Just like our furniture, paint ideas, and interior design styles, houseplants go through trends, and with the new year just weeks away, the plant of the year for 2024 has been announced. Experts say this retro greenery with its striking silhouette will be the mood of the moment, and while it probably isn't one you'll have heard of, I'm certain it's going to be a hit in your home.
As a city dweller, I'm not the most green-thumbed, however, I do love to include greenery in my home. This is why I keep an eye out for low-maintenance houseplants for beginners. Adding a bit of foliage to a room is a simple way to elevate your space, especially if it is a visually intriguing plant, and if it can tolerate a bit of neglect, it gets my seal of approval.
This must-have houseplant promises all that and more. Here, we take a closer look at the latest trend report from experts at Easyplant to find out which green-fronded friends you should introduce into your space in the coming year, how to care for them, and where to style them.
What is the plant of the year for 2024?
Easyplant has just released their 2024 plant trend report which includes their prediction for next year's most sought-after plant. Their research has concluded that the Dracaena 'Janet Craig', also known as the corn plant, will dominate plant trends as it continues to spike sales, and I'm already an early adopter.
'When pinpointing our hero plant of 2024, we considered several factors, including our top-selling plants, trends among trailblazers within the interior design space, cultural tendencies and fads, and more,' says Rebecca Sterling, Easyplant’s resident plant expert.
After reviewing consumer patterns and researching 2024 wider design forecasts, they've settled on the 'gorgeous festive-yet-chic Dracaena Janet Craig'. The retro plant was a big name in the 70s and now, after years of the monstera plant prevailing, this tall, structural plant marks a direct move away from the softer, round-edged leaves we've favored in recent years. When decorating with plants, this beauty - with its long dark green leaves and cane-like stem - is sure to brighten up any space, and its spiky-looking fronds are a great way to add visual interest to a lackluster corner.
What care does the Dracaena need?
'The Dracaena Janet Craig has soared in sales making it one of the most sought-after indoor plants as we enter the new year,' says Rebecca. 'Its adaptability to sunlight and capacity to match a multitude of home decor aesthetics are just two of the many attributes as to why it has been officially named Easyplant’s 2024 plant of the year.'
Thankfully, it's a relatively easy plant to care for, too. Maintaining your usual houseplant care routine will be enough to keep it looking its best. Simply ensure it receives at least four to eight hours of indirect sunlight per day, and water roughly every two weeks when around a third of the soil in the pot is dry. As a humidity-loving houseplant, it might also do best in a steamy spot like a bathroom where its fronds will really flourish.
The corn plant is a real showstopper, but not a diva. It has just the right amount of structural character to make a statement, but won't be so bushy or fast-growing that it overwhelms your space. 'Surviving best in a space with direct sunlight to indirect low light, the African native makes for the perfect deep-green, textured detail adding value and color to any space, no matter your design preference,' Rebecca adds.
What are the other emerging plants in the trend report?
The Dracaena Janet Craig isn't the only trend Easyplant identified. 'We’re seeing two emerging trends in particular,' Rebecca says. 'Those are lucky plants and plants that pair well with a minimaluxe interior design.'
Feng Shui influences seem to extend into the realm of houseplants now. 'Investing in lucky plants is something we’re seeing becoming more popular with consumers,' Rebecca says. 'While Feng Shui is always on trend in the design space, we’re seeing more consumers - even those that don’t practice Feng Shui in their everyday interior design - gravitate towards lucky plants including ones like the Money Tree, not only because it’s pet-friendly but because it represents wealth and positive energy.'
According to Rebecca, a luxurious minimalist design aesthetic will also continue to reign supreme in the next year which seems to be guiding our plant choices, too. 'Minimalauxe is a more design-focused trend we’re seeing where the simplicity of minimalism meshes beautifully with the opulence of luxury,' she notes. 'As for plant owners and buyers, they’re leaning towards this aesthetic when it comes to choosing new potted friends. Whether it be the enigmatic beauty of a Black ZZ or the broad-leafed Sansevieria Moonshine, Minimalauxe lives throughout the houseplant industry.'
If you want a stylish home full of trendy greenery that compliments your space, consider these influences when you're on the hunt for your next houseplant in the new year. Out with the monstera, in with the Dracaena!
