6 Houseplant Trends to Look Forward to in 2023

Big, Bold Foliage

While there are always going to be trends related to foliage, we’re seeing a lot of really cool, plants with insanely large foliage cropping up. “It started with Ficus lyrata a couple of years ago and helped propel Monstera deliciosa to its status as a houseplant super star,” says Hancock. “Now we’re seeing Strelitzia nicolai, Musa, and Thaumatophyllum as 'It Plants.'” These plants are very interesting structurally — even more so than the classic monstera. “Extra-large leaves instantly add drama and presence to home décor and stand out on social media,” says Hancock. 

Golden Hues

Over the last year we saw a ton of plants with colorful foliage everywhere. Along with those pink, white, and silver variegations, we’re now seeing golden foliage as well. “From tried-and-true plants like neon pothos and Philodendron bipennifolium Aurea to newer varieties like golden goddess philodendron and chameleon ZZ, golden-yellow foliage pops against dark green leaves and can help brighten spaces that seem dim,” says Hancock. Plant parents with an eye toward decor will enjoy getting to add more shades and tones of foliage to their plant collections.

Sustainability

“Here at Costa Farms, we’ve been hearing from a larger and larger number of plant parents interested in sustainability around their plants,” says Hancock. “From preferring coconut coir over peat (happily, more than 80% of our plants are grown in coir-based mixes, rather than peat-based mixes) to asking about chemical usage ... people care about the overall impact their plant collection has on the world at large.” People want to make sure that their plants are happy and healthy. They also want to ensure that they’re making the most sustainable choices when it comes to plant care. 

Mounted Plants

Instead of seeing plants placed on shelves and on mantle pieces, or hanging from a curtain rod, we’re seeing something entirely different. “Mounting epiphytic — those plants that don’t need to be rooted in soil — varieties are becoming hotter and hotter with plant parents,” says Hancock. “Whether it’s a staghorn fern on a wall, an orchid on a totem to add color/texture to a pothos, or other creative executions.” The most common plant you see hung like this is a Staghorn fern. You can also do this with orchids, bromeliads, and hoyas.

Better Potting Mixes

“One big trend that I see is that people are wanting to upgrade the products they use for their plants, namely potting mix blends,” says Di Lallo.  “Not all potting mixes are created equally, but I've been using the specialized potting mixes from Oh Happy Plants and the results are truly amazing.” Buying a quality potting soil is one of the easy things you can do to ensure your plant is living its healthiest life.

More Knowledge

While plant influencers are really great for representation and spreading joy in the houseplant space, it’s important to learn how to care for your plants properly from expert sources with a background in plant care.

“I am working closely with Veronica Oh Happy from Oh Happy Plants on an exciting informational product for 2023 to help people remove myths from houseplant care, and teach them a strong, data-based, practical, and adaptive approach to plant care,” says Di Lallo.

The Planta app is another option currently on the market in the informational plant care space. And there are a ton of plant identification apps to tell you the exact plant you have in your possession — no more "tropical foliage" price tags and mystery plant challenges.