National Indoor Plant Week (NIPW) is coming up September 15-21. It’s been in the back of my mind for a month or more but wasn’t brought to my frontal lobe until I received a press release mentioning it from the folks at Westerlay Orchids.

Yes, orchids are indoor plants, as we all know. I feel that over the last several years we (that would be the “royal we,” which is actually just “me”) have been focused on indoor foliage varieties for NIPW. Flowering houseplants are just as qualified to be promoted/campaigned for/honored during NIPW as plants sporting mostly leaves alone.

Back to that press release Westerlay sent me. They highlighted five reasons why orchids are stellar plants to promote as gifts (to others or to oneself) during NIPW, and those are: 1) Durability, 2) elevated style for less, 3) they create a healthier environment as pollutant removers, 4) Westerlay’s sustainability standards, and 5) orchids are visual reminders of everyday connection with the gifter. At least four of those reasons can be said about most every indoor plant. And if #4 pertains to your business, let the end-customer know about that, too.

I sent out some requests to a couple of garden centers, big nurseries and a prominent online houseplant retailer to see what NIPW plans were in the works. As of press time, not much was afoot on that front. Do you have any NIPW plans? If so, let me know about them. Email me with what’s going on HERE. 

The Farwest Show took place in Portland, Oregon, last week. While the show is heavy on the landscape side of things (and a more northerly landscape than say FNGLA’s The Landscape Show), a few tropical-esque plants were on exhibit. And the intrepid retailers who took part in The Garden Center Group’s Retailers’ Choice Awards selection process found them.

Without further ado, here are the two tropical/foliage plants that took home a Retailers’ Choice Award:

Philodendron Caramel Marble. This philodendron, which was on display in the Cascade Tropicals booth, caught the eyes of retailers for its cream, white and yellow variegated leaves. And added “this is different” characteristic is its serrated leaves. I have never seen anything like it.

Canna Red Golden Flame. This was on display in the Youngblood Nursery booth. Isn’t this red-orange-yellow bloom a stunner? It’s part of the Cannova series and a Ball Seed exclusive bred by Takii. Perennial in Zones 7-11.

Linda Adams, FNGLA’s longtime COO is retiring next year, and I’m sad to see her go. If you know Linda, you know she wears many hats (or in her case, superhero capes). Filling that position isn’t as simple as ZipRecruiter would have you believe. There’s a lot of moving parts at FNGLA and all the events, committees and issues that are under its charge. The incoming COO needs to learn the ropes. And who better to learn them from than Linda herself?

Shawn Pattison has been hired to fill the role of COO, and he’s getting an on-the-job tutorial for the position from Linda until her official retirement in July 2025. Shawn’s previous roles include national field director for Concerned Veterans for America and vice president of operations at StandTogether. His expertise extends to consulting services driven by coalition building, advocacy and corporate public affairs. He is an alumnus of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia and a veteran of the United States Coast Guard.

And if you were wondering, Shawn will not be unfamiliar with the joys and heartache that we all experience in the horticulture industry. In fact, he has first-hand experience! Shawn has worked on two tree farms, managed his own small landscaping business and planted an estate vineyard. I think that qualifies him to help move in those large palms during TPIE!

While I may well up a bit at the next TPIE knowing it’ll be my last with Linda in charge, I can rest easy knowing she’s eager to visit me on the lovely south coast of Massachusetts. Florida, you might not get her back!

Linda informed me that in last Tropical Topics included the INCORRECT dates for TPIE! Egad! Let me correct that now.

Tropical Plant International Expo
January 22-24, 2025
Broward County Convention Center

The show has not been extended to the 25th. Unless of course you want to tack on your own vacation day. 

Be there or be square.

For the past two years I’ve taken the month of October to work on some personal projects. This year I’m doing it again. I’ve been blessed to have had some super folks fill in with their own tropical news and views, and this year I am hoping for the same.

Interested in submitting something of your own to Tropical Topics? I’d love to have you! Don’t worry, I’ll be behind the scenes taking care of the editing and formatting. Drop me a NOTE about what you’d like to write about (maybe some research findings, what works for growing a crop, tropical trends, and topics like that, nothing too salesy). And thank you!