Whether you’re a first-time plant parent or an experienced grower, you’re likely wondering how you can elevate your plant collection this year. Our article will give you plenty of ideas, from what popular plants should make their way into your collection and what trends you should follow for your home or garden to be in style.
It’s no surprise that gardening has grown in popularity over the past few years. With people around the world bonding with their houseplants or outdoor spaces while stuck at home during the lockdown, it’s only natural that they’ve become more serious about growing new green companions.
The pandemic created a new generation of gardening enthusiasts who have found that growing their own plants is good for the soul and mental well being. Yes, data proves it: out of a sudden, millions of people around the world went online to find out what and how they can grow in their homes or backyards.
Whether you’re one of these new gardening enthusiasts or an experienced grower, this article is for you! You’ll learn everything about all gardening activities that are expected to be popular this year and the plants that are must-haves.
Gardening Trends
A lot has changed in the world of gardening over the past few years. More people have realized that surrounding themselves with beautiful plants is good for stress-relief and an entertaining hobby. And experts predict that, no matter what’s going to happen with the pandemic and lockdown restrictions this year, new and experienced growers will want to keep on growing their plant collections because they had such a great experience with gardening last year.
Gardening. Period.
Yes, this one may sound silly and confusing. How can gardening be a gardening trend? Well, the real trend here is an increased interest in gardening that has attracted many new growers.
Before the pandemic, many people didn’t even consider that growing plants can be an enjoyable hobby for them. They either lacked the time or motivation to actually plant something, take care of it, and watch it thrive. But this has changed when the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped everything in people’s lives, from how they spend their leisure time to what types of activities they were allowed to engage with.
That’s when gardening shined really bright.
People now had the time and motivation to add green to their lives. They’ve learned more about gardening basics, from soil types to fertilizers, pests, diseases, and looked for easy-to-grow houseplants.
We expect gardening only to continue to grow in popularity this year as well.
Growing More Houseplants
If you were lucky enough to have access to an outdoor space during lockdown restrictions, you might not relate to how difficult it is to connect with nature by only looking through your window.
Well, people who weren’t that lucky and felt stuck in their own four walls while quarantining had to get ingenious about bringing nature inside. That’s when houseplants became much more popular.
Sure, houseplants have been trendy for a long time now, but last year and in 2021, their spotlight is expected only to continue to burn bright. People in some parts of the world are still stuck indoors. Others are now working from home offices. So, it’s only natural that there’s still a lot of interest in adding green indoors.
Growing Fresh Food and Urban Gardening
Another trend that skyrocketed last year and is expected to continue to grow in popularity in 2021 is growing our own food both in outdoor and indoor spaces.
Last year, with restaurants and other food venues being closed, more people got more serious about cooking at home. 2020 was also accompanied by increasing concern about food scarcity. The result? Many people have started their own kitchen gardens or planted veggies in their outdoor spaces.
In 2020, new gardening enthusiasts discovered that they don’t need a dedicated vegetable garden to grow fresh food at home. People found out that they can grow food in containers or vertically.
This year, we expect more people to get on board with growing their own herbs and vegetables, such as tomatoes, peas, or cucumbers, at home.
Sustainable Gardening
Sustainable gardening practices have been growing in popularity even before the pandemic put the entire planet on lockdown. With people becoming more and more aware of how human actions affect the environment, sustainable gardening has become more mainstream.
Well, the pandemic didn’t slow its popularity down. On the contrary, it convinced more people that they need to show more respect for nature and the environment.
Last year, new and experienced growers surfed the web to learn more about how to grow their plants without affecting the Mother Nature that surrounds them. That’s when water conservation, home-made compost, planting native plants, using organic fertilizers, and even planting more trees became really popular. In 2021, we expect this trend’s popularity to keep on growing further.
So far, so good, right? The pandemic is shaping some fascinating gardening trends. But, now you may be wondering, “What will everyone be growing in 2021?” Don’t worry! We have the answer to this question too.
Most Popular Plants In 2021
Nerdy Google data collection gives a clear verdict on what plants are the most popular this year.
Excited to find out what plants you should add to your collection? We definitely are to share it with you. So, here are the most popular plants in 2021:
Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum Anguliger)
Fishbone Cactus is the winner of the most popular plant of the 2021 award.
This cactus/succulent has a unique and intriguing appearance. It does not have the typical cactus look with round leaves covered with spines. Fishbone Cactus’s leaves look like… well, fishbones.
Native to the rainforest of Mexico, this lovely cactus is really easy to care for and very low maintenance. It thrives in indirect light but can also adapt to short periods of direct sun. Unlike other plants in the Cacti family, this one needs a little more water than the average. So, it’s best to keep its soil relatively moist but not soggy.
