Across the metro, millennials are growing into a trend. Many are buying dozens of house plants to fill their homes.
For the past year and a half, Felicite DuVall and her boyfriend, Todd Dylan, have slowly grown into plant people. Now, they have 120 plants throughout their home. They propagate on the back porch, hang stringy vines from a sunroom in their bathroom, and have several cacti and succulents on tables filling their living and bedroom.
These plantaholics are by no means alone. Instagram users are hashtagging their houseplant-filled homes as #jungelowstyle or #urbanjungles. According to the Washington Post, the Instagram account for Urban Jungle Bloggers rapidly grew to a whopping 270,000 followers, mostly women between the ages of 18 and 45, in a year.
That's no surprise to Duvall.
"Air quality is better. They're very calming, they are fun to have around. They have good energy. I know that sounds crazy but like when you're sick and you sleep in that room, you feel better. And I feel better being around plants," she said.
It's also something Omaha entrepreneurs hope will lead to business growth. In August, Chris Link of Yutan and Richard Anderson of Omaha launched plantaddicts.com (think Amazon, but for your bushes and plants).
"If you don't like being around people or spending a whole Saturday going through looking through a nursery, that is a really good way to save time."
Link said.
"The big thing would be to eventually become an employer in Omaha, I mean that's what I look forward to," Anderson said.
It's too early to tell whether this growing plant trend is one that will perennially blossom and then die out, or whether it's here to stay. Regardless, it's one that has taken root in Duvall's home.
"I think teaching them how to be gentle and respect that and nurture something else is important too. So a lot of bonding with the whole family," she said.
