are theorized to be many more not yet identified. Then, you have variegations, cultivars, and hybrids, making the estimated number of different Philodendron species well over a thousand.
It makes sense, then, that one Philodendron may look completely different from another, and that there is quite a variance in terms of how abundant these plants are, depending on the species. The rarest of all Philodendrons is the Philodendron Spiritus Sancti, while the most common is the Philodendron Hederaceum.
There are so many different Philodendrons out there, and most are unique and make a statement in their own way. To learn more about certain Philodendrons that stand out from the pack, including the most expensive, continue reading below. We will even discuss some of the more rare indoor plants in general.
Who knows, you may come across a new plant to add to your wishlist, one that will be sure to make your indoor garden stand out.
What Is the Rarest Philodendron?
The rarest Philodendron that has been identified to date is the Philodendron Spiritus Sancti. It is so rare that it is considered an endangered species. Despite that, you can still buy it, although it is very expensive if you do manage to find one. One of these plants can easily cost you between $5000 and $10,000.
They are found only in Espirito Santo in Brazil. It is estimated that only six or so are left in the wild. Due to their rarity and high desirability, the remaining ones are in a secret location with security and cameras watching them at all times.
Unlike some other rare species, like the Pink Princess Philodendron, the Spiritus Sancti’s rarity is due to it being scarce, and not simply high in demand.
Although considered quite exotic due to their scarcity, they are relatively easy to take care of.
What Is the Most Common Philodendron?
The most common Philodendron is the Philodendron Hederaceum. This is a heart-leafed Philodendron that is one of the most popular Philodendrons out there. It is easy to take care of and is an excellent option for first-time plant owners.
Plus, this plant is long-living. It can easily last 25 years and stays fairly small with a maximum height of 4 feet (1.2 m).
Besides being easy to find and take care of, the Hederaceum is an attractive plant to have in your garden, with bright, glossy, dark-green foliage.
What Is the Most Expensive Philodendron?
The most expensive Philodendron is easily the Philodendron Billietiae. Though the regular Philodendron Billietiae is fairly cheap, only costing a few hundred dollars, there are variegated versions. Some of the rarest ones start at $3000, but can easily reach upwards of $10,000.
There is one Billietiae breeder in Thailand that sells his Philodendron for up to $54,000 per plant.
There are all sorts of variegations for Philodendron Billietiae. Some are splotched with creamy patches and half-moon shapes. Some have had the color of their leaves altered to a pastel mint green, while others to more of a yellow color.
The most interesting thing about these variegations is that they are caused by a lack of chlorophyll in the leaves. This means that if your rare, variegated Philodendron Billietiae plant produces leaves with more chlorophyll later on, it may turn back into a regular Billietiae.
Until the variegated Philodendron Billietiae came into play, the Philodendron Minima Variegata was considered the most expensive, with one plant selling for over $8000.
What Is the Most Beautiful Philodendron?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which means that the most beautiful Philodendron is a bit different for everyone. However, here is a list of some of the Philodendron commonly considered to be the most beautiful, so you can look among them and determine which one stands out most for you.
- Philodendron Hederaceum: also known as Cordatum, Oxycardium, Scandens, Sweetheart Plant, and Dark Green Heartleaf, Hederaceum is well-loved by many plant owners. These Philodendrons are trailing plants that don’t get too big or unruly.
- Philodendron Hastatum: also known as the Silver Sword Philodendron, this plant has leaves that resemble a sword and are silvery-blue in color.
- Red Emerald Philodendron: has glossy yellow-green leaves that darken to a rich green. However, what gives this Philodendron its name is the stems, which are a deep red/wine color that stands out against the leaves.
- Pink Princess Philodendron: this one has grown in popularity more recently. It has dark green leaves but is variegated so some parts of the leaves change to a bright pink color. They have trailing vines as well.
- Philodendron Gloriosum: has bright green leaves that are velvety in texture and heart-shaped. They are fairly fat leaves with bold white veins to add contrast. The leaves are big, easily reaching around 2 feet (0.5 m) in length.
- Philodendron Selloum: also known as Bipinnatifidum, Lacy Tree, Horsehead, and Philodendron Hope, this plant acts a lot like a vine and has unique, segmented leaves with deep lobes and a rich green color.
- Philodendron Micans: described as a plant with long vines and velvety bronze or reddish-green leaves, these Philodendrons stand out. They are also sometimes called Velvet Leaf Philodendron, and they usually have golden stems and small, roundish leaves that are soft to the touch.
- Philodendron Birkin: has darker green leaves with many streaks of white running through them. These stripes are often compared to pinstripes in a suit. Also, unlike other Philodendron, this Birkin grows in the form of a bush, rather than climbing or creeping.
What Is the Darkest Philodendron?
The Philodendron with the darkest leaves is a hybrid referred to as the Dark Lord Philodendron. The leaves start almost bronze but change to black as they mature. Usually, in one plant, there are a variety of different shades and colors.
Some leaves may be very dark green, while others are dark bronze, and yet others are black. Sometimes, not all the leaves will darken, so you just have a couple of dark green ones that stand out. Or, they may even be a blood red or orange – you can never be quite sure what you are going to get.
The Dark Lord is a hybrid of Philodendron Imperial Red and another, unidentified Philodendron. It is also known as Philodendron Erubescens and Philodendron Black Lord.
Which Philodendron Has The Largest Leaves?
The Philodendron with the largest leaves has to be the Philodendron Maximum. It makes sense that one of the largest Philodendrons overall is also the one with the largest leaves. The Philodendron Maximum is from Bolivia, Ecuador, and Western Brazil. The leaves are heart-shaped, big, and shiny. They usually are colored anywhere from light green to dark hunter green.
One leaf can easily reach 3 feet (1 m) wide and 5.4 feet (1.6 m) long. The plant itself can be 10 feet (3 m) tall and wide.
What Is the Rarest Indoor Plant?
We talked about the rarest Philodendron, but what is the rarest indoor plant? Usually, it is the variegated versions of plants that are the rarest, like the variegated Echeveria Lola, a hybrid succulent. Echeveria Lola’s parent breeds are Echeveria Lilacina and Derenbergii.
They are very pale green with blueish-purple spots. Depending on the temperatures they are exposed to, they may also develop hints of pink throughout.
However, while rare, the Echeveria Lola isn’t the rarest. The rarest indoor plant would have to be the Shenzhen Nongke Orchid. It has only been sold once for about $202,000. There isn’t much known about this plant except that it took about eight years to create this unique orchid and it only blooms about every four to five years.
If you are looking for a more well-known plant that is rare but more readily available, there is also the Monstera Obliqua. Monsteras are pretty common for the most part, but this particular one is hard to take care of and hard to breed, making it very difficult to purchase and own, but rewarding if you take care of it properly.
Summary
Philodendrons are interesting and beautiful plants. You have some with heart-shaped leaves and others with leaves resembling swords or fingers.
It’s often difficult to guess exactly how a Philodendron will grow as it ages. Some even change color as they mature, starting with a light green/red/bronze color and then turning to a dark green or almost black.
While the Spiritus Sancti Philodendron may be the rarest, and the Philodendron Hederaceum the most abundant, there are plenty of other Philodendrons out there that stand out and make a statement.