And, the good news is that this cactus is not toxic to pets. So, you don’t have to worry about growing it indoors close to your playful cats.
Bunny Ear Cactus (Opuntia Microdasys)
The second spot on our list of the most popular plants in 2021 is taken by the Bunny Ear Cactus. This cute cactus got its name thanks to its resemblance to the ears of a rabbit.
Bunny Ear Cactus is the perfect houseplant for novice growers as it’s low maintenance. It is also native to Mexico, but it is rather native to arid, desert-like areas. So, it’s best to avoid overwatering this cactus because it can die because of root rot.
This adorable little cactus needs a lot of direct sunlight and a well-drained container to thrive.
Be cautious when handling a Bunny Ear Cactus as its fuzzy glochids are really difficult to remove from the skin. Also, keep it out of your pets’ or kids’ reach.
Elephant Ear (Colocasia)
Bold tropical plants like Elephant Ear are also enjoying a lot of popularity in 2021. Elephant’s Ear’s large lush leaves will make you feel like you’re on a tropical island even if, in reality, you’re stuck between your home’s walls.
This large houseplant is an African native, and it’s really easy to grow indoors. Once established, it needs very little attention. Elephant’s Ear prefers partial shade but can also adapt to full sun. It may need a slow-release fertilizer periodically to help it grow.
Although it’s a gorgeous and bold houseplant, keep it away from your kids and pets as the leaves and stems of Elephant Ear plants are toxic, causing skin irritation and itching, and many other severe symptoms if ingested.
Snake Plant (Sansevieria Moonshine)
Snake Plant, commonly known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, is simply an amazing houseplant. Its upright, sword-like leaves give it a unique appearance.
This succulent is extremely easy to grow and care for, which is why it is such a popular houseplant choice. It can literally thrive wherever you place it, from the brightest to the darkest corner of your home. It doesn’t need too much water to stay healthy and thrive.
However, since it’s succulent, it is really sensitive to overwatering as it may cause root rot.
Snake Plant also helps filter indoor air. It has the ability to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen at night. So, if you add a Snake Plant to your indoor collection, it will repay you by improving the quality of the air inside your home.
Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides)
Another great houseplant to have in your home in 2021 is the Chinese Money Plant. This plant is adored for its unique, glossy appearance. It got its name thanks to its coin-sized, round leaves that look like coins.
Chinese Money Plant is really easy to propagate and share with your grower friends as it creates lots of daughter plants on its own.
It requires very little maintenance and care. The only things this plant needs to thrive are indirect light and moderate watering. It doesn’t like to sit in soggy soil.
If you do everything right at caring for it, the Chinese Money Plant shows its appreciation through blooming, producing small white flowers.
African Milk Tree (Euphorbia Trigona)
The African Milk Tree is another houseplant that is in great demand in 2021. One of the reasons why novice and experienced gardeners love this plant is its ability to grow really fast. And, the best part of it all is that its roots are not invasive despite its rapid growth. It can grow up to two feet (60 cm) in height in just a year period.
It looks a lot like a cactus, but the African Milk Tree is actually a succulent. In fact, this succulent looks so much like a cactus that it is also commonly known as candelabra cactus, good luck cactus, or cathedral cactus.
If you’ve grown succulents before, it shouldn’t be that difficult to care for this one as well. Just place it in a spot where it gets indirect sun and avoid overwatering it because its roots will rot.
The white milky sap found in its leaves is toxic if ingested. So, keep it out of your kids’ and pets’ reach.
Council Tree (Ficus Altissima)
Every houseplants grower and every interior designer loves Ficus trees. They are rapid growers, look lovely in any indoor space, and they are really easy to grow and relatively low maintenance, which also makes them popular houseplants this year.
Council Tree has large leaves with a lovely emerald green color. It will look amazing in your home!
This tree enjoys bright indirect light and needs to be watered regularly without receiving too much water. The only tricky part about growing a Ficus tree is that it may need regular misting to help increase its humidity.
The sap of the Council Tree’s leaves is highly toxic. So, don’t grow it in an area of your home where your pets or kids have access.
In Conclusion
Whether you’ve recently discovered your passion for growing green companions or you are an experienced grower, we hope that our article has helped you learn how to elevate your plant collection this year.
This year’s trends and popular plants align with people’s needs to invite nature in and find stress-relief in caring for a green child. Use our tips to fill your home with plenty of houseplants and make your plant collection more fascinating.
When you get serious about growing plants, the future will definitely look greener despite all the challenges the entire world is dealing with right now.
What new plants do you plan on growing this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
