Costa Farms unveils Greenteriors collection of plants for biophilic design

Houseplant grower Costa Farms has selected eight plants that use biophilic design principles to enhance home interiors as part of its new Greenteriors collection.

Scientific studies have proven that simply being around indoor plants is associated with a calming effect, positive emotions and enhanced cognitive performance.

Biophilic design is a scientifically backed approach to interior design that builds on a connection to nature. A 2020 Harvard study found that people in a room with plants showed better physical and mental recovery after completing stressful tasks than those without plants.

A study by Texas A&M University found that keeping potted plants around a workspace substantially improved workers’ creative performance and problem-solving. Another study from the University of Michigan revealed that memory and attention span increased with exposure to nature, such as live plants.

“We’re seeing more and more people flock to houseplants, because we’re prioritizing health, wellness and a connection to nature in our homes,” said Justin Hancock, horticulturist at Costa Farms.

Plants in the Greenterior collection include:

• Baltic Blue Pothos: An easy-to-grow climbing or trailing plant that features dark, blue-green leaves decorated with chic cut edges.
• Global Green Pothos: A no-fuss climbing or trailing plant with dark green heart-shaped leaves trendily marked with lighter green.
• Mini Monstera: An easy-care climbing plant with trendy splits from the edges to the center.
• Monstera Little Swiss: A quick-growing climbing or trailing plant whose leaves feature playful window-like holes, creating interplay of light and shadow.
• Pink Princess Philodendron: A super-trendy plant that features dark green leaves and soft- to hot-pink streaks and splashes.
• Polka Dot Begonia: An upright houseplant whose dark green leaves are rusty red beneath and bear silver polka dots on top of the leaf surface.
• Raven ZZ Plant: One of the easiest plants to grow, it features goth-like purple-black leaves.
• Silver Dragon Alocasia: A small desk or tabletop plant with heart-shaped two-tone silver leaves.

Hancock offers the following tips to help evaluate whether your environmental conditions meet a plant’s needs:

• Light: “Almost every houseplant wants as much light as it can get inside,” said Hancock. “Some tolerate lower-lighting conditions than others, and it’s usually noted on a plant tag.” You can put a plant that tolerates low light in a bright spot, but don’t put a plant that needs bright light in a low-light spot.
• Water: “If you’re not sure when or how much to water, look for plants offered in a self-watering system, like the Wick & Grow system,” said Hancock. Most plants survive being too dry for extended periods better than being too wet, so if in doubt, it’s better to under- rather than overwater.
• Temperature: “Every plant in the Greenteriors collection likes average household temperatures (65-80 degrees F),” said Hancock, so you shouldn’t need to worry about temperature.

"Selecting the right plants for wellness is as important as selecting for your interior styles and conditions," Hancock says. "Knowing your light conditions and putting the right plant in the right spot will make your life experience a whole lot easier."

Costa Farms is a fourth-generation family-run farm founded in 1961 with a team of more than 6,000 people that grows more than 1,200 varieties of plants — including houseplants, tropicals, annuals and perennials — on more than 5,200 acres at its farms in Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia and the Dominican Republic.