Now that winter is here and many of us have bundled up our outdoor gardens until next year, it’s the perfect time to focus more attention on our houseplants. Of course, they’ve been getting plenty of love all year long, too. According to a trend report released by GrowIt, an app that helps users connect to a digital community of plant-lovers, houseplants made up 30% of all the plants uploaded to the app in recent years, and that percentage continues to increase each year. While certain plants like monsteras and split-leaf philodendrons are still super popular and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down, we’ve got a hunch that these five indoor gardening trends are also going to be big this year.
1. Houseplants with Colorful Foliage
Plants with pink leaves have been a recent trend, and we’ve seen that even tried-and-true favorites like snake plants and pothos that have splashes of white on their usually green leaves (known as variegation) are also very popular. Next year, we’re sure that houseplants with interesting colors and patterns on their leaves will attract even more fans—multicolored foliage like crotons, Chinese evergreens, and stromanthe will become especially trendy.
“We’re attracted to unique houseplants with exciting leaves because they help us express our personal style,” says Rachel Haugo, deputy editor at BHG.com. In fact, colorful, attractive foliage came out as a top factor when choosing a new plant, according to GrowIt’s recent survey of more than 10,000 plant owners.
2. Unusual Succulents
Succulents continue to reign supreme as some of the most popular and easy-to-care-for houseplants. We’ve noticed that unusual varieties, like those shaped like jumping dolphins or rose buds (shown above), are especially hot commodities. And we’ve seen an increasing diversity of colorful succulents popping up on social media, including pretty pink ones, stunning red varieties, and even some that have near black leaves. No doubt that 2020 will bring some never-before-seen succulent shapes and colors as plant breeders and growers capitalize on this trend.
3. Houseplant Communities
Even though keeping houseplants hasn’t exactly been considered a social hobby in the past, in 2021 that perception may finally fade away as more and more plant parents seek ways to connect with each other to get advice, exchange cuttings, and even make new friends. Sure, social media makes it easier than ever to chat with others who share a love of plants—the Facebook group House Plant Hobbyist, for example, currently has more than 327,000 members from across the globe. And free apps like GardenTags and GrowIt are fun ways to interact with other plant geeks, too.
But we expect to see in-person gatherings of houseplant enthusiasts increasing in popularity as well. Whatever your skill level, there’s nothing like attending a community plant swap, workshop at a public garden or garden center, or even a meet-and-greet with a #plantfluencer to provide you with fresh inspiration, and perhaps a few new like-minded friends. Not to mention all the unique, new houseplants you’ll get to go home with.
4. Houseplants as Living Decor
Showing off your prized houseplants in creative and stylish ways is part of the fun of growing them. In 2021, there will be a shift toward using plants as focal points, rather than having them fade into the background. We will see them increasingly “showcased with minimalist shelving and planters so the focus is on the plants, but also paired with natural textures and materials (think stone, jute, leather, and wood grains) to enhance the plants’ aesthetic,” says Caitlin Sole, home editor at BHG.com.
5. Rare Houseplants
Finally, we’re predicting that there will be a dramatic uptick in the demand for varieties in limited supply. Why have just a plain monstera when you could get a rare variegated houseplant? Even when it’s priced at nearly $200 for a small, 6-inch pot, much-coveted plants like Monstera deliciosa albo-variegata are still challenging to find in stock, which only seems to fan the flames of people’s desire for them. “Houseplants have become collectibles, so the more uncommon and hard-to-come-by, the better,” says Viveka Neveln, garden editor at BHG.com.
You don’t have to shell out big bucks for a rare plant to get in on these trends, though. Head to your local garden center and see if they’ve got any unique succulents or colorful tropicals that catch your eye. Or do a little online research and you’re bound to find plenty of affordable plants to tempt you. With 2021 here, we’re excited to watch all these trends make indoor gardening even more rewarding for us all.
By Andrea Beck- Published at BHG.com
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