Continuing to build my plant collection in 2024 promises to be an exciting endeavor. From the carnivorous allure of Sarracenia to the ostentatious foliage of Philodendron, each plant on next year’s wishlist introduces something a bit unusual.
Syngonium Chiapense Variegata
Suggesting that the “albo” fad might finally be passing, this is the only variegated plant to feature in the 2024 wishlist. It’s an absolutely stunning member of the syngonium family that really doesn’t look like a syngonium at all.
Syngonium Chiapense is itself quite an uncommon plant, so the variegated form is naturally an order of magnitude rarer and more expensive again. However, prices are finally coming down. At the time of writing, plants can won at auction for around $250—a far cry from the thousands they were fetching just a year or two ago.
While they’re still a reasonably expensive plant, syngonium are hardy plants that grow quickly and propagate easily. I would expect to see these come down in price considerably by the back half of 2024, and once they’re around that $100 mark one is absolutely coming home with me.
Sarracenia (Trumpet Pitchers)
These carnivorous plants thrive in warm and wet conditions that can be adequately simulated by leaving them in a sunny spot in a dish of rainwater. With a number of different species and cultivars available—with intriguing pitcher design and colour variations—these will be a fantastic addition to our growing collection of swamp plants.
Philodendron El Guapo
A few years ago we wrote about the Philodendron El Guapo, formerly known as Philodendron sp. Colombia. It’s a crawling aroid that somewhat resembles a P. pastazanum or P. gloriosum, but with more distinct veining and a more interesting colour.
Until recently, these beauties were quite expensive and hard to source. But now, thanks (presumably) to the power of tissue culture, an El Guapo can be found on Uprooted for just $55.
Oxalis palmifrons
The soursob—an extremely annoying and fast-growing weed—has spoiled the reputation of the oxalis family. Nevertheless, the genus contains a number of extremely attractive plants, including the popular Oxalis Triangularis.
Photo credit: Flickr.com
A lesser known member of the family is the oxalis palmifrons, which is a South African species noted for it’s palm-frond-esque leaves. It prefers slightly more arid conditions than its cousins, but will still go into dormancy over summer.
At less than $25 per plant, this is easily the most affordable plant on the 2024 wish list.
Zamia furfuracea
Commonly known as the cardboard palm, this plant is actually a member of the cycad family. Though not commonly kept as a houseplant, their preference for lightly moist soil and tolerance for part-shade make them well suited to life indoors.
The leaves and seeds contain a unknown nervous system toxin that can kill pets and cause serious harm to humans as well. There’s also no known antidote to the poison, which makes it odd that my favourite Vietnamese restaurant decided to fill their dining area with literally hundreds of them.
