I can't believe we're already in 2025, but I am SO excited to spill all the tea about my wild plant experiment from last year. In 2024, I totally went for it and added over 40 new plant species to my collection—and it was quite the adventure! Some of these plants thrived, some flopped, and yes, some didn’t make it. So in this episode, I’m sharing it all—from my favorites to my fails—and what I learned along the way.

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:51] Reflecting on 2024
• [04:31] What’s your plant parent personality?
• [06:38] Why I now consider myself a low maintenance plant parent
• [09:08] How I fell in love with Ficus (and fell out of love with Calathea)
• [11:52] My success with Anthuriums and Alocasia
• [13:37] Why my most repurchased plants are philodendrons (+ pothos)
• [15:19] Start 2025 with soothing premium chimes with Wind River!
• [17:00] Grow your best garden yet with the AHS Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening!
• [19:39] Why there is less light in your house than you believe
• [20:50] My top favorite plants in 2024
• [33:44] My least favorite plants in 2024
• [37:56] Plants that didn’t make it in 2024 🙁
• [42:53]  What's in store for my 2025 houseplant collection?

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Lessons From 2024: My High-Level Takeaways

After moving to Florida, I realized I needed plants that could live with less attention. I’m now a low maintenance plant parent. And you know what? That's totally okay! Maybe I’ll circle back to my mindful plant parenting days in the future.

1. Ficus stole my heart this year (they get such a bad rap because of fiddle leaf figs), but hidden gems like the Ficus ‘Belize' and Ficus ‘Tineke' are resilient, rewarding, and perfect for anyone willing to give them some light and love.
2. I tried SO hard with Calatheas. I wanted to love them and their stunning leaves, but they just weren’t the right fit for my current lifestyle. Sensitive and demanding, they need more attention than I can give right now.
3. I actually fell in love with Alocasias and thick-leaved Anthuriums! I was totally worried they'd be super high-maintenance, but they've surprised me in the best way, especially in my green wall setup.
4. Philodendrons reign supreme. While they might not be my absolute top favorites, they're consistently the genus I'll keep coming back to.

My Favorite Plants of 2024

• Anthurium brownii –  extremely drought tolerant
• Ficus elastica ‘Belize’ –  I love growing pink plants, and these grow vigorously
• Alocasia cuprea – surprisingly hardy, even without a humidifier
• Alocasia longiloba –  they grow bigger with every new leaf that pops out
• Ficus elastica ‘Tineke’ –  cream variegated leaves
• Ficus elastica ‘Abidjan’ – dark green leaves
• Philodendron atabapoense – has long heart-shaped leaves
• Alocasia ‘Stingray’ – a very prolific grower
• Anthurium plowmanii – very hardy, thick leaves
• Birds nest fern – great for low maintenance plant parents
• Staghorn fern – I actually grew it in soil instead of mounting it
• Philodendron nangaritense – beautiful coloring on their leaves
• Philodendron hastatum (Silver Sword)
• Carnivorous plants – Venus fly trap/pitcher plants/sundews 
• Variegated philodendrons – orange smooth, white wizard, pink princess, splash dash 
• Ficus benghalensis or banyan fig –  it's a rather slow grower but it’s beautiful
• Phlebodium aureum (Rabbit's Foot Fern) –  I haven't been as successful with this but I love its shape
• Monstera adansonii –  it's fun to have a fenestrated trailing plant
• Hoya latifolia & Hoya quinquenervia – beautifully growing on a trellis
• Hoya ‘Rangsan’ – has a rain variegation that looks like water droplets all over it

My Least Favorite Plants in 2024

• Ficus benjamina or weeping fig – I was just unimpressed this year but will try another year
• Ficus cyathistipula or Afrigan fig tree – also slow grower. I just wouldn't buy it again
• Hoya callistophylla – it was a much finickier Hoya than any other Hoya I've ever cared for
• Thin-leafed anthuriums – mine ended up getting a lot of crispiness on the edges
• Monstera deliciosa Thai Constellation – it didn’t grow fast and it didn't do much for me in my plant collection

Plants That Didn’t Make It

• Calathea orbifolia – I grew that thing under glass. I put moss on the top. I ran a humidifier. I did everything in my toolkit and wheelhouse to make this thing happy. And it just didn't cut it.
• Calathea makoyana
• Ctenanthe – hardier than Calathea, but still just not doing it for me
• Fittonia – I tried but they're just too sensitive for me
• Alocasia reginula ‘Black Ninja’
• Alocasia baginda ‘Dragon Scale’

Looking Forward to 2025

Will I be adding 40 more plants in 2025? No. I think that 2024 was a really fun year but that was a lot of plants to add. I will definitely continue experimenting.

I'm going to be testing and touring houseplant growers and all that kind of stuff. But I also feel like I can just take a breath and I'm really happy with the collection that I have right now.

This year, I’m focusing on creating a lush lanai jungle and growing more food outdoors. I’m also curious to see how Florida’s unique climate affects my houseplants.

If you’re inspired to try something new, take my Plant Parent Personality Test for a curated list of plants tailored to your style. Here’s to another year of blooming, growing, and joyful plant parenting!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• What's Your Plant Parent Personality?
• Growing Joy Ep 147: How to Care For Carnivorous Plants Indoors with Damon of California Carnivores
• Growing Joy Ep 269: Carnivorous Plants: The Houseplant Pest Control You Never Thought Of with Kenny Coogan
• Growing Joy Ep 247: Growing Joy “After Dark”: Spilling the Planty Tea with Kamili Bell Hill and Agatha Isabel
• Youtube: How Carnivorous Plants Can Be Used for Pest Control // Indoor Carnivorous Plants
• Youtube: Full Soltech Highland Light and Wallygrow Eco Wall Planter Greenwall Set Up and Review
• ÅKERBÄR greenhouse, in/outdoor/white, 45 cm – IKEA

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