Rare plants at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo?

At the Tinley Park Reptile Expo, I always end up spending as much time looking at plants as I do reptiles. Across the three times I’ve been, I’ve found a surprising number of vendors who specialize in rare or enclosure friendly plants.

Some bring small starter plants meant to thrive in amphibian or reptile tanks, while others focus on rare tropicals for collectors. The booth shown in the photo had several variegated philodendrons and monstera types, and I picked up a Thai Constellation for $25, which used to be almost impossible to find.

There are also carnivorous plants, terrarium vines, and occasional orchid vendors selling from private collections. Last year, I met a woman offering rare shingling plants she’d imported and grown herself, the kind that creep up the sides of glass when the humidity is right.

Even if you don’t keep reptiles, it’s worth going just for the plants. The crossover between reptile hobbyists and plant collectors makes it an unexpectedly great place to find something rare and affordable.