Some may look like ordinary house plants but shoppers are being urged to check their recent 'green' buys in case they are holding a rare plant that could be worth much more than they paid for it.
Rare plants that could be worth a small fortune have accidentally been sold at the likes of Lidl and B&Q, the Mirror has reported.
While many of the plants may look familiar, for instance, on the list is a plant popular in the 70s, commonly known as a Swiss Cheese, it's the difference in colouring that will mark it out as a rare variety.
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Some of the plants are sold by the shops for around £10 but can sell for a far higher price online, for even just a small part of it like a left or stem.
In some cases, opportunist sellers are listing just the stem of some plants for thousands of pounds - although they can get them for far cheaper by shopping around.
According to MyLondon, popular supermarkets and DIY chains sometimes stock naturally occurring variations of common house plants - and these rare versions can be extremely valuable.
Some are even mistaken for disease by the shops, who then go on to sell the plants at a reduced price, .
Of course, there is no guarantee that your local shop will have any rare plants in stock - but it serves as a good reminder to have a look next time you visit.
What's your favourite house plant? Tell us in the comments section.
Variegated Monstera Adansonii
- A Variegated Monstera Adansonii (Image: Getty Images)
Gardeners will know that the work variegated in botany refers to a plant exhibiting different colours.
The variegated Adansonii shows this beautifully and is a rare find not to be confused with a sick plant.
A regular Monstera Adansonii can develop white spots that cause shops to sell them for cheap.
But these spots are easily confused with the beginnings of variegation, which has the same tell-tale white stripes on the stem as the Deliciosa (described below).
Listings on Esty today started at £200, going up to as much as £1,533.39 for a single lead.
On Ebay, the most expensive variegated Adansonii for sale is listed at £3,699.
Variegated Monstera Deliciosa or Swiss Cheese plant
- A white-speckled Monstera (Image: Nora Carol Photography/Getty Images)
The fun common name of the Monstera Deliciosa is a Swiss Cheese plant - the name given to it because of the holes in its leaves.
And while a regular green plant isn't worth much in monetary terms, a variegated Monstera is very rare.
This version has white markings on their stems and leaves, occasionally putting out a whole white leaf.
Because the signs can be subtle in young plants, shops can sometimes mix them up with the plain variety and sell them for a tenner.
Just a cutting can sell for between £65 and £150 on plant websites, but one cheeky seller on Etsy had a stem listed for £4,562.18.
MyLondon also spotted a single five-inch stick being sold on Facebook Marketplace for £1,399.
Philodendron White Princess or White Knight
- A Philodendron with white leaves (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
With over 400 species of Philodendron in the world, shops might struggle to differentiate between them.
And just like the Monsteras, there is a Philodendron with white leaves is worth more than a regular plant.
The Philodendron White Princess and White Knight look very similar, with glossy green leaves with white lines that might be mistaken for disease or damage by clueless shops.
Some shops are selling these online for £40, while others are stocking them for £120.
On Etsy, these beauties are listed for as much as £4,216.82 for a White Knight and the White Princess is on sale on various sites for roughly £400.
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Pink Princess Philodendron
- The Pink Princess Philodendron (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The Pink Princess Philodendron or PPP is very similar to the White Knight and White Princess, but has pink variegation instead of white.
You might see it in shops because it's easy to propagate and the pink colour looks stunning.
But it can take a while for it to show as more than a shadow on a baby plant, hence the potentially low price.
A mature plant can be sold online for around £20 but some opportunist sellers are listing them on Etsy for a far heftier £2,228.
Monstera Obliqua
The fragile leaves on the Monstera Obliqua plant can be mistaken for pest damage.
But a genuine Obliqua is amongst the most sought after plant by enthusiasts and could earn you some serious money.
Amazingly, a single leaf is being sold selling on a garden website for £15 while on Etsy, prices can go as high as £1,590.
On eBay, the most expensive price was £1,250 a small plant was listed at as much as £1,000 on Facebook Marketplace.
