What to Know When Buying Wholesale Variegated Plants
The aroid family has experienced an unprecedented surge in popularity, transforming it into a cornerstone of the modern houseplant market. For online sellers, garden shop owners and other retailers, this presents a unique opportunity to capitalize on the demand for exotic foliage. This article delves into the intricacies of the aroid market, providing insights for retailers seeking reliable suppliers of wholesale tropical plants.
Understanding the Aroid Market Dynamics
The aroid market is characterized by rapid evolution. Consumer preferences shift, driven by social media trends and the constant introduction of new cultivars. For retailers, staying ahead of these trends is crucial.
Key considerations for buying wholesale variegated plants include:
- Market Segmentation: Catering to different market segments, from budget-conscious enthusiasts to hardcore collectors willing to spend top dollar for the newest unicorn plants, requires a diverse inventory.
- Plant Sourcing: Establishing strong relationships with wholesale plant nurseries to ensure not only a consistent supply of healthy, high-quality plants but also access to the newest species in the Thai aroid market.
- Logistics and Shipping: Efficient and reliable shipping is crucial for preserving plant quality during transit. This is vital for both importing plants from overseas and when buying from domestic plant nurseries.
- Customer Service: Providing excellent customer support, including timely order processing, problem resolution, and after-sales assistance is key to differentiating yourself from competitors.
Capitalizing on Popular Aroid Varieties
To maximize profitability, focus on cultivating and sourcing aroids with proven high demand in the retail market. Here's a breakdown of some key players:
Wholesale Philodendron
Philodendrons are a cornerstone of the variegated plant market and you should aim to stock a wide variety. Offering affordable and mid-range species ensures your store appeals to new plant enthusiasts. Of course, you'll want to keep those customers as they progress into some of the rarer species and hard-to-find unicorn plants, so you'll want to look for an exotic plant wholesaler who can supply both affordable and high-end plants.
Affordable and mid-range Philodendron:
- Pink princess
- White princess
- Florida beauty
- Strawberry shake
- Spiritus sancti
- Joepii
- White knight
- Variegated jungle fever
- Variegated micans
- Variegated melanochrysum
- Jose buono
- Gigantum marble blizzard
- Variegated Burle Marx
- Green Congo hybrid "Nuclear"
- Thai pink marble
- White knight galaxy
- Variegated billietiae
- Caramel marble
- Variegated golden dragon
- Variegated black cardinal
- Variegated silver sword
- Red and yellow Congo
- Orange melanochrysum
- Variegated gloriosum
- Pink mutation
- Tricolor pink princess (AKA - Fire princess)
- Tricolor white princess
- Variegated joepii
- Paraiso verde aurea and albo
- The new Florida beauty and variegated billietiae hybrids coming out of Thailand
Wholesale Monstera
Monsteras, particularly variegated varieties, are perennial favorites. This genus has more than 60 distinct species, and when buying Monstera in bulk, you'll want to buy plants with a similarly wide range of appeal as with Philodendron.
Affordable and mid-range Monstera:
- Variegated Karstenianum (more commonly referred to as Peru)
- Adansonii albo and aurea
- Esqueleto
- Variegated lechleriana
- Thai constellation
- Borsigiana albo and aurea (still the most popular variegated Monstera)
- Burle Marx flame
- Sieranna
- Deliciosa albo
- Yellow Marilyn
- NoID mint
- Creme brulee
- Platinum
- Medusa
- Tricolor (AKA - Miracle)
- White Lava
- Bulbasaur
- Devil Monster
- Shamrock Shake
Wholesale Anthurium
Anthurium round out the big 3 aroid generea that have the widest market of collectors. Indonesia and South America tend to be the best sources for wholesale Anthurium currently, however Thailand is quickly catching up with more and more gardens cultivating them every day. As with Monstera and Philodendron, Anthurium run the gamut from budget friendly to extremely rare, piggy-bank breaking cultivars and variegated specimen.
Affordable and mid-range Anthurium:- Clarinervium
- Crystallinum
- Magnificum
- Regale
- Warocqueanum
- Luxurian
- Forgetti
- Vietchii
- Vittarifolium
- Ace of spades
- Doc Block cultivars
- Papillilaminum
- Queen of hearts
- Black velvet Eastern Panama
- Delta force
- Dark phoenix
- Many species of Anthurium can also be found in variegated specimen, though they tend to be rarer than variegated Philodendron and Monstera. This makes it quite difficult to find wholesale variegated Anthurium in any kind of volume, with the exception of a few species like variegated vittarifolium and hookeria (AKA - Renaissance or birds nest). This also means that some of the affordable and mid-range Anthurium can be extremely expensive when variegated.
Other Aroid Species
Besides the big 3, there are several other Aroid genera that are also popular with collectors. These include Syngonium, Scindapsus, Epipremnum, Raphidophora, Schismatoglottis, Aglonema, and Alocasia. Of these, Alocasia are generally the most popular, likely due to a combination of the dramatic leaves, which can get quite large on some species, and the wide range of species in the genus.
Wholesale Hoya
Aroids are by no means the only plants that appeal to enthusiasts and collectors. Hoya is another extremely popular genus, which includes somewhere between 300 and 500 species and countless cultivars. Most aroid sellers should consider also stocking a nice variety of Hoya to build the widest customer base. Here at TerraFlora Global, we offer over more than 100 species on our wholesale Hoya list.
Affordable and mid-range Hoya:- Kerrii
- Heuschkeliana
- Kentiana
- Latifolia Bai Bua
- Lockii
- Mirabilis
- Thomsonii
- Manipurensis
- Incrassata
- Kenejiana
- New Guinea ghost
- Nova ghost
- Argentea princess
- Undulata
- Ganung Gading
- Clemensorium
- Paradisea
- Versteegii
- Like with many other plants, variegation can make what would otherwise be an affordable Hoya species quite expensive. It all depends on how commonly available that particular species is with variegation, and sometimes the type of variegation as well. Variegated Hoya can often be found with inner or outer variegation. It's worth noting that many Hoya species have a silver or splash form, that can also command a very high price.
Finding your Wholesale Plant Nursery
Buying wholesale variegated plants for your retail shop is not just about meeting demand but also about curating a selection that excites and inspires your customers. By focusing on both commonly available but popular exotic plants and those hard-to-find species or cultivars, you'll ensure your shop stands out in a competitive market. Of course, this means you'll also need to find a source for all types of wholesale plants, and that's where we come in.
At TerraFlora Global, we take pride in offering an extensive selection of exotic plants, with over 250 species currently available—all at competitive prices. We simplify the process of importing plants from Thailand by handling all necessary phytosanitary documentation and utilizing our own import permit for US-based customers. Our customer service team, based in both the United States and Thailand, is here to assist you every step of the way, including providing expert advice on acclimating your newly imported plants.