perspectives BY ALLISON ZEEB The Houseplant Utopia

Our world has been progressing indoors. We’ve gone from A running joke with most Florida suppliers is that “string of ancestors who’ve farmed, living in small huts and communicating anything” will fly right off the shelves. They’re looking for tags with a person no further than three miles away, to the present with the plant’s Latin name or “one-of-a-kind” plant auctions held work of desk jobs, never-ending emails and worldwide in the warehouses of Miami. communication of plants. Even as I type this article now, I’ve been Many of the new plant buyers have never purchased many in contact with plant suppliers from Holland to Africa and Japan houseplant staples. Pilea and peperomia have continued to rank and in between. While our world continues to high on indoor plant charts, with their change, our shared love of plants pancake-shaped leaves and unassuming has not. demeanor. Spider plants have been creeping Like us, plants have not only their way through apartments, setting up stayed outdoors, but have slowly homes on bedroom nightstands or kitchen progressed their way inside. Point windows. Tillandsia — air plants — are in fact, the 23 plants currently dropping from ceilings in Macramé hanging lining my apartment window. If baskets. My own Tillandsia xerographica I can’t be outdoors, then I must currently sits in my kitchen sink soaking up bring the outdoors in. the faucet mist. As the business manager for For both parties, the key is to be unique. tropical and foliage plants, I’ve Variegation and new color combinations of just started my dive into the current staple plants are becoming hot. Now wonderful world of indoor plants. let’s bring forth BIG. Robust and majestic And let me tell you, it’s a jungle Monstera houseplants are filling up magazine spreads out there. and movie sets. There is a market for new Allison Zeeb is Between ‘Pink Princess’ philodendron variations of houseplants. I think the biggest business manager cuttings selling for over $250 and Brown ZZ opportunity is for new unique varieties of the of potted plants and plants replacing the normal green, it’s the staple options since growers can still grow cut flowers for Ball tropical and foliage Wild West. Here are three the old faithfuls and make money. Horticultural Co. reasons why you should grab your cowboy and a member of boots, buckle down and join the frenzy of GPN’s 40 Under 40 MARKET POTENTIAL indoor #plantparents. Although I am no wolf on Wall Street, I Class of 2019. She truly think the houseplant trend will continue can be reached at Tillandsia to expand. Foliage plants are at their all-time [email protected]. MILLENNIALS AND GEN X We’ve seen a huge growth in the new xerographica high, with data suggesting millennials are the “plant parents” market. With millennials biggest generation to purchase houseplants. (Note: Although I’m not overly fond of the term, it does help Why is this? Let’s take a look at what we — as millennials — narrow a group of people. For all the millennials out there, we can are doing. cringe together), urban apartments are on the rise. Combine that People are staying in urban areas and waiting to have families with environmental conscious passions and people’s newfound of their own. We’ve traded our own flesh-and-bone kids for furry awareness for plants, indoor plants are booming. babies and high maintenance plants. And, just like your own kids, Indoor plants are the “Gateway to Gardening” drug. One I don’t believe this attachment will fade away anytime soon. houseplant leads to two, which leads to three, which eventually Take a gander at social media platforms like Instagram and leads to #plantparents with over 100 plants to take care of. Pinterest. These picture-based platforms push the trend by making According to the National Gardening Association, “Houseplant interesting plants visible to the masses sooner and social media is sales have increased 50% in the last three years.” For plant not going away anytime soon. The connections people are creating parents, these plants offer meaning and fulfillment with with similar #plantparent interests broadens our community reach commitments that are not as intense as pet ownership. My plants and creates a trend that will not fall to the wayside. will survive a week when I work out of town; my dog would need a caregiver. JOIN THE WILD WEST Grab your best cowboy boots and throw your hat into the KEY VARIETIES ring. Delve into an expanding market just waiting for new plants, The true plant parents are looking for the weird, unusual, unique cuttings, and old-fashioned houseplant love. Even uniquely different plants not found in every household. Monsteras, though our world is constantly changing, our shared love of philodendrons, caleathas and String of Dolphin are on the rise. plants will not.

12 JUNE 2020 GPNMAG.COM