Houseplants are nothing new but have you noticed a resurgence in their popularity on social media? American gardeners spent a record $52.3 billion on lawn and garden retail sales last year, according to the 2019 National Gardening Survey. A quarter of that spending was attributed to 18- to 34-year-olds, whose spending on plants has grown at a higher rate than any other age group since 2014. Look at the gorgeous plants on JennintheJungle.
Photo credit: Jenn Coates @Jennofthejungle
According to this article from HuffPost millennials are delaying major life milestones such as buying homes, getting married, and having children, largely for financial reasons. “People are designed for connection and nurturing, but with more millennials waiting until later in life to have babies and settle down, young people are turning to plants,” said Lily Ewing, a therapist in Seattle who also happens to be a millennial and plant enthusiast. Plants fill the need to nurture and often require less attention than other living things, such as pets. Not to mention, plant owners don’t have to worry about adhering to landlords’ strict pet policies or arranging a sitter while on vacation. And a beloved philodendron will never cover the walls in crayon or soil the carpet. Some researchers find that interacting with houseplants may actually lower blood pressure, calm the nervous system, and promote a general feeling of wellbeing. Want to pamper your plants – how about a playlist just for them? Spotify has created the first-ever A Playlist for Plants, which grew 1,400 percent during the pandemic. Set the mood for you and your ficus here.
I remember in the 80s and 90s when faux plants trended and collected dust like crazy! I picked up a few houseplants this spring at Archie’s Gardenland, one of my favorite places to shop for plants and supplies. Founded in 1934 in Fort Worth by N.E. Archie Sr., as a business focusing on landscaping Archies was one of the very few North Texas companies who were experts in the planting of large trees. After his first few years in business, the recommendations from his clientele spread, and the business moved into a building in the 4900 block of Camp Bowie Blvd. They are super helpful when you have questions about a plant’s needs. We also use their expertise if a plant in the house or garden doesn’t seem to be thriving. You can take a leaf in and they usually identify the problem right away. Archie’s also carries fun gifts and gorgeous pots.
If you want to try out your green thumb, here are the five best houseplants:
Kimberly Queen Fern
Also known as the sword fern for its straight and narrow, upright leaves. It originated from Australia and it is easy to grow indoors and out. It performs well in the sun and the shade. They are fast-growing, full, and beautiful! They thrive in containers and make for an interesting hanging basket. Kimberly Queen Ferns offer the added benefit of reducing indoor air pollution and toxins in your home like formaldehyde.
Photo credit: Calloway’s Nursery
Hedera Ivy Variegated
Variegated Hedera Ivy is a perfect plant for hanging baskets, indoor pots, or on stands where their leaves have the ability to trail downwards. This Ivy prefers an area where it can get decent light, such as on a window sill or in a well-lit room.
Photo credit: Calloway’s Nursery
Spider Plant
Probably the most cultivated houseplant in the world, the Airplane or Spider plant is grown primarily for its interesting foliage; great for containers, or cascading from hanging baskets; tolerates drought and deep shade, but prefers bright indirect sun.
Photo credit: Lowe’s
Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum, also known as the Peace Lily, is a popular plant. It’s easy to care for and does great in low-light areas.
Photo credit: Lowe’s
Snake Plant
One of the most popular plants for a modern and fashionable design scheme; the Sansevieria laurentii, also known as the Snake Plant, adds a unique architectural element to any room. This plant is one of the best for filtering out formaldehyde which is common in cleaning products, toilet paper, tissues, and personal care products. Put one in your bathroom; it will thrive with low light and humid conditions while helping filter out air pollutants. Because they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen at night, sharing your room with these plants could give you a slight oxygen boost while you sleep.
Photo credit: Target
Like all houseplants, they will do best if you use basic science such as water and sunlight, and apply basic rules. Here’s a great article from Real Simple for simple steps to keeping your houseplants thriving. One of my biggest pieces of advice is repotting as your plant grows, especially with ferns, a peace lily, and an airplane plant. The latter two love to multiply which means you can create new pots from their offspring and share them with friends.
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
