We know that plants communicate through their root systems via chemical secretions. And inside the house, pairing plants with similar light and moisture needs makes sense. Here are two anecdotes I want to share. Stick with me here.
I decided a few months ago to put my Christmas Cactus plants in the same room. Both were doing ok, but not robust. This holiday, both are blooming like they’ve not bloomed since I bought them. Around the same time, I separated a Pothos and a Coleus I’d positioned next to each other in the kitchen. They were “within sight” of each other, but no longer touching. The Pothos began dropping leaves, losing about half. I moved it back next to the Coleus, and new leaf growth began.
So…do houseplants fall in love? If you know me, you know that I see parables and metaphors everywhere in the natural world and create photographs to express these ideas and stories. So I’m inclined to believe that there’s a message here. (Maybe more important than a logical answer to the question.) That people, like plants, are better growing together, touching each other, supporting one another. And that’s my wish for you this season of celebrations … may you be able to be close to the people you love or be warmed by the memory of them.
