Amazing Alocasia and other plants that are popular in 2017!

Who would have thought that what were once thought of as humble house plants would be the main group of plants to enjoy the greatest surge of popularity over the last three years? This indeed is the case, as has been witnessed in garden centres and nurseries across the UK. Many outlets report that house plant sales have quadrupled and that they now represent around 10 per cent of overall turnover.  Why? ‍

 How would this living room look without the plants? Bare, dull and boring! The rise to the height of fashion has blossomed for several reasons. Probably the most relevant is the social-sharing of photos coupled with the fact that there is now such a diverse range available. There are hundreds of exciting varieties of house plants with exotic foliage, interesting structure or perhaps tropical flowers. House plants come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and it seems that ‘the bigger the better’ is what many people are looking to achieve. ‍

Alocasia 'Sarian' is a big beast of a house plant with giant leaves.

Down in the jungle ...

Interior jungle themes are romping away in terms of trends and with the rise of interest in interior design, there's always room for a few plants that greatly enhance the décor. Particularly worthy of note are groups of compatible plants, strategically placed or staged to create living works of art. In terms of interiors this is as important as any piece of furniture. ‍

Plant and plant matter can look amazing when grouped according to colour, size, species or structure. The ideas are all about individuality and that's exactly what you get with plants, no two plants are identical. So, with a clever mix of placement you can achieve a stunning effect that your neighbours won't have. ‍

People like to be individuals and most prefer to stand out from their neighbours (in a good way!)

Sharing pictures

Of course, it's all about on-line picture-sharing. Everyone can regard themselves as an interior designer with a few, carefully posted photos and this quickly encourages others to create something similar.  Photos fire up the imagination and ideas are easy to steal. ‍

Stealing (or adapting) other people's ideas is all part of the 21st century now that on-line photo sharing is commonplace.

Cacti and succulents: enjoying a 'spike' in popularity

Perhaps surprisingly, cactus plants and succulents are some of the most popular this year as many people strive to find something completely different. Some of these plants are being used outdoors on the patio as well as indoors and the spines on some of the larger cacti are particularly awesome! It's hardly surprising that they attract attention because if you don't treat them with respect you could be in for a nasty surprise. Cacti have the most amazing structure and some can reach several metres high. ‍

Some things are best viewed from a slight distance, cacti have sharp spines but they are now considered 'trendy'. An added bonus is the fact that cactus plants are not as difficult to look after as many believe watering and light levels represent the crucial factors. Not too much of the first, but plenty of the second. These are desert plants: there are very few flood resistant cacti! ‍

Cacti are desert-dwelling plants that can't stand a lot of water. They love sunshine and can cope with cold night-time temperatures too.

Houses without gardens

The housing boom and need for small starter homes means that there are now far more dwellings without gardens than there used to be. It's therefore highly desirable to incorporate greenery indoors. People are beginning to appreciate the health-giving properties of plants and want to improve their indoor environment. Plants remove many toxins from the air. They also improve humidity levels and can not only cut down on the number of bacteria present in a home but also help with allergies too. ‍

House plants have great air-filtering capabilities and can remove a remarkable amount of toxins in the atmosphere in a short space of time. This is a charming, enormous Ficus 'Belize' which has pink-tinged new growth. The same applies to offices. Since the recognition of sick building syndrome, office workers have proved to be both mentally and physically healthier when plants are incorporated into their workspace. Indeed, young people are the biggest fans. Clientele aged between 25-35 are some of the most passionate about house plants. ‍

Plants in offices can help to make people feel healthier.  

Alien plants with the wow factor

• The giant Alocasia 'Sarian' is well over 100cm tall and it has the most astonishing leaves that look rather like the tongue of an exotic dragon.

• Alocasia 'Calidora' has green leaves that look like cabbages.

• Just look at Alocasia 'Portadora' with its luscious, giant leaves with frilly edges.

• If you want spectacular foliage en-masse you'll be wowed by the sight of Alocasia Amazonica which has the nick name Amazon Elephant's Ear and it really is jaw-dropping. The photo shows several plants, not just one.

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Just look at Alocasia 'Amazonica', the Amazon Elephant's Ear house plant. When used en-masse they are an amazing sight!

• There are Alocasias with heart-shaped leaves such as Alocasia wentii.

• The more compact Alocasia 'Black Velvet' has a soft, dark, mysterious glow.

• Then there's Alocasia  'Polly' with its staggering contrast between veins and leaf pigment.

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How amazing is Alocasia 'Polly' with leaves that look completely unreal.

• Pleasure or poison? Alocasia Bambino Arrow has foliage that looks like poison arrow heads used by the deepest jungle tribes.

• Finally, there's Alocasia zebrina which has zebra stripes on the tall, tall, stems. This eye-popping plant is endemic to the island of Luzon in the Philippines where it lives in primary rain forests.

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 Zebra stripes on the stems is what Alocasia zebrina is so good at providing! Don't be fooled by the foliage, there's a cheese plant in the picture too!

Perfect Plants is offering 20% off many different types of Alocasias for the month of August. Visit Perfectplants.co.uk to view the range.  

Perfect Plants is an on-line supplier of garden plants and house plants. Also, garden equipment, furniture and gifts. www.perfectplants.co.uk