8 minute read
Crazy Plant Lovers
Crazy Plant Lovers of Metro St. Louis A Modern Twist on the Traditional Garden Club by Jennifer Schamber
Plant people have always is by no means an offensive been the best people. stereotype, it is actually They value the gifts something a large group of that nature has bestowed, they both women and men have now are generous and helpful, and embraced. It was through this they are always excited to get channel that plant enthusiast, dirt (okay, soil) under their Aspin Kleiboeker, had a vision fingernails and on their boots. to start a new Facebook group They are natural nurturers where these “crazy” people and tend to keep trying, could have a safe haven to regardless of the risk of failure. These types of people tend to gravitate towards one another, traditionally through garden clubs, societies and Aspin Kleiboeker ask for advice, post their finds and make new friends. Aspin and fellow co-founder, Sara Cooper, launched “Crazy Plant Lovers of Metro St. Louis” on associations. Over the past A Crazy Plant Lovers meet up in the fall of 2019 pre-COVID-19. Facebook in August of 2019 few years, there has been (after several name changes to a resurgence of interest in growing plants, driven primarily by be all-inclusive). An affiliate group called “Crazy Plant Lovers of millennial consumers and the influential power of social media Metro St. Louis BST” (buy, sell, trade) quickly followed and the platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. The traditional “crazy cat group has had several in-person meetups (pre-COVID). The very lady” figure has jokingly evolved into the “crazy plant lady,” which active group is now around 2,500 people strong. Here’s what Aspin and Sara have to say about this new era of houseplants and what excites them.
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Jennifer: Why do you think people are being drawn to plants (is it mostly for interior design, collecting, therapy, etc...)?
Sara: There are so many reasons why new people are being drawn to plants. A very large facet is interior design, but I believe people are also drawn to them because it helps them feel grounded in their spaces, whether they are in a city-style lofted apartment or Aspin Kleiboeker out in the country. The ability Co-founders Aspin Kleiboeker, to pause with nature helps calm left, and Sara Cooper. and re-center the mind. Starting a collection usually happens when you fall in love with plants. For
Jennifer Schamber is the General Manager of Greenscape Gardens, and plays leaderships roles in the Western Nursery & Landscape Association, GrowNative! and the Landscape & Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis. She has earned Green Profit Magazine’s Young Retailer Award, and Greenscape Gardens was named the National Winner of the 2015 “Revolutionary 100” Garden Centers by Today’s Garden Center Magazine.
some people, the collection may be 5-10 plants, and some people (like me) fall so deeply in love with plants they go crazy (in a good way) and have to care for them all. Aspin: I truly believe everyone is drawn to plants for many different reasons. During this pandemic, and really over the past 3 years, the industry has flourished. Whether it’s for companionship, the meditative nature of caring for them, or the joy of watching something grow in a way that is visible, can really draw people in. There are also physical benefits, e.g.: plants can reduce toxins from the air, improve concentration and productivity, reduce stress and boost your mood! Jennifer: Has the group been growing more or less quickly during the pandemic? Aspin: I personally have seen the momentum traveling in an upward motion, now more than ever. Pandemic plants are absolutely a thing! Sara: The group is definitely still growing. On March 15th we reached 1000+ members, on May 1st we hit 1500, and by early cont’d on nex page
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cont’d. from previous page June we broke 2000 and didn’t even realize it until we were at 2025. Since COVID, the group has more than doubled, and I don’t foresee us slowing down anytime soon. Jennifer: The group started out with mostly houseplants as the key interest, it seems like it is starting to move to outdoor hardy plants as well. Do you foresee it staying mostly houseplant-centric or does it seem to be shifting? Aspin: I think this is a great question. The group is full of people from a range of backgrounds who can offer insight on any kind of plant it seems and I think people recognize that. A plant is a plant, and we want EVERYONE to feel comfortable asking questions or advice for any and every type of plant. While the majority of our group is houseplant lovers, we welcome everyone. Sara: So as winter melted to spring, the conversations shifted towards what houseplant people call “the great migration.” With that, came talk of seedlings and garden beds. With us, as long as it’s plant related, it’s welcome! We will surely see another shift in conversation in the next few months when the second “great migration” begins. We will shift the conversations to lighting, watering, and how to keep everything happy in the cold months to come. We hope to be a continual resource for everyone in the plant community including outdoor gardeners, and maybe even inspire them to try a plant friend on a bright windowsill. As we navigate this difficult year, we have all been so fortunate to have each other to lean on through it all. We have become a family, and I hope to have a massive swap and more “planty” adventure days in the future, where we will be able to meet all of our new friends face
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Jennifer:
plant? Aspin: My first plant was my Pilea peperomioides, aka the Chinese money plant. Pinterest roped me into the indoor jungle world, and it was all down hill from there! haha. 300+ plants later, and I thank my Pilea for dragging me down the rabbit hole.
Sara: I don’t remember what my first plant was, but my best friend, Danielle, reignited my love for plants when she gifted me a few succulents, and it went nuclear from there. Pilea peperomioides, Chinese Money Plant.
Jennifer: What is your favorite plant you have now? Aspin: Currently my favorite plant would be my Philodendron tortum, it’s a great grower for me, and was my unicorn plant for quite a while. I acquired it at a nursery in Southern Missouri where it was imported from Thailand. I would be kidding myself if I said I wasn’t partial to all my plants though for each one sparks a different kind of joy for me! Sara: If I have to choose a favorite, I would choose my albino Monstera deliciosa; although, I love all my (roughly 400) plants for different reasons. Jennifer: What plant is at the top of your wish list? Aspin: As I become more knowledgeable in keeping houseplants, my wish list has grown into more of collecting more rarer Philodendrons. However, I love the more uncommon Hoyas and Sansevierias... Ugh, see how that happens!? It’s a rabbit hole, I tell ya! It’s like the game Pokemon, gotta catch ‘em all! Although, the top two of my list (currently) are the Philodendron spiritus sancti and the Anthurium warocqueanum. Sara: Several plants share the spotlight at the top of my wish list, so I like to separate them by genera and family. Of Sansevieria, I have a goal to obtain one of all 83 known species. Of aroid, I really can’t choose. Of hoya, I would love a ‘Jody’s Silver’. Aspin Kleiboeker is a full time mom and owner of Queen Bee Cheesecakes, a micro
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Sara Cooper is a grower for Ritter Greenhouse, a wholesale growing operation in Bridgeton, MO and a horticulture student at Southwestern Illinois College majoring in Greenhouse Management.
