8 Houseplant Trends on the Rise in 2023, According to Experts

While some things can go out of style in a home (think: anything from paint colors to kitchen appliances), houseplants aren't one of them. Plants are not only a beautiful and timeless way to enhance any space, they also offer plenty of wellness benefits. As you make plans to add to your houseplant collection, or to care for the ones you already own, we tapped several gardening experts to get their take on what to look for in the new year.

For 2023, sustainability is the name of the game, says Justin Hancock, a horticulturist at Costa Farms, the world's largest houseplant grower. He says that large growing companies, including his own, are turning to renewable resources, like coconut coir, and using more biological controls to keep pests at bay, like beneficial insects, instead of traditional chemicals.

Similar predictions were made by CEO Tammy Nguyen, COO Cody Warden, and CCO Thaimae Le of Ivymay & Co., an eco-friendly plant care company. "Sustainable product packaging, potting mixes, and container pots are our prime objectives in 2023," they say. "We hope to increase the public's awareness around high-quality sustainable plant products and their benefits."

Here's what the experts say about how this trend and others (like houseplant varieties!) are going to rise in 2023.

Variegation

One trend to put on your radar in the new year is variegation, which is when plant leaves are marked with distinct, diverse coloration.Houseplants with white, silver, or pink are expected to pop, says Hancock. "Varieties like White Aspen Dracaena, Silver Dragon Alocasia, and Cool Beauty Dieffenbachia (which has green leaves with creamy-yellow centers and crisp white edges) look fabulous by themselves or mixed with other plants, making them especially versatile," he says. "And because most variegated plants grow a little more slowly since they have less chlorophyll to fuel growth, they'll continue to remain a little harder to find."

Golden Hues

Plants with golden leaves are another variegation-related trend, says Hancock. "They really pop against the more traditional dark green hues we see with common houseplants and are a great way to add life and color to our homes and offices," he says. "Plants like Painted Lady Philodendron, Golden Goddess Philodendron, Chameleon ZZ, and Lemon Meringue Pothos are absolute showstoppers you can't help but love."

Hoyas

Thanks to the many shapes, sizes, and flowers of Hoyas, the team at Ivymay & Co. predicts that the easy-to-care-for "wax plants" will be mainstays for the new year. The experts note that they are best known for their sweet smell and sweet nectar flavor (yes, they are edible!). "With all the buzz surrounding hoyas and the fact that they are so easy to care for compared to the previously popular (more care intensive) velvet anthuriums of 2020, it only makes sense why people love them," they say. "But before you run to your local big box store, the best place to find a good variety of hoyas will be at local independent plant shops."

"Forgiving" Plants

Are you new to household gardening? Then you'll want to consider one of these popular varieties. "Among first-time plant parents, we'll see super-forgiving plants like Raven ZZ, Moonshine Sansevieria, and Silver Bay Aglaonema rise to the top," says Hancock. "While they're ultra-easy to grow, they're also stylish and add a distinctive look to home or office décor." These plants are all tolerant to low light and and can last up to one month without water.

White Bird of Paradise

Another trend that's surging is plants that have large leaves, like the White Bird of Paradise. "These plants add instant impact to any space, look absolutely fabulous on social media, and help provide an extra sense of pride because they are such a statement piece," says Hancock.

Formally called Strelitzia nicolai, the Ivymay & Co. team also thinks this will be a plant of note in 2023, as it is much larger than a similar variety, the Orange Bird of Paradise. "These large-leaf tropical beauties are easy to care for and can thrive indoors in even the coldest of states," they say. "Their banana-shaped leaves can grow to be a few feet long, and their upright growth makes for a cleaner, sleeker, lush look."

Shopping Small

This will be the year to shop smaller than ever before for your plant needs, says Megh Wingenfeld, a home and garden creative. "The trend to support environmentally conscious brands is only going to become greater, and small businesses are a good place for plant parents to start," she says. "There are more options now than there were in 2020 to find organic fertilizers and soil." She predicts that the coming year will allow more people to support even more small-scale plant care brands.

Eco-Friendly Potting Mixes

As the new year will hold more sustainable houseplant care practices, the Ivymay & Co. team notes that peat-free potting mixes will be on the rise. "Peat, also known as peat moss, is one of the most used growing mediums," they say, adding that several commercially available potting mixes include it. This develops in a wetland, also known as a peat bog. "Peat is formed when moss and other living material decompose in these bogs, taking hundreds and sometimes thousands of years to develop," they add. "Harvesting disrupts the bogs' delicate ecosystems and releases substantial amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere as peat bogs store twice as much carbon as all the world's forests combined."

They expect more companies, including their own, to offer more peat-free potting mixes that use bark and wood fiber as key ingredients instead of peat. "Bark and wood fiber is a byproduct of lumber production, making it an upcycled material," they say. "The trees harvested often come from sustainably managed forests where they are planted with the intention to be used for lumber or other human demand."

White Containers

If you're looking for a new planter, you'll want to have a white hue in rotation for 2023. These are expected to be hot on the market, says Hancock. "White's a classic choice because it offers a clean look that really lets the plant pop," he adds. "It goes with everything—every décor style and situation, so you can never go wrong with it."

Houseplant Education

The experts foresee more first-time plant parents taking up household gardening in 2023. But no matter if you're a novice or expert in the houseplant space, they all note that there will be a rise in resources made available to learn more. "Whether houseplants are a lifestyle or more of a hobby, we are always looking for more information," say the Ivymay & Co. leadership. "Why are my leaves yellowing? What are these bugs? How do I get my leaves to shingle?" Consider visiting local plant shops or nurseries for in-house workshops.