I quit teaching math to sell plants worth $16,000

Harry Luu began growing rare houseplants while studying math in graduate school. He found the same attention to detail and hyperfocus in both pursuits, and during the pandemic his hobby expanded into a larger collection and trading for more valuable specimens. After finishing his degree and teaching math in California, he left academia three years ago to run PlantZaddyTherapy full time.

He supports an extended family of eight and says his family invested in his education when he emigrated from Vietnam. Leaving a steady academic job felt calculated: he had investments with very good returns, years of sales data for plants, and the option to return to teaching if needed, so the move carried a built‑in safety net.

Pricing comes from a formula he developed as a math person, weighing rarity and desirability against three years of price data. This approach helped him sell an Anthurium Variegated Forgetii x Heinz for $16,000 and the True Variegated Lux Albo Mother Plant for $26,000 on Palmstreet.

Vietnam