Sunday, February 17, 2008
Popular trends are focusing on style, texture and color, not to mention ‘green’
factors.
LONG ISLAND NEWSDAY
MELVILLE, N.Y. — If you love indoor plants, but can’t seem to find the time to care for them, you’re not alone. And the tropical-plant nurseries who breed houseplants know it. “There aren’t many stay-at-home moms who have time to dust off their plants anymore,” said Lori Vanderlaske, a tropical-plant buyer. “People are busy, and I’ve been noticing a lot of easy maintenance, low-light, sturdy plants coming on the scene.”
As a result, houseplants are growing in popularity. “In the ’70s, everyone was buying up houseplants. Hanging planters were very popular back then. And then the trend died,” says Donna Moramarco, an education coordinator at Martin Viette Nurseries. “But now houseplants are making a really strong comeback,” she said.
The most popular trends focus on color, texture and style. And the most unusual plants are getting the most attention.
What’s more, many of them don’t require a lot of care.
Anthurium “Pacora” is a new introduction that sports big red blooms with white spadices. It doesn’t need sunlight, and it blooms fairly easily with just a little fertilizer. “It practically takes care of itself,” says April Schnitzer, greenhouse manager and green goods buyer at Martin Viette. “I’ve even seen them bloom in basement apartments.”
Then there’s the so-called “ZZ” plant, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, which Schnitzer describes as “architectural” in form. The lowlight plant, native to eastern Africa, commands attention with its glossy foliage and upright habit.
The best part? “It doesn’t need a lot of water. In fact, the drier you let it go, the better. You can’t kill it,” Schnitzer said.
Expect to see a new variety of Dracaena (corn plant) called “Santa Rosa,” which has a broad green leaf with a wide cream margin.
If you think you’ve seen it before, you might have.
“‘Santa Rosa’ is one of those plants that’s old but new again,” says Schnitzer, explaining that it has just been reintroduced after a few years of unavailability.
“Pele” and “Harry” are other new Dracaena varieties recently introduced.
Schnitzer says her favorite this year is a pink Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) cultivar called “Blush.”
Aglaonemas have long been valued for their durability, and while other varieties are attractive, “Blush” is a real showstopper.
“It gives people the option to get a little bit of home decor from their plants, besides just greenery,” Schnitzer says, while Moramarco calls it “a designer’s dream.”
And that snake plant?
It’s still around – and it’s more interesting than ever.
Notable varieties of the virtually indestructible, low-maintenance Sansevierias include “Moonshine,” which boasts unusual dark green-streaked silver leaves, and cylindrica, a flat structured plant with atypical round, cylindrical leaves.
The most interesting trend in houseplants this year isn’t a color or a texture.
It’s a purpose.
According to the results of a research study conducted by NASA scientist B.C. Wolverton nearly 25 years ago, plants are the most efficient and cost-effective method of “indoor air pollution abatement.”
In other words, growing houseplants in your home will result in cleaner air in your home.
And the idea has finally caught on.
“The whole ‘green sustainability’ movement has become more mainstream in the past year, with people thinking about their carbon footprints and wanting to do healthy things for their families,” according to Jennifer Nelis of the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association.
The nursery industry has always been environmentally conscious, but Nelis said some businesses are changing their product lines to meet the current demand for air-purifying plants.
While it’s long been known that plants release oxygen into the air and remove carbon dioxide, the “green living” movement is promoting Wolverton’s findings that plants actually remove indoor air pollutants as well.
Think you don’t have any?
If you’ve ever purchased a new sofa or carpeting, had your wood floors refinished, hung wallpaper or painted your house, you’ve likely inhaled benzene, formaldehyde and other toxins.
Then there’s cigarette smoke, treated wood and cleaning solvents.
Schnitzer tells of an experience she had shortly after a new door was installed in her home.
“I had a vicious migraine headache that lasted from five minutes after I got home until 10 minutes after I left the house.”
She blames the chemicals in the door.
Older, drafty homes are spared indoor pollution to a great extent because a drafty house gets a constant supply of fresh air.
But newer, “energy-efficient” homes don’t allow for sufficient air exchange, and that can lead to a buildup of harmful gasses, according to Mobee Weinstein, a horticulturist with The New York Botanical Garden.
“The more we tighten everything up, the more we contain ourselves in a toxic environment,” she said.
“The recent ‘greening’ trend is raising awareness of this and that might be why houseplants are getting more attention.”
Wolverton’s findings recommend keeping one 8-inch or 10-inch potted plant per 100 square feet in your home.
In addition, one small (4- to 6-inch) plant should be in each of your “personal breathing zones.” Think desks and night stands.
Certain plants have been shown to reduce indoor air pollutants by as much as 87 percent in 24 hours, according to the study.
Add to that the benefits of increased air humidity and the relaxing effect that caring for houseplants can offer, and incorporating them into your indoor environment becomes a no-brainer.