2021 Trendy Plant Guide For Interior Decorators

Nobody can deny that plants had a massive moment in the spotlight in 2020. Seasoned plant parents found the time and space to grow their plant collections more than ever before. The community also welcomed a new wave of plant parents to the hobby, many of whom are here to stay. A growing love for houseplants has inevitably had a great influence on the interior design landscape, which we think will make a strong mark on design trends in 2021! Read on to find out what we predict will become the most popular interior design plant trends this year.

Raven ZZ Plant (Zanzibar Gem)

The houseplant and horticultural community have been buzzing about the Raven ZZ plant for the past couple of years. However, they have yet to take over the homes of plant lovers around the world. This might be because they’re so difficult to get your hands on! The Raven ZZ plant is exclusively licensed to Costa Farms, making them the sole producer of the coveted species. The Raven ZZ plant is unique due to its deep purple foliage that appears black in low light conditions. Apart from its strikingly gothic allure, it's an easy plant to take care of. Both plant-parent beginners and experts alike will appreciate its tolerance to drought and how it thrives in virtually any lighting conditions.

New leaves on the Raven ZZ plant emerge as a bright green, but darken until near black as they mature.Photo via Costa Farms.

Cousins of the Fiddle Leaf Fig:

There’s no doubt that the Fiddle Leaf Fig stole the show in 2020. As much as we love the Fiddle Leaf Fig, its incredibly finicky nature makes it a difficult plant to keep alive in your home. Moreover, interior designers who like to innovate and stay ahead of trends may find that the Fiddle Leaf Fig looks a little too out of date for their taste. For home designers who like the look of a classic fiddle but want something with a twist, try the Ficus Altissima or the Ficus Benghalensis (the Banyan tree). Both boast the big leaves you love from the original fiddle, with an edgy spin on their leaf shapes. The Altissima carries a pointier leaf, while the Benghalensis features oval ones. You can learn more about these plants in this Fiddle Leaf Fig Growing Guide.

The leaves of the Ficus Benghalensis (the Banyan tree) are rounder and flatter than that of the popular Ficus Lyrata (Fiddle Leaf Fig).Image via Greenery Unlimited.

Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum Anguliger)

We all remember the succulent craze. Though round succulents are always adorable to have, 2020 saw many of us showing cactuses some love. We predict that cactuses with interesting shapes have the potential to take over your Instagram feed in 2021. One cactus that we’re particularly excited about is the Fishbone cactus, also known as the zig-zag cactus or ric-rac orchid cactus. Though they don’t need too much water and require very little maintenance, they ask for slightly more water than most cactuses. Make sure to keep their soil a little moist to make these little guys happy. Make sure to give your cacti sufficient light, so either put them on a sunny patio for the summer, or invest in a hanging plant light to turn that dark unused corner into a cactus haven.

Photo of the Fishbone Cactus byGordon K A Dickson.

Propagations

Now that most of us have more mature plants ready for a spring propagation than ever, we expect to see lots of creative propagation set ups in the months ahead. Mason jars and test tube collections are always welcome propagation stations, but we reckon that many plant parents will go beyond classic, small scale setups by investing in decorative or larger scale ones, perhaps to even propagate a thriving monstera! Think entire walls dedicated to propagation as well as the use of unique and interesting vessels

DIY Plant Propagation Station viaBrittany Goldwyn featuring a wooden frame and glass vessels.

Rubber Tree (Ficus Elastica)

Rubber trees were definitely an emerging trend last year, but they were always overshadowed by the ever-so-popular fiddle leaf fig tree and bird of paradise. With their architecturally unique structure and adorably thick, oval leaves, we believe that it’s time for rubber trees to have their moment in the spotlight. Raven ZZ plant lovers will also love the rubber plant’s royally dark shade of green.

A small rubber tree,photographed by Mike Marquez.

Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)

The act of caring for houseplants has a meditative quality, and is an opportunity to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday routine. We expect to see a boom in houseplants as selfcare this year. What better way to reel in positivity than with a prayer plant? These beauties boast multicolored foliage that only increases in saturation as the plant matures, making them striking additions to colorful interior spaces. What’s especially unique about them however, is that they fold their leaves upwards at night as one might do with their hands during prayer.

Detail shot of a Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura) byDavid Stang.

Interested in plants that are relatively easy to take care of? If so, you can visit this article, 3 Low Maintenance House Plants to Buy in 2021!