Why Succulents Are So Popular

Succulents are reported to be well-liked since they have a place in practically everyone’s house. These plants were welcomed in homes even by those who lack the time to care for them. These plants may survive with little maintenance.

What makes succulents unique?

Because they can uplift a space and a person’s mood and are even known to reduce indoor pollutants, houseplants are a popular addition to many houses. However, some indoor plants are better for you than others. Succulents are among the greatest indoor plants for the following six reasons:

1. They are tolerant of dry, enclosed environments.

2. They require little watering.

Unlike other houseplants, succulents can endure limited watering because to a special adaption. They do not require watering as regularly as other plants because of their ability to store water in their thick, fleshy leaves, stems, and larger roots. Even their name derives from this characteristic; “succulent” is a translation of the Latin word succulentus, which means “containing juice,” according to the Online Etymology Dictionary.

  • Your fingers will come out dry even if you bury them two knuckles deep in the ground.
  • The normally glossy leaves start to wilt.
  • The leaves shrink or pucker.

3. They don’t need a lot of fertilizer.

During the warmer months of the year, you only need to fertilize succulent plants three or four times overall. You can use only approximately half of the fertilizer you would normally spend on a standard houseplant because they don’t need as much feeding, which results in cost savings.

4. They resemble living works of art.

5. You may create indoor gardens with them.

  • same growth rates
  • similar watering requirements
  • like what the sun requires Don’t combine two succulents that require full sunshine with those that prefer partial shade, for example.

6. They will look good in your house.

Why are succulents so popular now?

Two weeks without watering a succulent may cause it to somewhat wither. I’m done now.

They hardly want soil to grow in, and they don’t want you to water them frequently. The stony desert is where many succulents naturally flourish; they don’t require peat moss or fertilizers.

Therefore, succulents are ideal for millennials who enjoy flying. They are ideal for our hectic lives because they can tolerate some neglect.

Why do consumers purchase succulents?

Selling finished succulent bouquets is a fantastic way to monetize your passion for succulent gardening! You can discover how to start by reading this article.

We may receive a commission when you buy something after clicking on one of our links, at no additional cost to you. This enables us to offer you free content.

Although there are many methods to make money online, if you have the succulent bug, you might have a special chance.

Every day, hundreds of individuals shop for succulents online, and many of them would rather purchase an attractive arrangement than individual plants.

Selling your magnificent plants could be a terrific way to increase your income and have some fun if you’re starting to run out of space for all of them in your garden.

Why do succulents cost so much?

A succulent’s scarcity, maintenance expenses, therapeutic benefits, and aesthetic value are some of the elements that might make it pricey.

Rarity of Succulent

A very rare succulent will cost a lot of money to buy. There is limited rivalry among vendors because there are few stores in the USA that sell succulents. A succulent can be sold for a greater price and still make money if it is in short supply.

High maintenance cost

Succulents can occasionally take a very long time to grow. The more money and energy spent on a plant, the longer it takes for it to flourish. The plant may also require further feeding and pruning. The price of the succulent may increase as a result of these reasons.

Aesthetic Value of The Succulent

A succulent could cost more if it has a wonderful appearance that can improve the aesthetic of a space. These hardy plants are excellent for use as décor because they can be eye-catching and lovely. A succulent may fetch a greater price in the market if it is in demand because of its aesthetic value due to increased demand.

Medicinal importance

Succulent varieties with medical potential include salo, yucca, and aloe vera. Yucca has particular phytonutrients that can be helpful in alleviating arthritic pain and inflammation. Additionally, digestive system inflammation can be treated with aloe vera.

Because plants help speed up the healing of wounds and treat eczema, succulents are frequently found in hospitals. Succulents have been used to treat a number of medical conditions, including coughing.

Why do young people prefer succulents?

Due to millennials’ worldwide desire for the plants, there has been an increase in theft and smuggling.

At the weekend, when I casually scrolled through Instagram stories, I was shocked to witness a crime being committed. Home CCTV footage of a man stealing my friend’s cactus cut short my routine frenzy of macha lattes and kid boomerangs. The cactus appeared to be flourishing when it was placed in a doorway in Clapham, south London—at least, it did until the thief swiftly snatched it out of its container. The bad guy understood what he was going for, therefore it was obvious that this was a targeted attack.

He may have been a part of a global criminal wave, it turns out. This week, two South Korean men in Cape Town were convicted guilty of smuggling 60,000 miniature succulents from South Africa and Namibia and were sentenced to significant fines and suspended jail terms. This conviction was the fourth of its kind in recent months.

