This $0 Hack Plant Shop Pros Swear By Makes Potting Big Plants a Breeze
Target is Stepping Up Its Plant Game with a Set of Air Plant Terrariums For Under $13
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One of the retailer’s latest offerings is the LiveTrends Beautiful Chaos Air Plants — ideal if you’re after a low-maintenance plant — and it will also add heaps of style to any room of the house. Available in a pack of two, both of the tiny Tillandsia plants are presented in elegant planters with a sleek botanical design, and they certainly look a lot pricier than the retail price of $12.99.
So, just what exactly are air plants? They are epiphytes that cling to the crooks and branches of trees in Central and South America, the West Indies, and southern U.S. There are varieties adapted to grow in rainforests, mountains, deserts, and swamps, but all varieties grow without rooting in soil. Most of the ones you’ll see in stores are members of the Tillandsia genus.
As their name suggests, they absorb nutrients and water from the air through scales on their leaves, meaning no pots, no dirt, and little to no mess. Air plants require very little watering and can thrive in many lighting situations, but bright, indirect light works best. Although an air plant is a tougher, more indestructible plant, care is still needed, albeit not a lot is required.
With its stylish design and low price and maintenance, there’s little to lose and a lot to gain with this plant purchase. And better yet, you don’t even have to walk into a store — the LiveTrends Beautiful Chaos Air Plant (two-pack) is available for purchase online now.
Killed Your Plant? It’s OK! Here’s What to Do Next
The Best Autumn Flowers To Help Bees, According To Experts
Flying Flowers, an online floral store based in the U.K., has published a list of autumn blooms you can raise in your garden to help bees during the season. For those unaware, bees, whose populations are crucial to the ecosystem but are in decline due to climate change, have more difficulty surviving during this time of the year.
“… With the season change comes [fewer] flowers, making it harder to find those delicious pollen and nectar sources they need,” the site wrote.
So, if you want to help, here are the autumn flowers you can grow to help out our bee-utiful insect friends:
Aptly called the Bee Bush, this plant has clusters of fragrant white flowers that emit a rich scent that honeybees and bumblebees just love. It looks even more stunning once it grows up to six feet and spreads its flora-filled branches. According to some gardeners, they grow Abelia near a window so they can watch bees, as well as hummingbirds, dragonflies, and butterflies, hovering by.
This eye-catching flower provides a constellation of benefits. Because of its open shape, Cosmos provides easy access to nectar, which in turn, invites bees and other beneficial insects that give free pollination services and feed on garden pests. It’s also easy to grow and can help you get healthy, as its petals can be used in salads. Truly, an out-of-this-world flower.
The common wallflower gets a bad rep because of the popular idiom, but they’re by no means useless. In fact, once you plant them in your garden, expect an explosion of exciting colors, from bright yellows to vivid reds and oranges to mellow pinks and purples. In addition, their pollen and nectar will always attract honeybees, making your garden anything but unpopular or boring.
Chelsea Flower Show’s Plant Of The Year Has Hearts For Leaves
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With hundreds of entries at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a plant has to be unique to come out on top. What sets apart this year’s winner? It’s got heart, both figuratively and literally.
At the recent edition of the most famous garden event in the world, Cercis canadensis — or simply, Eternal Flame — was named 2021 Plant of the Year. Its most distinctive feature is its heart-shaped leaves, which start out as deep wine red but matures into burnt orange and then lime yellow as the year progresses. In the spring, it also grows dark pink flowers along the stems.
It’s no surprise why the judges picked this shrub; it’s so cute and eye-catching:
Bred by horticulturist Denny Werner from North Carolina State University across many years, Eternal Flame is a stunning addition to any garden. It can be kept as a shrub with continuous pruning, or allowed to grow into a small 13-foot tree. It is low maintenance, too, as it thrives in sunny spots in most soil types, and is said to be tough and resilient. Even better, for those living in apartments, it can also be grown in containers.
Strangely, it’s a bit difficult to find places that sell Cercis canadensis online (unless you live in the U.K.). There’s a listing on Home Depot. It’s priced at $82.95, but unfortunately, it’s out of stock.
If your heart is set on this plant, though, keep your eyes peeled — it might just become more available.