What’s not to love about a houseplant? You can always count on them to add a dash of verdant greenery to any space. And for those leaning toward an urban jungle aesthetic, plants can make living indoors feel like a delightful sojourn at an exotic locale—no luggage or travel required. But with so many different varieties to enjoy, choosing a houseplant to represent all your hopes and dreams for the new year might feel a bit daunting.
Whether you need extra help with selecting the best houseplants for sprucing up your existing collection or fulfilling New Year’s resolutions around cultivating a greener thumb, we consulted four plant experts to find out which houseplants are most likely to be trending in 2022. From humidity-seeking ferns that thrive in a little fern family to the Ficus triangularis (a.k.a. the sweetheart tree), there’s plenty to love when it comes to these 2022 predictions for the new year.
Larger houseplants
In 2022, people are going to feel more confident about caring for larger houseplants. According to Maryah Greene, plant stylist and creator of Greene Piece, “larger houseplants are going to be the statement pieces of next year.” With an abundance of information out there about caring for houseplants and the many experts and stylists that people can turn to, we’ll likely see more plant parents trying their hand at caring for particularly big species. “As more people start returning to the office, they’re going to become inspired by the larger plants they see thriving in those bigger office spaces,” she adds. Maryah predicts that larger houseplants like the bird of paradise and the Ficus audrey will be in vogue.
Plant specialist and stylist Hilton Carter likewise cites the Ficus audrey as a plant to look out for next year. “It’s one of these tree-like houseplants that can grow up to 50 feet indoors and really transforms a space,” he says. “Although it’s a cousin of the fiddle-leaf fig, it can grow into a big tree, making it a true statement plant.”