Credit: Getty
Houseplants have seen a surge in popularity during the pandemic – but which varieties have been the most popular? Keep reading to find out.
Whether you’re obsessed with the way they look in your home, enjoy learning about how to take care of them or just love buying new ones, the number of people who are into houseplants has surged during lockdown.
In fact, according to analysis by the homes and interiors brand Sass & Belle, the number of people searching for the term “house plants” and related phrases on google has increased by 114% in the last year.
It’s hardly surprising. Not only is looking after plants a great way to keep yourself entertained (something we’ve all been in need of over the last year) but being surrounded by and taking care of plants can offer numerous benefits to our mental and physical health.
All in all, we’re now a nation even more in love with plants than we already were – and as lockdown eases, it seems unlikely that our collective obsession with our leafy friends is set to go anywhere.
But out of all the houseplants on offer, which ones have proved themselves the UK’s absolute favourites? To find out, the team at Sass & Belle analysed the country’s plant-related searches to reveal the varieties that are taking over our homes.
Keep reading to find out which houseplants took the top spots.
10. Dragon Plant
Known for its sword-like leaves and its elegant, woody trunk, the dragon plant is a great houseplant for beginners due to its drought-tolerant, slow-growing nature.
9. Lavender
Lavender is typically known as an outdoor plant, but it can be grown indoors as long as you can find a warm spot where the plant will get lots of bright light.
With the right care, it’ll produce the purple, scented flowers that it’s famous for.
Shop lavender plant by Gift A Plant at Not On The High Street, £29.99
8. Banana Plant
With its big, fan-like leaves and overarching stems, the banana plant is the perfect way to add a tropical touch to your home.
7. Yucca
The perfect easy-care statement plant, the yucca tree is incredibly drought-tolerant and will thrive on a little neglect, so it’s great one for beginners looking to add a touch of greenery to their home.
6. Jasmine
Like the lavender above, jasmine is also typically seen as an outdoor plant, but it’s actually pretty easy to grow inside, too.
You’ll typically see it sold on a hoop as it likes to climb and wrap its vines around things.
5. Bamboo
The ‘lucky bamboo’ (aka, the type of bamboo typically grown indoors) isn’t actually a bamboo at all – in fact, it’s a type of dracaena, like the dragon tree mentioned above. However, it still gives off the appearance of a bamboo plant, hence its name.
4. Fern
A staple of houseplant collections everywhere, the most common kind of fern you’ll see growing inside is the Boston fern, which is known for its thick, billowing fronds.
Most interestingly, ferns hate to be touched – and will often turn brown in protest if they’re manhandled too much.
3. Palm
A similar case to the fern, there are actually loads of different types of indoor palms available, with the most popular being the parlour and kentia varieties.
Both are great for decorating shady corners, as they don’t require a lot of light to thrive.
2. Philodendron
The name philodendron actually means ‘loving tree’ in Greek, most likely because of the plant’s adorable, heart-shaped leaves.
It’s a particularly popular choice for houseplant lovers because it’s really easy to care for and looks great as both a trailing plant or wrapped around a moss pole.
Shop philodendron on a moss pole at Conservatory Archives, £58
1. Spider Plant
It’s hard not to fall in love with the spider plant’s easy-care nature and bright, cascading foliage, so it’s hardly surprising to see it take the top spot on this list.
Main image: Getty
Other images: courtesy of brands
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