REVEALED: Interesting unusual plants - The Real Truth

Douglas Justice is the associate director of the University of British Columbia’s botanical garden. He has agreed to lend his botanical expertise to us and share some of his favorite unusual plants.

Justice’s love for plants is immediately evident in the way he speaks about them: “I’ve come across many unusual and compelling plants in my years. It’s difficult for me to choose favorites (the lists are always expanding). I can usually find something that’s interesting in nearly all plants—the way some flowers, like poppies, for example, are unpacked from their buds."

"How they go, miraculously, from crinkled and bent to satiny smooth. I also like repeating patterns in plants: how for every hebe species (shrubby Veronica) there is another species slightly different in leaf size, shape, color or leaf angle, and another intermediate between the two.”

When asked what unusual flora he would recommend for growing at home, Douglas suggests leaf succulents and peperomias. They are easily grown and excellent windowsill subjects. “Speaking of peperomias,” Justice goes on, “on a magnolia expedition in Colombia some years ago I encountered a tree branch festooned with epiphytic peperomias so small they could fit into a thimble.

"I have no idea what their names are. A day or so later in Jardin Botanico de Bogota Jose Celestino Mutis, we came across the exquisite blue-flowered bromeliad known as the 'sapphire tower' (Puya alpestris) and the Venezuelan conifer Retrophyllum rospigliossii, a tree with fern-like branchlets so regular and perfect they look like they were churned out in a 3D printer.” Reading about these botanical adventures gives me an urge for some plant expeditions.

Douglas has one more suggestion for excitement-seeking plant parents. “A somewhat less tropical Andean plant I have grown (though repeatedly lost), is blue angel’s trumpets (Iochroma australe). This plant is a knockout. Its purple-blue pendulous trumpets would be a welcome addition in any garden.”

Justice then shares an adventure that suddenly makes me want to become the Short Round to his Indiana Jones. “[O]n a hillside in the Cocoro Valley (across from an expanse of Quindio wax palms) grew a huge red iochroma shrub (Iochroma gesnerioides), with ample clusters of hanging long-tubed flowers of a scarlet so intense it nearly burned the eyes.”

Our plant friend and influencer Ashley Anita is the go-to person for houseplant enthusiasts. Ashley has a YouTube channel where she shares excellent advice for beginners and pros alike. Her love for plants started early in her childhood growing up on the island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean.

“Growing up there, I always loved exploring the tropical plants,” Ashley says. “I now live in Charlotte, NC and have for many years. A few years ago, during one particularly challenging period, I started to reconnect with my love for plants. I discovered that immersing myself in the world of plants was incredibly rewarding."

"Whether I was plant shopping in a greenhouse, digging my hands into soil, or discovering new growth on a plant, I found it all immensely rewarding.”

Ashley also talks about the therapeutic advantages of gardening. “Nurturing and caring for these plants is what we call ‘plant therapy’ in the plant community. I also enjoy the challenge of constantly learning as there is always a new fascinating plant to discover.”

She praises the community of plant enthusiasts as well, saying she was surprised by the wholesomeness of people sharing their experiences, advice, and passion for plants. “It was a journey that not only rekindled my love for plants but also brought so much joy and sense of community into my life,” she adds.

Ashley has great advice for people who are only getting started in the hobby. She shares two plants that can be great choices for beginners. The first one is Monstera adansonii, also known as "Swiss cheese vine." "[I]t has beautiful bright green leaves with large holes or ‘fenestrations’ in the leaves, creating an incredibly unique and appealing look."

She shares some care tips: "It thrives in indirect light while requiring minimal maintenance. Its rapid growth is rewarding for beginners, and it can be placed in various ways, from hanging baskets to climbing up a moss pole. They can be found at most plant nurseries at an affordable rate.”

The other plant for beginners is silver satin (Scindapsus pictus). "Their leaves are beautifully shaped, but it’s the vibrant silver splash all over the leaves that makes them so unique-looking,” elaborates Ashley.

“These stunning plants have many varieties and they are all wonderful houseplants. This makes them highly sought after for houseplant enthusiasts. They can also be found at many plant shops for an affordable rate.”

However, Ashley’s all-time favorite is the “fishtail” hoya (Hoya polineura): “The leaves resemble a fishtail, making them one of the most unique and sought after hoya on the market.”

We also asked both our experts to share some weird plant names that they’ve come across throughout their careers. Douglas goes with two South American species: Retrophyllum rospigliossii (the Peruvian feather grass) and Bactris gasipaes (the fiercely spined peach palm).

Ashley Anita chose three: Anthurium pedatoradiatum, "fingers" (the leaves look just like fingers); Peperomia prostrata, "string of turtles" (the petite round leaves resemble turtle shells); and Hoya kerrii “heartleaf hoya”, whose leaves are perfectly heart-shaped.

In the beginning of 2022, Architectural Digest deemed variegated versions of philodendron and monstera the most popular. “Variegated” means that they come with leaves that are colored irregularly, most often with white marbling and green patches.

Most of them come from tropical climates and will be hard to find at your local store. Depending on their size and color patterns, they can cost anywhere from $100 to thousands of dollars. You can learn to care for both of these plant world superstars on Anita’s channel or Instagram.

Some interesting plants people can grow at home in an outdoor garden include bat flowers and vampire lilies. Don’t be alarmed by the Dracula vibe that seems to pertain here, those plants are not interested in blood.

They are, however, toxic to animals and children, so do be cautious of that. Vampire lilies might emit an unpleasant scent similar to corpse flowers. Just like their giant counterparts, the lilies are pollinated by carrion beetles and flies.

If you’re looking for some cool indoor plants to decorate your home with, Home Edit suggests pebble plants. They’re succulents that resemble little rocks, but look super cute. If you’re more into flowers, there’s peace lilies. Their colors can vary from white to red and pink.