Houseplant Collecting

Name a group of objects and it’s likely that there are people who collect them. License plates, vintage cameras, toys or coins to name just a few small examples. In Massachusetts Isabella Stewart Gardner amassed an incredible art collection in Boston, focusing on Renaissance and Dutch Golden Age paintings. Actor Jay Leno, who grew up on Andover, MA, collects cars. He owns over 180 cars and more than 160 motorcycles, housed in a massive garage facility in Burbank, California. And in the early 1900’s Ernest “Chinese” Wilson, of the Arnold Arboreatum, introduced over 1,000 plant species from Asia to Western gardens from his plant collecting expeditions.

Most of us aren’t amassing large collections of art or cars, and we aren’t traveling the world discovering previously unknown varieties of plants. But plant collecting on a home level thrives. When we find a type of plant that speaks to us, it’s enjoyable to always be on the lookout for new or additional plants.

Houseplants Worth Collecting

A friend of mine collects Hoyas. They are easy houseplants that are adaptable to low light levels and small pots, and they come in several foliage colors and shapes. When visiting a garden center or greenhouse she’s always alert for a variety that she doesn’t yet grow. Emphasis on the “yet.”

If I was going to collect a group of the same type of houseplant, it would probably be the Anthurium. These tropical plants will bloom 12 months a year when they are in a bright location such as in an eastern-facing window or near a south or western-facing window.

Another easy-to grow group of plants that people collect is the Peperomia, a tropical plant known for striking foliage in a variety of shapes, colors and textures. Peperomia are popular for their hardiness and compact size, making them ideal for beginners and those with limited space. Key care requirements include bright, indirect light and infrequent watering to avoid root rot, as their thick, fleshy leaves can store water.  

At this time of year we often see people coming in for a new Christmas cactus, or amaryllis…both of those are popular and collectable holiday plants.

What type of plants do you collect?