With advice from expert gardeners, greenhouse workers, and our plant dad, Alfred Palomares, we’ve gathered the best tips for plant-parenting newbies. Our series Plant Parenting 101 will help turn you into the perfect plant parent!
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that “plant parent” is the new “pet parent” – and it’s not just millennials that are obsessed with their plants! People of all ages are looking towards the many health benefits of plants and ways to brighten up their homes or offices.
When welcoming a new member of your household, it’s customary (and polite!) to give your new “family member” a name, and your #PlantFam is no different! Naming plants has become increasingly more popular, so we’ve come up with a list below of the benefits of naming your green friends.
Plant Expert and 1-800-Flowers.com Vice President of Merchandising, Alfred Palomares is a “total plant dad” and has 14 houseplants (!!!) which he affectionately calls the “Shady Ladies.” “My apartment gets a lot of indirect light, which is perfect for my group of houseplants that thrive in this type of environment.”
Reasons for Naming Your Plants
- Naming your family of plants helps you have a deeper connection with them, and gives you a good reason to start talking to them
- Talking to plants has proven to have a calming affect, and has made some feel less lonely. Alfred says, “My plants also make working from home a much calmer, relaxing and less lonely experience, while also adding beauty to the space.”
- Talking to your plants can help them grow faster, likely because of the CO2 you exhale.
- 1-800-Flowers.com Vice President of Merchandising, Alfred Palomares says, “Naming plants is a fun and healthy way of connecting with them. It further promotes an investment in plant care – as you watch your plants flourish, you have a sense of excitement, whereas if they aren’t doing so well – you may feel concern and tend to them more.”
Tips & Ideas for Naming Your House Plants
Learn More About Your Plants’ Names and Get Plant Name Ideas from That
Usually most plants have more than one name they are called, our Snake Plant, as for example, is also called Sanseveria Zeylanica while a Money Tree Bonsai is also known Pachira Aquatica and a Pilea Peperomioides is known as the UFO plant. With info like that, details in their names may help you pick a name for your new plant fam member.
Base Your Name on Characteristics About Your Plant and Choose a Name Based on That
Each plant has it’s own characteristics and style, and no plant is the exact same! Take a look into more characteristics about your plant like leaf color, or if it blooms like an orchid. If your plant does bloom, what color are it’s flowers? Are the leaves round like a UFO plant, or spikey like a Snake Plant? These details can help you find the perfect plant name with the first thing that comes to mind and best fits your new plant! Many plants also have different species so do some research to make sure you know exactly what species yours is!
There is No Wrong Way to Name Your Plant, Be Creative & Have Fun
At the end of the day, there is no wrong way to name your plant, so be creative and have fun with your new green plant! If you want to give your plant a middle name and the last name, the world is your oyster!
Plant Naming Examples from Some of Our Favorite Houseplants:
- Potential Plant Names: E.T., Alf, Paul the Pilea Peperomiodes
- Potential Plant Names: Arrow, Pointer, Arthur the Arrowhead Plant
- Potential Plant Names: Slither, Slitherin, Spike, Sanford the Snake Plant, Sans the Snake Plant
- Potential Plant Names: Ork the Orchid, Olivia the Orchid, Zen, Serenity
- Potential Plant Names: Monty the Monstera, Meryl the Monstera, Audrey (think Little Shop of Horrors ;))
More Information About Why Houseplants Are Becoming Man and Woman’s New Best Friends
Studies show that houseplants can purify the air, as well as improve an overall sense of well-being. Whether you live in the city and want a little apartment detox, or you crave the comforting vibes of nature surrounding you, indoor plants are a great way to keep you inhaling the good and exhaling the bad.
Plants make for a much calmer, relaxing, and less lonely space. Have you ever heard the saying that you’re never alone when you’re with Mother Nature? People visit forests, parks, and gardens for a reason—nature is known to soothe and relax us. Having indoor plants is like bringing some of nature home with you!
Having plants to care for gives you the same nurturing feeling that having a pet or child would (ok, maybe not exactly the same, but hear us out..). Giving your plants water when they’re droopy, the sunlight when they’re losing their color, and fertilizer, when they’re losing their leaves, can give you a sort of attachment to them. Suddenly, you’re worried when your plant starts looking “sick” and start googling remedies, asking friends, and giving your plants more love and attention. You may even start talking to your plants!
So, embrace your inner “plant parent” by adopting some new greenery and making your new #PlantFam feel right at home by giving them a name of their own.
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