There is a Bloomberg story that is finding its way to garden sites and media. A number of well-established industries are taking a hit as it becomes evident that Millennials have different preferences, or at least different from Boomers. Whether it is bar-soap, fabric softener, pants (yes pants), or breakfast cereal, those businesses are where they are because of Millennials. Their struggle, (most stories use more brutal title headlines like Murdering, Killing, etc.) may be caused by Millennials’ lack of interest, but there is bright news for the horticulture business. Bloomberg declared, The one thing Millennials haven’t killed is houseplants.
Overall, houseplant sales are up and rising. More growers are coming on board the selections that are alluring. We devoted an earlier post to the rising popularity of Succulents. One theory is that succulents have been an ideal lead-in to other houseplants. Once people learned that their Agave ‘Queen Victoria’ or the Kalanchoe ‘Flaming Katy’ didn’t die -despite their lack of plant knowledge – they want more.
Plants, for the most part, are not that messy as compared to pets. And who needs pets when you can have Crassula ‘Calico Kitten’, Kalanchoe ‘Panda Plant’, or even get reptilian with Haworthia, ‘the Snake Plant.’ New gardeners, in rural settings, can even satisfy the pet need with Sempervivum Hen and Chicks and Sedum Burro’s Tail.
Though social media is credited with driving the interest in houseplants, I believe there’s something more.
It is safe to say most of us have a need to nurture, and houseplants are there. The home can be filled with a huge flat-screen TV (rivaling a highway billboard), smart appliances, and the latest robotic items that emerge on the market daily. However, there is something about that little, inexpensive jade plant on the window sill that pushes a different button with us than the tech devices. It is alive and it grows. It needs water, air, light, plant food, and you.
The other items in the house do not or won’t respond to diligent care; plants do. Though expensive and appreciated, who talks to their HD Fireplace Screen with Virtual Flames or the Balance Smart Blender? As for the houseplants, some receive personal affectionate names and at times some might hear, “How’s it going, little guy? Did you miss me?” Guaranteed that Mr. Coffee never does.
-Rob McCartney, Horticulturist
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