Hello! My name is Sierra, otherwise known as @PlvntHead. I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado which is where I still happily live. I post mostly lifestyle plant photos to my Instagram account so you will see yellow and crisp leaves on my page. I don’t have a certain aesthetic, which allows me to have creative freedom on a photo to photo basis. My advice to those starting with plants: most important of all, whatever you do, do it for you! Post things that make you happy and things what you like, not what you think others will like. The plant world is more enjoyable when you put your personal interests first. It’s okay that you don’t have the most expensive plants. It’s okay that you have killed some (or lots) of plants. It's okay if you can’t keep a certain Instagram aesthetic going. It is okay that you don’t know what you are doing (yet)! Just be kind to yourself and others.
Who introduced you to, or what got you into, plants? When?
I’m honestly not quite sure when and how I got into plants. If I had to choose a time, I would say early high school is when I first started to realize that I liked plants. I appreciate nature and the fact that I can bring it into my home. So, slowly and surely, I have been growing my jungle.
What was your first plant?
My first two plants were a marimo moss ball and a cactus. I killed both of them. When I first started taking plants seriously I got an aloe, which I still have to this day! It is my eldest child.
What makes plants so special? How do they make you feel?
Plants make me feel happy, calm, and free. They are special because we are able to bring a little piece of nature into our homes. Plants make me feel more connected to the earth and help to calm my soul and center my thoughts.
Which plant in your collection would you save from a fire?
I would save my biggest plant, a Monstera deliciosa that I grew from a cutting. I got it as a gift from my high school anatomy teacher. It was the first plant I propagated and is now my biggest plant. Watching it go from three leaves and one arial root to the monster it is today makes me so proud.
On the flip side, do you have a plant that you kind of wish would just die? (Real talk.)
There are two propagated spider plants that I have had for years that wont die. So many brown leaves.
Are there any overrated plants? How about underrated?
Expensive plants are overrated. After watching plant prices fluctuate over the years, if you are patient enough, you will find your dream
plant for a reasonable price. Just because everyone else likes a certain plant doesn’t mean you have to as well. You are not "less than" if you don’t have “rare” plants. A plant that I think is underrated is basically any Sansevieria. They come in many shapes and sizes and are so easy to care for! Sansevieria are my go to gift for non-plant people.
How many plants do you have?
Around 130. Not sure.
What is your advice for someone starting their plant journey?
Do what makes you happy. Get plants that make you happy. Don’t let the competitiveness of the plant world get to you; it takes the fun away. Also, forgive yourself when you kill a plant or neglect them. Sometimes life gets hard and busy and that is okay.
What plant tip do you swear by?
Water every two weeks unless wilted or droopy. (Oops, don't follow my advice).
What plant myth drives you nuts?
Succulents and cacti are easy. Just because they are low maintenance doesn’t mean that they are easy, especially if you are a lover and want something to give attention to all the time. I tend to kill succulents, cacti, and air plants the most due to me giving them too much love and affection (aka overwatering).
Do you have any wishlist plants?
Monstera deliciosa 'albo variegata' and 'thai constellation,' of course! I’m holding back on spending the money and hoping that when the time is right, I’ll find the one for me. Honorable mentions include: variegated whale fin sansevieria. variegated starfish sansevieria. variegated zz plant, variegated money tree, variegated heart leaf philodendron...
What plant describes you best?
Monstera deliciosa. They often look intimidating to new 'plvntheads' but they are actually pretty easy going.
Tell us a plant story.
One day, while I was on the way home from a trip with my parents, my brother called our mom asking for advice. Little did he know he was on speaker phone while I was in the car with my parents. Him and my sister were panicking and didn’t know what to do about a plant that had fallen down our staircase! The pot was cracked and the leaves were broken. As soon as my mom realized what was happening she took him off speaker phone while I attempted to contain my concern/anger. I thought my beloved Monstera deliciosa was the victim. A few minutes shortly after, I received a video of my siblings describing what happened to my Alocasia 'polly' and how it wasn’t their fault - it was the plant stand's fault. Thankfully, I was relieved. It could have been worse. The plant lost a few leaves but ended up surviving. It was a pretty funny video that they sent and they were genuinely worried about how I would react. I couldn’t be mad at them for something that was an accident. I believe that it was the plant stands “fault” and not theirs. You can see the post I made about the incident on my Instagram on May 20th, 2020.
If you’ve ever shopped at GLG, what did you buy and what was your experience like?
I bought my marble queen pothos at GLG! I’ve had it for 3 years now and it is finally starting to trail! I appreciate that they provide care and labeling the difficulty of plants.
All images are property of Sierra.
Some content may have been edited for clarity.