Winter is the perfect time to cozy up with a houseplant book, and luckily there are plenty to choose from. Below are ten of our newer favorites. Many are written by pro friends who share our plant obsession. Some are perfect for new plant parents. And, others take a deeper dive into the science and health benefits of indoor gardening. Happy reading!
- The New Plant Parent by Darryl Cheng – Darryl is an engineer and savvy plantsman from Canada. In this book, he shares plant science in a friendly way that even newbies can understand. We’re big fans of his Instagram account (@houseplantjournal) filled with great images and sound plant care tips, and this book is an upgrade on all that. He teaches the art of understanding a plant’s needs including the powerful tool of observation. He also covers the basics to get new plant parents the confidence they need for success.
- Tiny Plants by Leslie Halleck – In her third houseplant book, Leslie shares her fascination with tiny plants and hails their perks for plant collectors with limited spaces. Leslie is a pro when it comes to horticulture. She worked 25 years in hybridizing and teaches a popular indoor plant class for UCLA students. In this book, she offers tips for growing tiny plants -- like micro peperomias, mini orchids and baby succulents -- on windowsills and under glass.
- Houseplant Party by Lisa Eldred Steinkopf – Our friend the Houseplant Guru lives not far away in Michigan and published this latest houseplant project book. Lisa offers advice on easy-care houseplants like peace lilies, ponytail palms, haworthias and air plants. She also shares some fun uses for houseplant projects – a macrame hanger, wooden trellis and shadowboxes. Lisa knows her stuff with 10 years in the nursery industry and many more caring for her own collection of 1,000 houseplants.
- Wild Creations by Hilton Carter – Hilton brings his design prowess to the plant world. If you follow him on Instagram (@hiltoncarter), you’ve seen his living walls, hanging plant stands and propagation station at his home in Baltimore where he grows 200+ plants. In this book, he walks readers through 25 cool, doable projects and plant hacks to up your own jungle vibe. Check out Wild at Home and Wild Interiors for even more plant styling inspiration.
- Lessons from Plants by Beronda Montgomery – Beronda dives into the “whys” of houseplant parenting. After this read, you’ll walk away wanting to fill every inch of your space with plants for their psychological, mood boosting, carbon absorbing and oxygen nourishing benefits. She also explores plants’ adaptive ways as they respond to their environment and other plants around them. Beronda is a professor at Michigan State University and was named one of Cell’s 100 Inspiring Black Scientists.
- Houseplant Warrior by Raffaele Di Lallo – From our home state of Ohio, Raffaele shares seven keys to unlocking the mysteries of houseplant care. We love his Insta Reels (@ohiotropics) on watering his plants in the shower and hammering root-bound pots, so we know this soon-to-be-released book (March 15, 2022) will be just as entertaining and informative. Raffaele is an engineer and has been plant parenting for more than 30 years, so he totally geeks out on plants. He helps readers sort through the real and fake advice on plant care. He offers a gold mine of advice for troubleshooting and plenty of first-hand experiences to back it up. He’ll even be visiting the store this spring, so stay tuned for more.
- Tropical Plants and How To Love Them by Mariann Willburn -- Marian takes a fun relational approach to growing heat-loving tropicals -- like angel’s trumpet and hibiscus -- when you don’t live in the tropics. She gives you permission to enjoy a fleeting summer romance with your tropicals and guides you to a long-term relationship growing them successfully outside and in.
- Hidden Histories of Houseplants by Alice and Maddie Bailey – For the plant curious, this beautifully illustrated narrative explores the fascinating back stories of 20 common houseplants. Sister authors Alice and Maddie answer questions why monstera leaves have holes and why calathea leaves open in day and close at night. The duo come from British horticulture dynasty with a Dutch flower merchant grandfather and plant guide author mother. They head up Forest London, a cult plant and homewares shop in South London.
- Home Sweet Houseplant by Baylor Chapman – This project book is one of a mini series that also includes Tabletop Gardens and Project Succulent. California author and plant designer Baylor starts with the basics on choosing and caring for plants. Then, she goes room by room, offering unexpected design concepts and inspired projects to elevate your home with plants.
- Houseplant Journals – Start off the New Year recording your plant care in one of the bonanza of new plant journals on the market. Look for journals with logs to record plant names, watering dates, lighting needs, health challenges, repotting and fertilizing schedules. Some also have growth charts, propagation logs and lined pages for personal notes.