HOUSE PLANTS THAT FLOURISH AT HOME
Beautiful, and functional, indoor greenery can improve your home space, enhance your mood and purity the air with popular options that will have you breathing easy.
“Every plant is different, just like every child is different,” said certified master gardener and Hilton Head’s The Greenery greenhouse supervisor Erin Carpenter.
“All have their own care instructions, so it really is best to learn about them before you run out and make a purchase.”
Staff can help break down preferences based on the space you’re working with, available sunlight, and how much time will be needed to care for them.
Keep in mind that house plants are simply living greens that can’t tolerate the outdoors below a certain temperature. The Lowcountry’s sub-tropical climate must be recognized as one where frost is likely, and as such, interior house planting is perfect when you find something you love.
What house plants are trending in 2021? According to housebeautiful.com, the Mexican Rainforest’s fishbone cactus is one of this year’s most popular house lovelies. They are extremely low in maintenance, with stems resembling their namesake. Other cacti on their watch list include the bunny ear and mistletoe. Over at thespruce.com, there are several ‘it’ houseplants that are worth a peek: The super-fun polka dot Begonia, the purple patterned Calathea rattlesnake, and the spacious indoor Chinese floor plant, the Lady Palm.
Big leafy greens like the elephant ear or Alocasias, and philodendron join the list for hot plant picks as well. Enter the elegant Sterling Silver moonlight scindapsus, a vining favorite, slow-growing and a plant collector’s newest prize.
Requests for rare and unusual plant varieties are gaining notoriety. Surprisingly these pricier plants have consumers more than willing to pay for them.
According to thespruce.com, genetic defects such as unique pigmentation, cell mutations or other anomalies make these interesting and expensive indoor rarities coveted finds. They include such beauties as the Monstera deliciosa Variegata, philodendron pink princes, and pseudolithos cubiformis.
Carpenter says some old favorites appear to be trending again. It’s the easy-to-care-for greenery like Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (or the snake plant), colorful crotons, vibrant anthurium, lemon lime dracaena and majesty palms that remain popular.
The ZZ plant is a green African beauty, incredibly tolerant against neglect, drought and low light conditions. It is perfect for the low-maintenance-please gardener.
“The tropical fiddly fig has fallen out of favor, and is no longer as popular,” she says. “They’re a finicky ficus.” Succulents are another group losing popularity according to Carpenter.
“They’re harder to care for because they don’t want to stay wet, yet still need a thorough drink.”
Carpenter said customers sometimes lament their inability to keep plants alive, but take a deep breath; it’s just a matter of finding the plant that’s right for you.
