My Favorite Houseplants As My Favorite Songs

By Lauren Floyd
Music Journalist

It’s no secret to say that music helps people feel happier and more fulfilled. Most people who live in our modern society can choose at least one song, or even a group of songs, that they can get down with.

For me, music is not the only thing that provides these feelings – I LOVE houseplants. I often find myself wondering, “why in the world do these little plants make me feel so happy?” Well, it’s probably because indoor gardening has been scientifically proven to reduce stress. Papers have been published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine about the link between indoor plants and improved mental health. So, I decided to dedicate my article to my two favorite things – music and plants.

Here are some of my houseplants as my favorite songs. 

1. Adiantum – Maidenhair fern

“Needy” – Ariana Grande

“I can be needy, so hard to please me” should be this plant’s motto.

Maidenhair ferns are notorious for being finicky little plants. Naturally, they grow in tight places where water seepage can keep their roots moist at all times. They like bright light, lots of humidity and to not be looked at in the wrong way. No, seriously. If I touch it, it could die. The oils from human skin are too harsh on the delicate foliage. So, naturally, I chose a song that represents how much of a diva my maidenhair truly is. 

2. Begonia Maculata – Spotted Begonia

“Ivy” – Frank Ocean

“You ain’t a kid no more, we’ll never be those kids again”

“The start of nothing, had no chance to prepare I couldn’t see you coming”

This little plant makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. It’s the youngest of my plants but it has EXPLODED with growth since I picked it up from the nursery. Spotted begonias, also called angel wing begonias, explode and grow up to produce foliage the size of human hands and stalks up to 6 feet. It’s hard to imagine my tiniest baby plant growing up to be this big, thus leading to my choice for this song. 

3. Epipremnum Aureum – Snow Queen Pothos

“White Winter Hymnal” – Fleet Foxes

“To keep their little heads from falling in the snow, and I turned ‘round and there you go”

Okay, maybe I just chose this song because it matches the name of the plant, but I do think it represents this plant quite nicely. Pothos plants are super low maintenance ivies that can grow infinitely long in low light – perfect to brighten up a house during the wintertime. I don’t like to play favorites, but if I had to choose, this plant would definitely be at the top of my list. 

4. Peperomia argyreia – Watermelon Peperomia

“I’d Like To” – Corinne Bailey Rae

“Lying here with you reminds me of those days”

“Used to spend our summer having parties on the drive”

As a stark distinction to the last plant that reminded me of winter, this plant reminds me so much of summertime. One of my favorite things to do in the summertime is lay in the sun and eat some cold watermelon. This little plant will arch it’s leaves up towards the sun to soak up the rays all day long. This song reminds me of summertime from when I was a kid and my sweet peperomia matches that, so I think this song is a perfect fit. 

5. Calathea Rufibarba – Furry Feather Calathea

“Beautiful” – The Smashing Pumpkins

“Beautiful, you’re beautiful, as beautiful as the sun”

There’s no hidden meaning here, I just think this plant is crazy gorgeous. Its long leaves have a velvety covering and purple underside, making it extremely enjoyable to look at. I am a sucker for ornate foliage, and while I think all plants are beautiful, there’s something special about the unique foliage of calathea plants that stick out to me. 

If I could write about all my plants, I would probably spend all day at this computer ranting and raving about how proud I am of them, but this short introduction to five of my favorite plants sums up my feelings about them pretty well. I sincerely hope that my love for plants will inspire someone to look into getting their own!

Featured image by Lauren Floyd.