It appears that millennials’ desire for decorative green houseplant “pets” has peaked. Succulent lunacy is well on its way to defining our own horticultural age, echoing the boom-and-bust calamity of tulip fever in 17th-century Holland.

Since it took this long, I must admit that I’m astonished. As a “millennial gardener” myself, I’ve seen the succulent fever develop over the past ten years (in a way that most succulents exposed to British temperatures and light levels rarely will). After beginning in 2013, crassulas, kalanchoes, and echeverias soon filled store shelves and were frequently dusted with glitter. These days, it’s almost impossible to get a coffee without having to consider the impending demise of the grossly overwatered haworthia in the center of the table.

Succulents and indoor plants are dear to millennials because they provide a concrete means of interacting with nature.

The important thing to understand about houseplant crazes is that they are cyclical, much like many other things we place in our homes. When my mother first did it in the 1970s, having little cacti and succulents in your room and hanging them up in macrame hangers was all the rage. Before that, the 1930s Hollywood celebrities who relocated to Palm Springs were fond of cacti. Since then, cactus rustling has been a concern, which is why the anti-plant trafficking Lacey Act was introduced in 1981. Not that it made much of a difference: by 2018, so many tall saguaros in Arizona were being uprooted at night that park rangers had to microchip their cactus.

For the staff at London’s Kew Gardens, who nurture three plants of each type before placing any on show, this is all depressingly familiar ground. An impossible-to-find small water lily was stolen from the glasshouses in 2014, and even a visit to Crimewatch couldn’t save it.

Not that our obsession with plants necessarily leads to crime. Frequently, it is only a dangerous activity. A few young Victorian women perished while searching for a rare species of fern, much like the unlucky individuals who plunge to their lives from cliffs while trying to take the perfect selfie. Teenage girls’ pteridomania, often known as “fern fever, was a common passion in the middle of the 19th century. The rituals involved searching the countryside with a trowel and an identification book before pressing their find with a coffee-table book. Rare plants were routinely uprooted from the ground, which always had an adverse effect on the local species.

The terrible part is that these crazes typically have excellent intentions hidden behind them. Because they provide a physical connection to nature that is lacking in a society that is becoming more and more reliant on screens, millennials are drawn to succulents and other houseplants. For the first time in generations, society had permitted those young Victorian women to venture outside and interact crudely with nature. Both groups had to put up with dwindling gardens and unreliable leased housing; in other words, they both really needed the quiet delight of seeing green leaves spread out all about them.

Humans are hard-wired to respond to nature, just like all other species. In Shetland, “green prescriptions” are given to those with mental-health disorders because it has been demonstrated that exposure to the outside world is so beneficial. Cactus crime frequently starts with a basic, understandable yearning for some greenery.

Why are Millennials now so enamored with houseplants?

The spark is lit and the flames are fanned by social media, but millennials are going one step farther and looking for live plant gatherings, cutting swaps, and houseplant seminars. Similar plant enthusiasts believe they have a supportive network that they can turn to for advice and experience sharing.

Also known as the “wellness generation,” the millennial generation aligns nicely with the health ideologies of houseplants. They value how plants may improve both one’s physical and emotional wellness.

What kinds of indoor plants are popular among millennials? Millennials prefer to shop at locally owned garden centers instead of big-box stores when buying plants. Popular indoor plants include succulents with unusual shapes and textures, as well as those with bright leaves.

Rare, collector-type houseplant cultivars are in demand and can sell for a premium. Similar to how one could indulge in a more expensive work of art, these plants are displayed and appreciated.

How long will the current cycle of home plant crazes last? Time will tell, but from personal experience I can say that once the bug bites, you’re bitten.

Why do Millennials value indoor plants so much?

Right now, houseplants are a popular home décor trend, and Millennials clearly enjoy caring for them as a new hobby.

Consumers reported spending a record $47.8 billion on retail lawn and garden goods, with 30% of all households purchasing at least one houseplant, according to the 2019 Gardening Survey. According to the poll, families with gardens now have a nearly 30% youth population between the ages of 18 and 34.

The current indoor houseplant fad, according to Ian Baldwin, a gardening industry expert and business counselor who took part in the survey, is reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s, when homes were crammed with all sizes and forms of non-flowering plants in pots or macram hangers.

What, though, are Millennials buying more of than ever, and why do they adore houseplants?

Plants are a natural attraction for the Millennial age since they place a high value on health and wellness. Through their ability to improve mood, reduce stress, and purify the air, plants are recognized to provide healthier environments for humans to live in.

