Grandma's Plants are Making a Comeback

There’s no one like grandma or grandpa! They accumulated wisdom from years of experience and can offer comfort like no one else. Grandparents are there when you need them, and that deserves celebration. Grandparent’s Day is just around the corner, and there’s no better way to celebrate the people you rely on most than with a throwback plant that often sat in the corner of their living room back in the day (and still might be there).

Have you heard the term grandma plant thrown around in the plant world? The term grandma plant is used to describe a plant that became popular when our grandparents were young adults, roughly the 1930s through 1970s. Grandma plants are tried-and-true plants that have been with us for years and will be with us for years to come. In mid-century America, several of our classic go-tos made their debut. Snake plants, pothos, and begonia are just a few grandma plants on their way back into our plant collections. However, unlike Grandma, today we have a full spectrum of new species, cultivars, and hybrids of each plant that can collect dust in our mid-century modern interiors. Here are a few of our retro favorites that are back on trend!

Cast Iron Plant (a.k.a. Aspidistra elatior)

The 1940s and 50s brought faux plants into popularity, but a few live houseplants became popular amongst home economists during that time as well. Originally becoming popular in Victorian England because of its ability to live in the dingy and polluted living situations of the rising middle class, the cast iron plant made the cut in American homes in early mid-century times because of its easy care and low light requirements. Today, aside from the solid green cast iron plant of a by-gone era, there are also several variegated cast iron plants available.

Swiss Cheese Plant (a.k.a. Monstera deliciosa)

Another favorite that made its way into interior design in the late 1950s was the swiss cheese plant. While it’s not what you would think of as a typical grandma plant, it did popularize in mid-century homes, helping position it as the houseplant icon it is today.

Rubber Tree Plant (a.k.a. Ficus elastica)

Rubber trees made a big splash in the 1960s! Their easy care and sleek lines appealed to the space-age aesthetic. Does anyone remember their grandparent singing the lyrics, “Oops there goes another rubber tree plant!”? If you’re looking for a plant care theme song, look no further! Famed voices of the time such as Doris Day and Frank Sinatra sang the classic pick-me-up tune frequently. If you’re curious, watch Frank Sinatra -- High Hopes, and you’ll feel like you can tackle any plant care challenge!

Snake Plant (a.k.a. Dracaena trifasciata previously Sansevieria trifasciata)

Really, this plant spans all decades since being introduced to the house plant world. It is the epitome of easy care, and new forms of snake plants pop up constantly. Although happiest with some bright, indirect light, this plant can survive in almost completely dark settings for weeks on end and still show good growth! Just be sure to avoid overwatering, as snake plants tend to struggle with crown rot if kept too moist.

Spider Plant (a.k.a. Chlorophytum comosum)

This houseplant staple was at its prime in the 1970s. Multiplying at the ready, spider plants provide a fern-like mounded shape. Unlike ferns, they also offer variegation options and unique bobbing plantlets that mimic a spider on its web. Thankfully, they can’t crawl away, though...

Jade Plant (a.k.a. Crassula species)

One of our favorite house plants, the jade plant, has been used in the interior much longer than most succulent or cacti that came into popularity in the 1990s. In fact, an article in the Washington Post from the late 1970s (The Jade Plant - A Bit of the Exotic from South Africa) points out that jade plants were already a staple house plant at the time. Today, traditional Crassula ovata jade plants are still a staple, but there are so many more unusual variations of the classic jade plant available now!

Truth be told, because of the interior plant boom in mid-century America, there are myriads of grandma plants out there to bring home that are both fun and nostalgic. Own it, and enjoy your easy-care, mid-century modern plants this Grandparent’s Day. Plant parents are out--plant grandparents are in!

Do have any grandma plants sitting at home in your collection? Share a photo with us @wild_interiors on Instagram!