Best Indoor Plants Trends of 2022
We need plants in our lives. One thing that the pandemic taught us is how important (and easy) it is to bring plants into our homes and workplaces where we can cultivate mutually nurturing relationships with them while diversifying our collection of greenery.
With this increase in indoor plants, comes an increase in trends. We’ve combed through all the plant trends, narrowing them down to what we predict in how we collaborate with nature and are attuned to the environment changing all around us. Here are our top plant trends for 2022
Vertical Growth
Urban dwellers flock to houseplants, but small living spaces can quickly lose horizontal surface area for showcasing the greens. Creative designs for hanging plants from the ceiling and wall mount displays are going to become more valuable as well as a pivot to plants that can naturally vine in any direction, letting gravity stylize their downward growth or utilizing thin wooden poles for the plants to climb up, which can drastically change the size and thickness of the leaves.
Mounted Trophy Plants: Staghorn Fern
Speaking of wall mounts, there are few pieces of art that can compete with a mounted Staghorn Fern. Taxidermy is weird, but this plant’s living antler-shaped fronds and majestic presence will make vegans happy and steal the attention of whatever room a staghorn is placed in. An equally rugged and elegant plant, this fern’s streamlined aesthetic and textural complexity complement just about any interior style as a beloved centerpiece. But don’t just take our word for it. Ask this gigantic 26-year-old Staghorn fern named Earle.
Related: Click here to learn more about how to mount a Staghorn Fern
Indoor + Intentional Wilding
Plants are taking over our homes and we love that for them. The new era of plant care is inviting wildness and resisting the urge to make plants conform to straight lines and trimmed edges. The category is plant freedom, and this trend is as much about encouraging plants to roam in their growth as it is about letting go of the urge to neatly prune and pluck their every move. Just like our eyebrows in the late ‘90s, plants also suffer from overgrooming. Now, we are growing indoor jungles and allowing plants to take up the space they need to spread green joy throughout our homes.
Living Sculptures: Indoor trees
Plants add value to a home not just in cleaner air and greener energy, but they are a work of art in and of themselves. Indoor trees are on the rise as a great investment that replaces the role of a stone or metal sculpture in the home.
Two indoor trees that are inching into the limelight, and will replace the fiddle leaf fig’s popularity:
Therapeutic Plants
Healing plants are positioned to become a big focal point in plant trends. From psychedelic visions and therapeutic processing to the rich history of ayurvedic healing found in South Asian holistic practices, plants are increasingly becoming central to self-care and self-discovery. The criminalization of people who use healing plants reflects the racial inequalities of our societies, and has barred entry into the practice for people seeking treatment (and enlightenment) outside of conventional medicine. But the legalization of marijuana is increasing across states in the U.S., setting a precedent for other plants and fungi that have psychedelic properties to be reclassified and destigmatized in our culture.
A New Plant for Novices: Peperomia Green
Beginning plant lovers have more options than ever to exercise their green thumbs. The rising star among hard-to-kill houseplants right now is semi-succulent Peperomia Green, thanks to its chipper presence, buoyant coin-shaped leaves, and patient tolerance of neglect.
It’s time for pothos, ZZ, and snake plants to step aside. Peperomia is the new plant for novices.
For decades, they have dominated homes and plant swaps as the canon of novice plant care. But fewer people want the plants of their parents’ generation. They want their indoor plant collection to reflect more of the biodiversity outdoors, and Peperomia brings that fresh appeal coupled with its reliably easy maintenance.
Remember, more than decor, houseplants bring living energy to indoor spaces. Each plant has their own distinct personality that can transform the mood of a single room, and spark a vibe shift in the whole culture of plant care. Plants have the power to actually change behavior and taste. The only question left: Which trend are you embracing this year? Maybe all?
