Every other day there seems to be a new aesthetic that has planted itself into our generation. If you are anything like me, this leaves you feeling almost as if there is too much to try and keep up with. The trends, the color palettes, the vibes; there are constantly new and improved forms of all of these.
One trend that seems to hold onto every generation, or at least some in each generation, is the “plant mom” aesthetic.
This term is affectionately used by all genders online, some prefer plant parent; I go by plant mom. The plant mom has been around for a while, so much that it has formed into a full-blown lifestyle.
This term is defined by someone who cares for plants with the same affection as they would a child. In a way, the term “cat lady” also has characteristic of femininity that is being reclaimed to push back against the pressure many women feel to have children. In our day the many terms of doomism, like climate change, surround our society so much that there is hesitancy to want children. I have heard many of my own friends say things such as, “Why should I bring another human into this world when humans will end up deystorying it?” Which is a perfectly fine question to ask.
It is not only climate change that can cause this feeling. The stress of responsibility, the impact on your body, wanting more time for yourself and feeling the pressure of being a parent are all plausible reasons to opt for a baby plant instead of a baby. These feelings have come a long way and we should honor them. It was not too long ago that women could not even have their own bank account let alone feel like an outcast if they were not mothers. I for one am so happy to live in a time period where I have options. Options to make decisions that I will not be looked down upon by a bulk of society for.
So, the trait of being a plant mom goes beyond the simple fact of one just owning plants. It has morphed into an identity from an aesthtic. This identity does not limit you either. If anything it gives you an option to express yourself in a way that was once not celebrated as it is today.
I hope to not dramaticize the qualities of being a plant mom, but I find this push back against generational pressure powerful. Almost as powerful as it feels to take care of something.
The aesthetic that I think of is shades of green when you think of a particular person, sunlight through a window onto the big leaves of a fig plant, or even the earthiness of a bunch of potted plants on a windowsill in a city apartment.
The plant mom, whomever they are, mirrors the roots and connection to things greater than herself, such as the earth that connects us all together. They think of the trees that stand tall, provide us with clean oxygen, and shade us when we feel the pressure of the sun. They think every dandelion that is counted as a weed is actually a flower. They think of the plants that were here before us.
This rustic, warm, and vintage feeling provides almost a cottagecore that proves how connected humans can be to things that are not other humans. In a way, plant moms are the connector to the down-to-earth feeling that all of us long for when we feel discontected and overwhelmed by this world we live in.
If you are looking for any of the feelings I discribed, I reccommend parenting a plant. Not only has being a plant mom been a long-time aesthetic, but it has also proved to provide avenues of acceptance and connection to something greater than what our society demands.