Text by Lindsey Mather, AD Clever
Owning a garden store's worth of houseplants is far beyond a fleeting trend at this point. When's the last time you saw a home on Pinterest, Instagram, or even this site that doesn't have at least one leafy green plant in it?! However, what does change year to year is the specific plant everyone's excited about. Remember when fiddle-eaffig trees took over our feeds? How about the cacti craze? Well, it's 2019—those guys are so yesterday. What will be the next plant to reach influencer status? We asked three pros to share their predictions. Read on for their choices—a few species received multiple shout-outs!
Tula Plants & Design founder Christian Summer picks:
Anthurium "Jungle Queen"
"The Anthurium 'Jungle Queen' is a hybrid of the Anthurium schlechtendalii, which is native to Mexico and Costa Rica. Anthuriums are like orchids—they grow aerial roots and are in fact epiphytic, which means in their native habitat they often grow in treetops and in the crevices where the branches meet the trunk. They are super hardy as indoor plants, and because their leaves are on average at least three feet long, they add a super lush tropical vibe to a room."
Epiphyllum oxypetalum a.k.a. Queen of the Night
"The Epiphyllum oxypetalum, a.k.a. Night Blooming Cereus, is a tropical cactus that grows very well indoors and blooms at night. It is totally unassuming, but will grow very quickly in the right environment and bloom multiple flowers at one time. We love this plant! Only flowering at night, the blossoms could be the size of your palm (depending on the species). The blooms will close in the morning, so you have to catch them at night to experience the show! Its care is also quite simple. Water more often April to October and fertilize regularly. During winter months, stop fertilizing and water sparingly. The night bloomer prefers sandy soil and is resistant to indoor pests."
Sprout home Chicago creative director and generla manager Stephen Hill's picks:
Bowiea volubilis a.k.a. Climbing Onion
As plant enthusiasts become more and more inundated with plant options, they are getting more specialized—some will focus primarily on succulents (which includes cacti), while some will distill their interest further to caudiciforms, plants which form a water-storing, swollen base called a caudex. The latter enthusiasts show patience and skill, as attention should be given to a each plant's specific growth period, and often these type of plants show a distinct dormant period. The payoff is during the season of growth, bursting forth with foliage and flowers. An example for this gardener would be Bowiea volubilis,the "climbing onion," which may look like a delightfully dull potato on the soil's surface, but when growing shows fast-growing, delicate tendrils that twist and climb.
Anthurium watermaliense and Anthurium 'Queen of Hearts'__
"For those gardeners that prefer big, bold foliage, we've moved past the common vernacular of Ficus lyrata and Monstera deliciosa (which I still encourage every houseplant-ist to keep at home, too!) and on to the striking foliage of Anthurium, and not necessarily those grown for their flowers. Great examples of these for both green and dark foliage are Anthurium watermaliense and Anthurium 'Queen of Hearts,' both which still have intriguing flowers as well.
Ceropegia sandersonii
Vines of all kinds are another fascination, as much for their foliage as for their flowers. Much searching has been shown by many an enthusiast for the tiny heart-shaped leaves of Ceropegia woodii, but I prefer some of the quirkier in the bunch, such as Ceropegia sandersonii, which develops absolutely awesome flowers that are shaped like small parachutes!
Hoyas
"Hoyas, or 'wax flowers,' can grow upright, climbing, or cascading, depending on the plant. A classic example is Hoya carnosa, whose tightly wound leaves resemble twists (or rope or chains of pasta noodles). As these interpretations suggest: They're quite evocative! The flowers of the Hoya, which can sometimes be elusive, are both visually stunning and often fragrant, making for a plant that meets all of the marks. Of those rising in popularity are often those with a unique leaf shape and color, like Hoya kerrii and Hoya deykei, both with show broad heart-shaped leaves on reaching vines."
The Sill head botanist Christopher Satch's pick:
Hoya kerrii a.k.a. Hoya Heart
"For 2019, we think that Hoyas will be the 'it' plant of the year. They are easy to care for, semisucculent (so they'll survive if you travel), and (my favorite) they come in so many shapes and colors! We actually carry one variety of Hoya (although there are plenty to choose from) known as the Hoya Heart, or Hoya kerrii. They do best with about a half day's worth of sun in a window, but can tolerate less. They don't have to be particularly large to flower, either. When they do flower, they certainly earn the nickname 'the wax plant,' because they produce these unreal-looking, alien-like waxy flowers that are super fragrant and will fill a room with their pleasant fragrance. Their flowers come in many colors and shapes, but the flowers are clustered usually in an umbel (think umbrella) shaped structure. And if that wasn't enticing enough—they're pet-friendly."
Images: Unsplash, Pexels
