African violets, aloe vera and other retro plants may be on point.
If you want to add to your houseplant collection, or just want to join the growing band of indoor growers, consider which plants are likely to be trending in 2024.
“We are going to start seeing more flowering indoor plants,” says houseplant expert and influencer Tony Le-Britton, author of Not Another Jungle (DK).
“Traditionally we just see a lot of green in houses and when a houseplant flowers it’s a really special thing. It makes you feel good and you feel like it’s offering you something extra.”
Some houseplants will flower much better than others, he says.
“For instance, it’s very unlikely that you’ll get your monstera to flower, but African violets flower really profusely inside.”
Chinese evergreens
“People are always looking for houseplants that will do well in darker rooms, but still have colourful leaves,” says Jane Perrone, houseplant expert and author of Houseplant Gardener In A Box (Skittledog).
“Chinese evergreens (Aglaonema genus) fit the bill, and extensive breeding means that they come in a whole host of colours, from deep green and white to pink, red and orange. They’ve been really underrated until now, but this member of the aroid family should get its moment in the spotlight in 2024.
“This plant does well sitting in a north or east-facing window: the brighter the leaves, the more light they need, so use the green-leaved aglaonemas in the lowest light conditions.”
Craig Wilson, co-founder, director and in-house gardening expert at online gardening retailer Gardeners Dream, adds: “We have seen an 800% increase in sales of the Chinese evergreen, which is said to be a symbol of good fortune and prosperity.”
Retro plants
“Flowering plants like gesneriads, streptocarpus, African violets, things that were really popular in the 70s will become more popular,” Le-Britton, who owns a rare plant shop in Northampton, predicts.
Aspidistras
“It’s a fantastic plant because it fills the gaps like no other plant can do. You can have the temperature down to -5C, it can be wet or dry and it will be OK. It has very low light tolerance, is fine in a cold draught or in a dark spot. It covers all bases. It offers lush, elegant leaves, but it is super-tough.”
Aloe vera is one of the many medicinal houseplants with the ‘retro’ comeback tag on as well, says horticultural broadcaster Ellen Mary, co-host of award-winning The Plant Based Podcast.
“Plant in a mix of compost and sand, water infrequently and place somewhere bright and sunny,” she suggests.
“I like to keep mine in the kitchen so I can take some of the fleshy growth and use the gel from inside to ease small burns, cuts or grazes. It’s great for calming skin complaints, too.”
Hanging houseplants
“While houseplants that are hanging and cascade have been a trend for a little while now, this is certainly set to grow in 2024,” says Sarah Squire, chair of Squire’s Garden Centres.
“The extra dimension and scale many varieties provide is encouraging their popularity and some great examples are plants like Aeschynanthus (zebra basket vine), Ceropegia (string of hearts), Epipremnum (devil’s ivy) and Senecio herreianus (string of beads).”
Parlour palm
The parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is having a huge comeback and not because of the Victorian-era status plant that it was, she continues.
“Once placed strategically in the window so neighbours and visitors could admire the household wealth, it’s now much more about filling a space with one big plant rather than many smaller plants.”
They are easy to care for, just place in bright, indirect light (although it will tolerate a little shade) and allow the soil to dry out between watering every one to two weeks, she recommends. Only repot these plants every two to three years as they don’t particularly like root disturbance.
Hoya
“Hoyas, aka wax plants, are on the rise as houseplants, not surprising as they have gorgeous foliage as well as flowers,” says Perrone, also creator of the houseplant podcast, On The Ledge.
“The species Hoya carnosa is the most common, and there are dozens of cultivars to choose from, including ‘Krinkle 8’ and the variegated ‘Krimson Queen’. Wax plants do well in a bright spot with some morning sun.”
Ellen Mary adds that hoyas are becoming much more popular thanks to social media, notably TikTok.
“The clusters of tiny, but fragrant white flowers with pinkish/purple centres are dreamy. They look like blobs of icing sugar and smell just as sweet. Grow in compost with bark and keep up some humidity with a spritz of water each week, along with regular watering.”
Carnivorous plants
“On the back of the John Lewis ad, we’ve had a lot of people asking for the venus fly trap, but they are supposed to be dormant during the winter. We can offer alternative carnivorous plants,” says Le-Britton.
“Give them the right care – full sun, bright windowsill and they have to have rainwater, not tap water because it contains too many minerals. Carnivorous plants have evolved in really poor soil with no minerals. And the salts and the minerals in tap water will kill them,” he explains.
Cacti and succulents
These will remain popular because they are so easy to grow, Le-Britton predicts, but you need a sunny windowsill for them to thrive.
Perrone recommends Euphorbia lactea ‘Ghost’, a cactus with spectral white limbs mottled with green that makes a real statement plant.
“This succulent benefits from a sunny spot, and can grow into a large specimen if given the chance. Bear in mind this plant is spiny and its sap is toxic, so take care if you have pets or children.”
Terrariums
Terrariums will continue to be popular, Le-Britton predicts. “Once terrarium plants are established they need very little care. You can go away, you can leave them, you don’t need a lot of space and they are great for people with pets because the plants are protected.”
