Tag plant trends
How Many Plants Is Too Many?
Source:123rf.com
Image ID : 124546860
Copyright : Elnur Amikishiyev
The year 2020 seemed to blow the lid off plant addiction and hoarding. More people than ever before have developed an obsession for houseplants, which makes sense since we have all pretty much been going stir crazy since the beginning of COVID-19 and lockdown. It makes sense that we all turned to these beautiful, air-purifying, living things to enhance our home spaces and give us something to focus on besides our troubles.
There is a fascinating psychology behind collecting plants which differs from accumulation of inanimate collectible items. Houseplants can have an incredibly calming, stress-reducing effect on us, and they also nicely soften the look and feel of home environments while also cleaning the air. In addition, the rewards of watching a plant thriving under one’s care are considerable. I know that every time one of my plants pushes out new growth, I get almost giddy with excitement.
To be honest, I don’t even remember precisely how last year’s plant obsession really started. I remember seeing and ordering two Epipremnum cebu blues on May 27th, and two Zamioculcas zamiifolia ravens on Etsy on May 31st, two weeks after my father’s passing. After that, it’s kind of a green blur. My indoor plant count is now at 140. That’s enough for me, because I have run out of reasonable space.
I think my dad’s death, the lockdown and hysteria surrounding COVID, my two roommates suddenly bailing on me, the loss of work, the fact that my weekly in-person visits with my mom were halted for six months, all pushed me into a very specific nesting mode. I wanted to spruce up my place, and make it cozy and cool. I added an outdoor fountain which immediately attracted mosquitoes during the warmer months (lesson learned, but I still have the fountain). I added comfy pillows to all the seating in my living room and den, imparting a Bohemian vibe which I really enjoy.
After lockdown began, I had no desire to hoard things like clothing or little knick-knacks, though I know other people who began accumulating such items. Instead, I wanted all the plants which caught my eye, living things I could nurture and watch grow, which also helped to melt away my stress. Though I am not one of those people who talks to their plants or names them (a select few have names…more on this in another post), I am aware of every single plant in my home. I know if a leaf is turning yellow, if a specimen needs to be rotated to get more even sun exposure.
So how many plants would be considered overkill? Though I think the answer is quite subjective, there is an interesting Australian article which analyzes the optimal number of plants one should have in a room:
https://www.bhg.com.au/how-many-plants-you-need-per-room
Plants not only clean the air, they have a relaxing and calming effect on humans, so why have a limit on the number of plants to pack into a space? My personal take on this is that I think it’s a mistake to allow one’s plant collection to overtake essential areas in a home, such as a kitchen counter, coffee table, floor space in a shower, stairs, and doorways, with the last two creating hazards since they would impede a speedy exit if a natural disaster were to occur. It’s also a bad idea to put plants in spots where they clearly wouldn’t survive, such as a very dark room with no grow lights added.
I have my plants placed so strategically in my home that no one ever guesses that I have 140 indoor plants. Although I fully address the light and humidity needs of all my plants, I also make sure they harmonize with the space they are in and look like they belong where they are. I will never be one to buy a massive shelving unit or glass cabinet in which to shove my plants, because I think it looks supremely unattractive, and also ironically doesn’t showcase the plants optimally. Whenever I see a plant person with a large shelving unit which is littered with plants, I know that the plant person is the only one who can fully appreciate all the specimens on the shelves, because they all tend to get lost in one big jumble.
I’ve heard some criticism from a couple of close friends about my plant collection, but I know that they don’t have the same mindset that someone who is into plants would have, so I’m not bothered by the snide remarks. Ultimately, what matters is how a plant person feels about their plant collection.
My First Home Houseplant Tour – 120+ Plants!
Here is the first houseplant video tour I shot, which I did last month. My indoor plant count was over 120, and now (I am writing this on March 23rd), I have exactly 140 indoor plants. Believe it or not (and many of my friends won’t believe me when I say this), I am for the most part done with searching for plants to add to my collection. As I ventured into more exotic, rare, and challenging plant species, and acquired the varieties which were on my wishlist, I felt that I could finally focus on admiring what I had instead of getting myself into trouble and looking for more plants.
Besides, I am out of room. I bet there are plant people reading that last sentence who are saying, “Nonsense! Just make room! Take over your bookcases! Take over your counters!” I simply can’t do that, because I have this strange built-in aversion to having anything encroaching upon functional areas of my living space. I have a kitchen counter which I would like to keep using (but check out what I did with my kitchen counter to accommodate plants), I have a desk which needs to remain functional, and I have no intention of getting rid of my beloved books to make room for green things.
Those Crazy Plant People
Source: 123rf.com
Image ID : 152344739
Copyright : dolgachov
If someone had told me at the end of 2019 that in 2020, I would surpass the level of plant of obsession I experienced in 2000-2002, I would have argued that it would never happen. Yet here I am, with over 100 indoor plants (119 at the time of writing this post, to be exact), still thinking about the next plant I intend to add to my wishlist. I am in good company too, because there is massive and ever growing community of plant fanatics which is knit together by countless social media plant influencers, Facebook groups, and online plant shops. As long as we continue to be sequestered in our homes and encouraged to continue to practice social distancing, the frenzy over hoarding plants is likely to intensify.
