The common plant - Chlorophytum comosum - with its green and white ribbon-like leaves was so named for the spider-like "spiderette" clumps that grow and dangle from the mother plant.

Known as a hardy, non-fussy, adaptable plant that will survive in most lighting conditions, it is an excellent choice for beginner houseplant parents.

Retailing for around $12, it is a far cry from the menagerie of rare and big-budget plants that Mr McHenry now tends to daily.

He has plants in every room of his home, including the shower, his bedroom and a dedicated plant room.

Mr McHenry said rare plants originating from around the world can sell for anything from $1000 up to $4000.

The diversity of shape, colour, texture and size of the different plant species and subspecies means collections can be endless, and the hunt for "wishplant" plants is all part of the collector's experience.

Welcome into the world of rare houseplant collecting.

"I just love plants," Mr McHenry said.

"I love being surrounded by them, I love looking at their leaves unfurl, I love seeing them grow from a seed or a small cutting into a full plant.

"Every leaf pattern is just really unique."

Mr McHenry's home is sometimes like a rotating guest-house for plants.

At times he said it can feel like a jungle, and then he will decide to have a plant cull.

"I just think 'I'm sick of those now' and I will get rid of 50 plants and then move onto something else," he said.

Sometimes I will want a plant for months and I will get it and then think 'I don't know why I wanted that, and get rid of it straight away'.

"For instance, I've had three different Philodendron Verrucosum and right now, I have zero."

Mr McHenry said this type of philodendron is rare in general but very rare in Tasmania, where there may only be 20 plants, maybe more.

He said they can sell for around $1000.

But this pricing is nothing on the extremely popular but hard-to-get-your-hands variegated monstera varieties, which is where the green leaves of the plant are speckled with colour, either white, cream, light green or yellow.

Varieties include the naturally occurring Variegated Monstera Deliciousa, the Variegated Monstera Albo Borsigiana, the Monstera Deliciosa Thai Constellation or the Variegated Monstera Adansonii.

"The variegated monstera adansonii they average around $2500 for a single leaf node cutting," he said.

"Another plant that pretty much everyone wants at the moment, and which is the most popular currently, is the Variegated Monstera Albo Borsignia.

"A single node cutting of this variety can range from between $600 to $1000.

"This demand absolutely drives the price up.

"These are the plants that aren't generally available at wholesale nurseries, and if you cant get it at Bunnings or a nursery, they generally attract a higher price in Tasmania, but also all over Australia."

A "half-moon" cutting of this species, which is where a leaf may be perfectly split in half with green and then variegation, is selling for $1179, while an established plant is priced at $4000.

Mr McHenry does own some of these specimens but said his favourite species to grow at the moment are Anthuriums.

"These are at the rarer and harder end of growing because they have a lot of specific requirements I just love them," he said.

"Their foliage is so interesting and beautiful.

"My favourite anthurium is the Clarinervium. It has this heart-shaped leaf with incredible veining.