--Theresa Watkins, author.

Plants have always been on the move. Big word alert! During the Ordovician period, (448.3 million years ago) plants moved out of the ocean and adapted to newly-formed land masses.[1] Since then, the Earth has been providing more and more ground for plants. When world exploration carried men across the seven seas, ships transported plants with them. These transplants became food crops for countries. In the 21st century, plants have moved not only off the farm into the home, but also in the air, and outer space. You will see UFO’s (unidentified foliage objects) thriving in offices, malls, residential homes, apartments, and even inside cars.[2]

Every houseplant is from somewhere else in the world. All houseplants grow in the ground of their native country. Our world’s diversity of houseplants with their various needs provides an opportunity to grow plants in any sunlight condition from windowless apartments to bright and sunny office windowsills.[3] Showcasing a blooming Spathiphyllum or lush Cast Iron plant on an office desk offers a success story for the plant owner. Houseplants moved into an apartment can breathe life into a neglected corner of a room. The benefits of taking care of houseplants reveals that this plant owner is emotionally healthy and has a positive outlook on life. Houseplants as a birthday, congratulations, welcome gift, or “just because you’re you” surprise, can lift the recipient’s spirits or move a person to happy tears that someone thought enough of them to give them a living plant.[4] A brilliant move in these uncertain times.

Teresa Watkins is a landscape designer, horticulturist, author, and co-host of syndicated Better Lawns and Gardens radio show, heard Saturdays 7am – 9am on WFLF FM/AM, Florida News Network, iHeart Radio, iTunes, and Betterlawns.com. Teresa can be contacted on her website: www.she-consulting.com

The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) is a consortium of industry leaders who are promoting the benefits and value of horticulture. NICH brings together academia, government, industry, and nonprofits to cultivate the growth and development of a healthy world through landscapes, gardens and plants — indoors and out.

[1] Marshall, Michael. “Timeline: The Evolution of Life.” New Scientist, 14 July 2009, www.newscientist.com/article/dn17453-timeline-the-evolution-of-life/. Accessed 9 Apr. 2015.

[2] “The Rise of Gardening’ Why People Are Growing Plants in Cars – and Everywhere Else.” The Guardian, 19 May 2021, www.theguardian.com /lifestyle/2021/may/19/the-rise-of-cardening-why-people-are-growing-plants-in-cars-and-everywhere-else. Accessed 2 June 2021.

[3] Knight, Teri. “Houseplants Are the New Officeplants.” National Garden Bureau, 17 Feb. 2022, ngb.org/2022/02/17/houseplants-the-new-officeplants/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2022.

[4] “What Houseplants Can Do for Your Mental Health During Lockdown.” Verywell Mind, 28 Jan. 2021, https://bit.ly/3Ht9NHL