Plant people create plant communities inside their homes which serve as therapy and great comfort during the lockdown and social turmoil which has us roiled. There are times when I will walk around my home, surveying the lush environment I have created, noting the character of each plant, and I honestly appreciate them all. Then there’s the anticipation of ordering a plant online, which is akin to meeting a new potential love interest. I can honestly say that I have become giddy after finding a coveted plant and ordering it. And when a plant arrives in the mail, I want to open the parcel immediately, not only because I am concerned for the living thing inside the box, but I simply can’t wait to feast my eyes on the new addition to my plant collection.
Now that I am a “plant person” once again, I have picked up a tremendous amount of knowledge of nomenclature and plant care. I have encountered a number of other plant people who could definitely be accused of being plant snobs, using terms like “etiolated” or “pubescent leaves”, and showing disgust when someone doesn’t know what they are talking about. For the most part, though, plant people tend to be very positive, caring, and friendly.
Hug A Plant…It’s The Cool Thing To Do
One of the hottest trends over the past few years, which definitely intensified this year as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, has been the heightened interest in indoor houseplants and home gardens. There is something about being forced to stay indoors that makes the idea of nurturing different types of flora very appealing.
Before I dive into this topic, I will admit that I have fallen headfirst into the plant obsession trend, and though it has made my wallet leaner than I would have liked, I have gotten immense enjoyment out of nurturing the close to 50 indoor plants and 36 outdoor potted plants (this number doesn’t include the soil-filled lot in my side yard which probably holds about 30 succulents) which are now in my home. Never mind that I had SIX indoor plants and about half the number of outdoor potted plants before lockdown began.
Curious about which plants are the hottest right now? Here’s one article which has a pretty interesting list:
Out of the list of 16 trendy indoor plants featured on the above link, I only own 4 of them:
- Money tree
- Raven ZZ
- Split leaf philodendron
- Monstera deliciosa
As for the other plant species listed in the article, there are numerous reasons why I don’t currently own them. Some plants simply don’t appeal to me, such as snake plants (though I used to have several Sansevierias in my home years ago), cacti, zebrinas, ceropegias, and maranta. I am hesitant to get any type of palm because my home environment is simply not humid enough for palms to flourish. As striking as alocasias are, I try to avoid plants which are toxic to cats, and since this entire genus is known for being toxic to pets, I’m steering clear of them. Stephania erecta caudex is just plain WEIRD and I have zero desire for one. Peperomias are a bit temperamental, so I will just stick with the Peperomia species I have (scandens, caperata “Rosso”, obtusifolia).
I actually have a Euphorbia, but it is not inside my house. It sits on my balcony along with several jade plants, dracaena, aloe vera, and assorted other succulents. As for the White knight philodendron and the Hoya imperialis, well, let’s just say that I am not willing to hunt all over the internet to find either plant, only to spend exorbitant sums of cash on plants which really aren’t that special.
Some plants are so ridiculously rare and expensive that I just had to share them here. The first description is of rare Albo Monstera variegated CUTTINGS (not even a live plant!). The Etsy listing is no longer available, because someone actually purchased it.
Rare Albo Monstera variegated gorgeous multi leaf cuttings US seller
$475.00
Only 1 available
As if that wasn’t outrageous enough, here is another listing, featuring a Thaumatophyllum stenobolum:
Thaumatophyllum (previously Philodendron) stenobolum VERY RARE Hard to FIND
$850.00
Only 1 available
At first I thought the listing for the Thaumatophyllum stenobolum might have been for the gigantic plant the guy is holding in the featured image, but alas, no. It looks like the plant the lucky buyer would get comes in a 6 inch nursery pot. All for $850, with free shipping, thank goodness.
Finally, here is the most expensive plant I found:
Variegated Adansonii Plant Monstera Adansonii Albo Half Moon – Rare + Free Shipping
$5,500.00
I have a Monstera adansonii in an 8 inch pot which is not variegated, which I purchased for $15 at a local nursery. Who in the world would want to pay such a ridiculous amount of money on a plant?
If you are interested in reasonably priced and popular houseplants which are easy to maintain, here are some of my personal recommendations.
Pachira: I have one which I purchased in April, and it has more than doubled in size since then. Feng Shui practitioners state that these plants, also known as money plants, bring good luck and good fortune to their owners.
Pothos: Some varieties now fall under the Epipremnum genus, while others fall under Scindapsus, but if you look for the characteristic thick green, heart-shaped leaves, chances are you will easily find Epipremnum aureum, which is found in just about every nursery and big box store. They are very easy to care for and will survive different light and watering conditions.
ZZ plant: If you want a truly indestructible plant which actually PREFERS to be dry, then get a ZZ plant. Zamioculcas zamiifolia features beautiful, glossy, dark green leaves and thick stems which sprout from a very unique root system. The roots are rhizomes, bulbs which are designed to hold water. I purchased several back in late April, two regular ZZ’s, and two ravens, which have glossy black leaves and are considered relatively rare. The large ZZ plant which I purchased is in an 8-inch nursery pot, and the plant itself stood 11 inches in height when I brought it home. The plant is now 24 inches tall, with tons of new growth! The best thing is, I’ve watered it only ONCE since I bought it. ZZ plants can tolerate low light conditions, and actually seem to prefer slightly lower light versus bright indirect light.
Hoyas: Hoyas are my favorite plant genus now, partially because there are several hundred varieties, partially because they are relatively easy to care for, and partially because some of the species have attractive foliage. Most Hoyas also produce very interesting, fragrant clusters of flowers.
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