Philodendron spiritus-sancti

A few years ago, we had very small seedlings of this species, among the first available on the commercial market, for $140.  At that time, it was counted as one of the rarest plants in cultivation and was almost impossible to find at any price.  Now, thanks to the wonder of tissue culture, we can offer these much larger, thriving plants at a tiny fraction of that price!  As a result, there are now more specimens of this cool and unique Philly in the collections of private gardeners than exist in the wild.  Only two tiny populations have ever been found, both in the Brazillian state of Espírito Santo, and the second one only discovered in 2024.  Its existence is sadly threatened by habitat destruction in the wild, so cultivation by plant collectors may very well be the key to preventing its extinction altogether!