2 minute read
BE STILL, MY HEART
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The houseplant lifestyle suits this fanatic just fine
SHOW ME A PICTURE
Every leaf is different. of a green-and-pink That’s part of the appeal. houseplant, and my heart “They are amazing,” begins to race. Osten says.
I must have one. They also cost $100 or
Apparently, I’m not more, which is why I’ll alone. probably never own one.
Decorating with But plenty of people are greenery has exploded in MARJIE DUCEY willing to pay for what recent months as we’ve SPEAKING OF PLANTS can be a temperamental spent more time at home newcomer. because of the pandemic. The plants originated in places such
“There are people I‘ve known for as Thailand and Costa Rica. They’re a while who never seemed super into grown in Florida and then shipped to plants,” says Jasmine Osten, a senior the cold Midwest. So it can take a while buyer for Mulhall’s. “Now they’re to discover a draft-free area with perfect stopping by the store to buy houseplants. light and just the right amount of water. It’s become a trend — the houseplant “When they do get established, they lifestyle. It’s just become cool.’’ are very cool and can grow for a long
Plants from the aroid family have time,” Osten says. become especially desirable, surpassing Also widely popular is the “White even cacti and succulents. Wizard,” which Osten calls the brother
They’re so popular that people will to the “Pink Princess.” It’s glossy wait in line when Mulhall’s announces green and stark white and has all the a new shipment of philodendrons, variations of its sister. alocasias and anthurium. Is it any wonder we can’t resist?
“People will find these plants on Osten says the houseplant landscape Instagram or Pinterest. They’ll send has drastically changed from a year or photos to us and ask, ‘Do you have this? two ago, when everyone wanted a fiddle When are you getting them in?’” leaf fig. Monsteras then followed in Osten says. popularity, especially a speckled variety
No. 1 on the list of special requests named “Thai Constellation.’’ is the “Pink Princess” philodendron, “That kind of pioneered this whole which makes my heart sing. It’s a houseplant craze,” Osten says. “You get lovely pink and green, with all kinds of into rare plants with this plant. Once you combinations. One leaf may be green, go down that rabbit hole, you find out another pink and another speckled. about all these other ones.”
