Its Easy to be Green

If you are anything like me, having a green thumb is hard to maintain— and my mother even used to own her own plant business, so, in reality, I have no excuse. That being said, I was curious about some plants that might, for a terrible plant mom like me, be hard to kill.

On a quest for low-maintenance plants, I set off to find a plant nursery that could assist me. That’s when I stumbled upon Foliage LB, a quaint plant nursery in the heart of downtown Long Beach.

As soon as I arrived at Foliage LB, I was almost fooled by the minimalistic signage on the front of the shop. I thought, ‘Oh, this might be a shop with a few plants scattered about here and there,’ but I was dead wrong.

A large plant display inside of Foliage LB. Photo by Danielle Austin.

Once past the store's threshold, as the shop’s co-owner, Nicoletta Meza, 29, welcomed me in, I was transported into a world of foliage in luscious hues of mixed greens complemented by white walls and orangish-tan planting pots. The smell that hit me can only be described as earthy, the smell of clean water and fresh dirt.

Among all of the plants at Foliage LB are Meza’s low-maintenance greenery recommendations, just waiting to be brought into the light.

The ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant is a hearty house plant with dark green, waxy leaves and long sturdy shoots. The ZZ plant can be watered once every week to a week and a half because of the bulbs located at their base in the soil, which retain a lot of the water they need. These plants are drought-resistant and only need to be soaked once a week in water. This plant can also go into different kinds of lighting and can thrive in lower amounts of light specifically. The ZZ plant grows upwards in a relatively straight line.

The Money Tree

Two money trees at Foliage LB. Photo courtesy of @foliagelb on Instagram.

The next plant in Meza’s arsenal is the Money Tree or the Braided Money Tree. These plants are said to bring good fortune and good luck. They are technically Bonzi trees, so they have a wooden trunk but are small in size. These trees will usually have five leaves and are pet-safe. This tree puts out tiny buds that look like “little starfish,” says Meza. As far as sunlight goes for this plant, it is much like its predecessor— lower light works fine but the more “bright and direct light you give them the more they’ll thrive,” advises Meza. Give this plant a good soak once a week and it should be just as happy as a clam.

The Ponytail Palm

The pet-safe Ponytail palm can be found at Foliage LB. Photo by Danielle Austin.

The third plant in Meza’s lineup is a Ponytail palm. This plant is also a Bonzi and is very drought-resistant. The Ponytail palm is also safe to keep around pets. Once grown, the palm will display a wide stumpy trunk and a “crazy” growth at the top that, according to Meza, “resembles hair.” This palm thrives in bright and direct sunlight and needs a good once-a-week soaking to stay nice and healthy.

The Spider Plant

The next plan that Meza recommends is what’s known as a spider plant. This plant is bushier and will grow out and “hang.” The leaves are stringy and thin. Once these leaves grow out, they tend to curl at the end. The spider plant loves to be soaked once a week, and enjoys bright and direct sunlight as well as indirect sunlight.

The Brazilian Philodendron

Lastly, Meza would recommend a Brazilian philodendron. This plant boasts beautiful heart-shaped leaves. Once those leaves are settled, the plant becomes a wall of hearts. This plant can be placed in a doorway or window that gets good sunlight, but no direct sunlight is needed. Watering for this plant is simple: soak the soil, and once the soil completely dries out, after about a week or so, soak the soil again. Repeat this process to water properly.

Each of Mesa’s plant recommendations ranges from $8-$15 depending on the plant’s size, making it easy and inexpensive to have a green thumb.

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If you are interested in any of these plants, follow @foliagelb on Instagram or go visit Foliage LB at 205 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802.