Nature
National Houseplant Day - Because Plants Deserve Their Own Holiday Too!
It’s National Houseplant Day, the one day a year when we celebrate the unsung heroes of our living rooms—those resilient green companions that have survived our sporadic watering habits and questionable singing in the name of ambiance.
By Richard Cole · January 10, 2024
Celebrating All Things Houseplant!
Get ready to dust off your soil scoop and polish your trowel, because today is the day of leafy celebration: National Houseplant Day! It's time to raise a glass (or maybe a watering can) to those silent roommates who brighten our homes, filter our air, and occasionally drop leaves on our keyboards in passive-aggressive protests.But before you serenade your spider plant with show tunes (it digs photosynthesis, not Sinatra), let's delve into the world of houseplant wisdom with some fun facts, record-breaking feats, and epic fails that would make even the most seasoned botanist chuckle. Summer Rayne Oakes/Wikimedia Commons
1. Plants with Personality
Meet the Venus flytrap, the Audrey II of the houseplant world. This carnivorous cutie attracts insects with its sweet nectar, then BAM! Snaps shut like a leafy bear trap, digests its wriggling prey, and reopens for seconds. Nature's got a dark side, folks. Hornbeam Arts/Flickr
2. Plantastic Records
The world's tallest houseplant? A Ficus maclellandii in Florida, towering over 56 feet! Imagine repotting that beast. Your biceps would be as thick as tree trunks. Speaking of trunks, a baobab tree in South Africa holds the record for the oldest houseplant, estimated to be around 2,450 years old. That's older than the Roman Empire! Stefano/Flickr
3. Houseplant Fails
We've all been there: overwatering, underwatering, forgetting a plant exists until it resembles a tumbleweed. But have you ever accidentally microwaved your cactus to "revive" it? Or named your peace lily "Drama" because it throws a tantrum every time the soil dries? We feel you. Houseplant ownership is a journey paved with good intentions and hilarious, yet painful blunders. Ashrika/Flickr
4. Plants Talk (Well, Kinda...)
Studies suggest that talking to your plants can actually boost their growth. So go ahead, whisper sweet nothings to your succulents, serenade your ferns with show tunes, and have philosophical debates with your philodendrons. Just don't be surprised if they answer back with the silent language of leaf drops and wilting stems. Unreal/Pixexid
5. Fashionable Foliage
Forget skinny jeans, the hottest trend in houseplant world is hairy leaves! Fuzzy flocks of Velvet Leaf Begonias, fuzzy ferns like the Teddy Bear Vine, and even the oddly named Chocolate Soldier plant will add a touch of tactile texture to your jungle. Just don't pet them like puppies – they're not that into it. They're also not very good at "fetch"... Creative Commons
6. Plants with a Party Trick:
The Mimosa pudica, aka the "Shy Plant" or "Shameplant" lives up to its name by folding its leaves inward when touched. It's like a leafy disco ball, throwing a silent tantrum whenever you tickle its tendrils. Bonus points if you get it to do the wave during your next family gathering. Hafiz Issadeen/Flickr