By K.D from the GWMG, for the Wellington Advertiser August 2021
From hardware shops to big box stores, to florists and numerous specialty boutiques – you may have noticed that tropical plants are back in a big way. One only needs to glance at the New York Times or Toronto Star weekly to see yet another splashy article about the millennial obsession with collecting green specimens.
But the plant craze isn’t limited to one age group at all – people from all demographics and age groups have been bitten by the botanical bug. And it’s not just your mother’s pothos and your dentist’s Ficus benjamina – plants never seen before (well, in a house) such as Philodendron ‘Strawberry Shake’ (a sprawling vine with creamy pink splashes) Scindapsus treubii (a compact vine with moonlight-silver leaves) and of course, endless hoyas and orchids – are all loved and collected by more and more people.
So how do you, dear reader, get your little green hands on some very cool plants? Perhaps a nearly black, glossy-leaved ZZ plant caught your eye, perhaps it was a suede-textured alocasia that really got your heart beating. Regardless of why, all you can think of now is acquiring these new plants
you’ve never seen that will keep you busy all winter.
- There’s annual events from local orchid groups, Master Gardener chapters, and horticultural societies -many members sell houseplants from their personal and long-loved collections, some which are too ‘old-fashioned’ for mass cultivation – such as variegated African violets.
- Then, there is buying online: either using e-commerce websites such as Kijiji, or the ubiquitous social media: Instagram and Facebook Marketplace – and Facebook groups – are absolutely packed with plant sellers.
- There’s traditional brick-and-mortar shopping at garden centres, florists, and numerous stores which exclusively sell tropical plants (and increasingly, these all stock unique specimens)
Whichever route you choose to begin your foray into botanical collecting, there are some things to keep in mind: Before making a large emotional and financial investment into a ‘rare’ tropical plant that has caught your eye – do a little research on the species to ensure you can give it the conditions it requires. Surprisingly, plants evolved to live in the Borneo rainforest do not always appreciate a dry apartment with no air circulation. If you’ve never grown that specific type of plant before, start small rather than lose a large and expensive plant.
Second, do a little price gauge. Joining some local Facebook BTS houseplant groups (buy, sell,
trade) is a great way to develop an understanding of pricing and availability. Many sellers import rare tropical plants which usually require a long acclimatization period – so depending on the species, the price for a tiny cutting with a few leaves can easily go for hundreds of dollars. Many other houseplants grow extremely slowly, and their price reflects the patience of the grower. Additionally, you may see cuttings sold for high prices, but a local shop sells the same plant for far less.
So shop around!
And finally, before handing over a wad of cash, remember to alway double-check the plant is healthy, free of pests/disease, and has good roots (or the appropriate type of cutting for east stem propagation) to ensure you’ll take home a thriving, happily growing plant to add to your growing collection.
Happy collecting!