Six Houseplants You Need to Add to Your Collection
Collecting houseplants is harmlessly addictive, so let’s feed the beast with the plants you need, along with care tips for each.
Collecting plants has become a national pastime, and there’s certainly an aspect of “more is more.” Flora Grubb, the face of the iconic Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco, which she co-owns with her partner, Saul Nadler, says she’s seen collection fever firsthand.
“I have this joke that’s like ‘Things 19-Year-Olds Say,’” Grubb says. “‘I have 20 plants in my bedroom. I have 30 houseplants in my bedroom…’ Almost every [job] application we get, they want to tell you how many plants they have, which is adorable.”
The trend isn’t limited to the younger set, either. As Sunset’s garden editor, I used to focus almost exclusively on what interesting varieties I could find for my raised garden beds. But in early 2021, I got bitten by the houseplant bug, and since then my indoor collection has grown exponentially.
1 /6Thomas J. Story
Ficus umbellata
“There’s so much fiddle leaf fig overload that as people are searching for the next thing, and this plant has nominated itself as a contender,” Grubb says. That said, Ficus umbellata is so new to the trade, Grubb notes, that few really know what a 15-year-old one will look like in your house.
Care: Don’t let it go completely dry before watering. Bright, indirect light.
2 /6Thomas J. Story
Philodendron ‘Birkin’
“Such a super trendy plant,” Grubb says, pointing out that until they became more available, a Philodendron ‘Birkin’ could cost $1,000 online.
Care: Keep soil moist. Bright, indirect light.
3 /6Thomas J. Story
Alocasia ‘Regal Shields’
With leaves that resemble shields, this Alocasia can grow up to 6 feet tall indoors. “They look so cheerful to me,” says Grubb.
Care: Water more and fertilize if you want larger leaves, less if you want a smaller plant. Bright, indirect light.
4 /6Thomas J. Story
Gasteraloe ‘Green Ice’
“These rare, little succulent houseplants look like they’ve been hand-painted by an artist,” Grubb says.
Care: Water when completely dry. Very bright, indirect light.
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Monkey Tail
A weeping cactus, Cleistocactus colademononis grows several feet down the side of a pot. Bonus points if you want to break down the name in Latin. (Cola means tail; mono means monkey.)
Care: Water when completely dry. Very bright direct or indirect light.
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Pilea peperomioides
Also known as a money plant, this “starts as a cute little plant, but then the coin-shaped leaves get bigger and bigger until they reach about 2½ inches,” says Grubb.
Care: Water deeply when topsoil is dry. Can tolerate medium to bright light.
Case in point: I used to own just a few houseplants—a couple of spider plants and, not surprisingly, a fiddle-leaf fig. But in less than two years I’ve acquired a rattlesnake plant, two peperomia, a tangle of Spanish moss, five air plants, a snake plant, a prayer plant, a rubber tree, and two satin pothos. What was I thinking? All I can say is they certainly augment my home decor.
Grubb says she sees houseplant obsession at her garden center on a regular basis, and she points to Instagram as part of the appeal. “It really seems like the ability to use social media to show the world what you’re doing in your indoor home garden is inspiring to people,” she says. “They can make something that’s for themselves, then they have that opportunity to share it with the whole world. It’s in some ways really inspiring.”
Here are six houseplants that Flora Grubb says you should add to your (burgeoning) collection, along with care tips for each.
1 of 6Thomas J. Story
Ficus umbellata
“There’s so much fiddle leaf fig overload that as people are searching for the next thing, and this plant has nominated itself as a contender,” Grubb says. That said, Ficus umbellata is so new to the trade, Grubb notes, that few really know what a 15-year-old one will look like in your house.
Care: Don’t let it go completely dry before watering. Bright, indirect light.
2 of 6Thomas J. Story
Philodendron ‘Birkin’
“Such a super trendy plant,” Grubb says, pointing out that until they became more available, a Philodendron ‘Birkin’ could cost $1,000 online.
Care: Keep soil moist. Bright, indirect light.
3 of 6Thomas J. Story
Alocasia ‘Regal Shields’
With leaves that resemble shields, this Alocasia can grow up to 6 feet tall indoors. “They look so cheerful to me,” says Grubb.
Care: Water more and fertilize if you want larger leaves, less if you want a smaller plant. Bright, indirect light.
4 of 6Thomas J. Story
Gasteraloe ‘Green Ice’
“These rare, little succulent houseplants look like they’ve been hand-painted by an artist,” Grubb says.
Care: Water when completely dry. Very bright, indirect light.
5 of 6Thomas J. Story
Monkey Tail
A weeping cactus, Cleistocactus colademononis grows several feet down the side of a pot. Bonus points if you want to break down the name in Latin. (Cola means tail; mono means monkey.)
Care: Water when completely dry. Very bright direct or indirect light.
6 of 6Thomas J. Story
Pilea peperomioides
Also known as a money plant, this “starts as a cute little plant, but then the coin-shaped leaves get bigger and bigger until they reach about 2½ inches,” says Grubb.
Care: Water deeply when topsoil is dry. Can tolerate medium to bright light.