Quiz: Which Plant Should You Add to Your Collection Next?
Ever find yourself paralyzed by plant shopping indecision? Yeah, us too.
To help you decide what dose of greenery to add to your home next, we tapped plant expert and stylist Hilton Carter for his input and crafted a quiz that will match you with your ideal new plant mate.
As you make your way through the questions below, keep track of how many A, B, C, or D answers you select. Love is just a quiz away — promise.
A quick heads-up: Note that any specific plants mentioned in this story or any others may be toxic to pets or humans. “Toxic” plants can induce symptoms that range from mild (upset stomach) to severe (possible death). If you have a cat, dog, or kid, make sure you research the plants ahead of time on a reputable site like ASPCA.org, PetPoisonHelpline.org, Poison.org, or by calling your vet or pediatrician.
1. Your design style can be best described as:
A. Clean, streamlined, and fresh.
B. Rustic, casual, and totally cozy.
C. Delicate, vintage-inspired, and maybe a little froufrou.
D. Escapist, mood-boosting, and dreamy.
2. You scored two first-class tickets to the destination of your choice (once the pandemic is over). Where are you heading?
A. A big international city that’s cool and cutting-edge.
B. A spot where I can do a bit of forest bathing, like a cabin in the woods.
C. A place packed with luxury and history, like a resort that used to be frequented by Old Hollywood stars.
D. The beach, baby! I’ll take anywhere with sun, surf, and sand.
3. When it comes to adding plants to your home, you prefer if they:
A. Are eye-catching and impactful conversation starters.
B. Really make me feel like I’m bringing the outdoors in.
C. Act as a delicate and quiet accent to my space.
D. Match my overall vibe and elevate my mood.
4. What was your most recent shameless TV binge?
A. Was very hooked on WandaVision.
B. I lose hours daydreaming to episodes of Escape to the Country (while sipping a cuppa, obviously).
C. I burned for Bridgerton.
D. Honestly, I just flow with my mood. Some days my heart says Love Island, some days it says Schitt’s Creek.
5. Friends would describe you as:
A. Usually the first one to try something new, and definitely the friend who’s the most in-the-know.
B. Always there for them with a warm hug and bottle of pinot.
C. Probably a bit high-maintenance, but I prefer to call it having standards.
D. A dose of sunny, good energy — and my star chart would agree.
6. The best compliment you could receive about your home is:
A. “I feel like I’m not cool enough to be here.”
B. “This place is so cozy, I just wanna nap.”
C. “I think my grandma had that when I was growing up!”
D. “Legit this looks like my favorite hotel in Tulum.”
7. When it comes to plant care, you:
A. Don’t mind a little bit of effort if the payoff is worthwhile.
B. Prefer plants that need all my attention — nurturing is my love language.
C. Listen, there’s only room for one high-maintenance thing in this household, and that’s me.
D. Need them to be able to survive if I decide on a last-minute trip to Palm Springs or something.
Ready for Your Results?
Mostly As: Licuala Palm (Licuala grandis)
You don’t like to be the last to know about anything, and that includes the freshest picks in plant decor. To satisfy your quest for all that is new and modern, Hilton Carter suggests one of his favorite new “statement plants,” the Licuala palm. “When it comes to adding a bit of coolness and style to a modern space, the Licuala palm helps to break up all of the straight lines and hard edges, while still grabbing your attention,” says Carter. “Find yourself a square concrete planter to truly lock in that modern look.” True to its up-and-coming nature, you may have a tough time finding a Licuala palm — check out tropical plant nurseries in your area or buy one online.
Mostly Bs: Rubber Tree (Ficus elastica)
You were living that cottagecore lifestyle long before Taylor Swift or teens on TikTok made it a thing. Capture that back-to-nature vibe you love with a rubber tree, suggests Carter. “Achieving a rustic look is easy with a rubber tree. It can grow to over 20 feet indoors and is wild branching, allowing you to blur that indoor/outdoor line easily. Leave this beauty in its nursery pot, but place it inside of a wicker basket to show off its charm.”
Mostly Cs: Australian Tree Fern (Sphaeropteris cooperi)
Hey, grandmillennial. If you’re looking to accent your flower-filled wallpaper and floral chintz couch with a bit of, ahem, quiet greenery, look no further than the Australian tree fern. “Its feathery fronds will dance in the wind like a lace scarf,” says Carter. “Dress it up in a ceramic glazed pot to add to its frilly feel.” (If you find yourself struggling to hunt down an Australian tree fern, look for a varietal that is similarly delicate and fluttery in nature, like an asparagus fern or maidenhair fern.)
Mostly Ds: Orchid Cactus (Disocactus ackermannii)
Accent your easy-going nature and boho vibes with an equally chill orchid cactus, recommends Carter. “If it’s a dreamy feel you love, the red blooms of an orchid cactus, dripping down from above your living room windows, will give you it. Hang it in a terracotta planter for that desert feel.” (If you’re batting zero with finding an orchid cactus, a bromeliad aechmea plant can also lend the same boho, colorful touch to your space — it just won’t grow into a hanging shape like the orchid cactus will.)
Apartment Therapy’s Styling with Plants vertical was written and edited independently by the Apartment Therapy editorial team and generously underwritten by Greendigs.