Young people are employing plants to create green spaces to reduce stress, especially those who live in urban flats. Furthermore, plants provide life to sterile areas, provide privacy, and even lower noise levels.

Employers who are sensitive to the needs of millennials are also working to create healthier work environments by introducing living walls and green areas to assist raise the standard of living for their staff. In their 200,000 square foot space, the Etsy headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, includes more than 11,000 plants.

Although many Millennials are deferring home purchases, marriages, and childbirth, they still feel a need to care for others. Young people have the chance to take care of a living thing and can connect with others without having to make a big commitment when they grow plants. Additionally, plant owners do not have to worry about a landlord’s no-pet rule or finding a sitter while away.

The community that plant collecting fosters, both offline and online, may be the reason why Millennials enjoy it so much. In towns around the nation, new plant clubs, plant exchanges, and plant exhibitions have recently emerged.

The internet community is likewise expanding quickly. Some even claim that Instagram, which gives plant owners a platform to showcase both their collections and their knowledge, contributed to the rebirth of indoor houseplants.

The fact that millennials adore indoor plants is a good thing. In a society where there is frequently a disconnect, it fosters community while also encouraging self-care and nurturing. The Millennial generation is well-positioned to maintain an enduring affinity for plants, despite the fact that the current plant mania may appear to be a passing trend.

Why are plants so fashionable?

Watering, pruning, repotting, cleaning, and other maintenance tasks are necessary for houseplants, yet many people find these chores relaxing because they require us to take our time and carefully devote to something. In a chaotic and uncertain world, taking care of plants can offer soothing rituals.

A vacation from technology, such as that offered by taking care of plants, can be a welcome relief from the stress of notifications, social media, and the on-going burden of having to be reachable around-the-clock via a cell phone.

Plants are also lovely, and admiring lovely things can uplift and calm us. Seriously, how beautiful is this?

Plants bring nature inside

The fact that houseplants are a simple method to bring a touch of nature inside is a significant factor in why most indoor gardeners adore plants.

Due to their demanding professions and busy social schedules, Millennials and Gen Zers may not spend as much time in nature as they would like to. Many people live in cities where it is difficult to find nature.

Many young people are delaying home ownership in favor of renting due to soaring home prices, student loan debt, and a competitive employment market, which results in many of them living in apartments without yards.

A terrific method to create your own own patch of nature inside is with houseplants.

Social media brings plants lovers together

I have stated how popular houseplants have become on social media, particularly Instagram. Beautiful houseplant pictures can motivate people to start their own plant collections, and this fashion quickly catches on.

Additionally, social media gives gardeners a forum to support one another, motivate one another, provide advice, organize meetups and groups where they may discuss topics of interest and even exchange or share cuttings from their collections.

Do succulents thrive in homes?

  • They aid in breathing – While plants emit oxygen during the process of photosynthesis, most plants respire at night, generating carbon dioxide. Other plants, such as orchids and areca palms, in addition to succulents, continue to produce oxygen throughout the night. Keep these plants in your bedroom to get a better night’s sleep by breathing in more fresh air as you sleep.
  • Succulents, such as snake plants and aloe vera, are great in purifying the air and removing toxins. According to NASA studies, 87 percent of volatile organic molecules can be eliminated (VOC). Because VOCs like benzene and formaldehyde are present in rugs, cigarette smoke, grocery bags, books, and ink, these plants are especially useful in libraries and study spaces.
  • They aid in illness prevention. Plant water released into the sky accounts for roughly 10% of the moisture in the air. In your home, the same rule holds true: the more plants you have, especially in groups, the better your ability to increase the humidity and so reduce the likelihood of dry skin, colds, sore throats, and dry coughs. According to a research by Norway’s Agricultural University, offices with plants had sickness rates that were 60% lower. Environmental psychologist Tina Bringslimark explained to The Telegraph: “We looked into how many people reported taking self-reported sick days and contrasted that with how many plants they could see from their desk. There was less self-reported sick leave the more plants they could observe “.
  • They aid in concentration – Numerous research on both students and workers have discovered that having plants around while studying or working improves concentration, attentiveness, and cognitive capacities. According to a University of Michigan research, the presence of plants increased memory retention by as much as 20%. Small plants like succulents, which don’t take up much space on your desk, are particularly helpful at the office.
  • They promote faster healing – Succulents can help to lessen coughs, fevers, headaches, and flu-like symptoms. Hospital patients who had plants in their rooms needed less pain medication, had lower blood pressure and heart rates, and were less worn out and anxious, according to Kansas State University researchers.