In Singapore, rare plants sell online for US$40,000 as hobbyists indulge a passion born of the pandemic
- A booming marketplace for rare and costly houseplants has emerged in Singapore since last year, when pandemic-associated restrictions kept many indoors
- Prize specimens can still be found listed online for as much as US$43,800 – but amid the transition towards living with Covid-19, sales have taken a tumble
Taking pride of place in Sin Hai’s collection is a Monstera aurea mint, worth some S$20,000. The entrepreneurial teen runs a 5-star rated store on e-commerce market Carousell called “Botanic Heaven”, which lists a range of plants in various sizes – the most expensive selling for thousands of dollars.
He got his start propagating favourites such as the Philodendron domesticum, or spadeleaf philodendron, and Siam Ruby Banana in his parents’ orchid plot – plants he later sold for S$998 and S$1,488, respectively.
Shawn Chen, owner of Greenfingers nursery, said the market for plants in Singapore had been kicked into overdrive by the pandemic, with the city state’s traditional nurseries reporting a surge in sales last year, by 10 per cent or more.
“I think it’s the inherent nature of humans to want to care for and nurture something. Many people also got pets during the pandemic, but I think the level of commitment and barrier to entry for plants is a lot lower than for a cat or dog,” Chen said.