Young people are among the crowds of plant lovers at the National Tree Fair in the capital. Their interest is not limited to flowering and fruit trees: at the top of their lists are indoor plants suited to decorating the home.

A visit to the fair on Friday (11 July) found nursery owners displaying indoor plants such as money plants, snake plants, peace lilies and spider plants. Some buyers were decorating rooftops or balconies, some were taking ornamental plants in fancy pots as gifts, and others were buying plants for bedrooms, study tables or drawing rooms.

Sellers said indoor plants are selling at different prices depending on size and variety. Cacti are selling for Tk 100 to Tk 50,000, ZZ plants Tk 500 to Tk 2,000, money plants Tk 50 to Tk 1,500, lucky bamboo Tk 350 to Tk 5,500, Victoria Tk 450 to Tk 1,500, cut-leaf monstera Tk 200 to Tk 1,200, snake plants Tk 200-300, aglaonema Tk 200 to Tk 4,500, zebra succulents Tk 450 to 400 and bolkamini Tk 200 to Tk 2,000.

Sellers say demand for indoor plants is growing day by day. Young visitors are asking most about which plants survive in low light and which are good at purifying indoor air.

Abdul Khaleque, owner of Ma Babar Doa Nursery, told Jago News that indoor plants are really for beauty. Young men and women buy them to decorate their rooms, and some give them to loved ones as gifts. Many plant lovers prefer to decorate their homes with plants rather than showpieces or luxury items, which gives them oxygen and makes the home more beautiful.

He said plants are essential for keeping a natural environment at home. Young people are now turning to plants, while older people are buying flowering, fruit and medicinal plants.

Saira Alam, a seller at the Square Agro Development stall, said air plants are selling for Tk 200 to Tk 1,000 and orchids for Tk 100 to Tk 1,000 among their indoor plants, and these sell the most.

Rongdhonu Nursery is offering cactus sets and various indoor plants. A cactus set made of seven kinds of plants costs Tk 500 to Tk 2,000.

Farzana Islam, from Uttara in the capital, said: "I like to keep my room green. Indoor plants take up little space and keep the room's atmosphere pleasant. I have decorated my study table and dressing table with indoor plants. These plants cost a bit more at the fair, but I go round buying all these different varieties."

Abdullah Al Amin came to the fair with his father. His father, Ismail Hossain, told Jago News that his son was once given a plant as a gift at school. Since then he has planted seven plants on the balcony and keeps plants on his study table too.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.