Michal Hernandez, a Facebook admin for Midessa Houseplants Enthusiasts, poses for a portrait Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022 at Far West Coffee.

The Midessa Houseplant Enthusiasts Facebook group provides a place for area plant enthusiasts to chat and swap information.

The group will host a Plant Swap Meet and Greet event from 2 to 4 p.m. March 19 at Far West Coffee. Michal Hernandez didn’t start the Midessa Houseplant Enthusiasts Facebook group, but she has been in the group for two years and is now the group's admin. 

“I feel like since the pandemic started a lot of people have taken on houseplants as a hobby,” she said. “I took the green thumb from my mom. ... This last year I moved away shortly to Oklahoma City, and the plant people over there are crazy big. That exposure sparked love for plants again.”

When Hernandez moved back to Odessa, she moved her entire collection which consisted of more than100 houseplants back with her. Hernandez, 25, said she participated in a couple of houseplant swaps while she was living in Oklahoma City. The group has held two previous houseplant swaps at a member’s house in the past, but this will be the first one that is taking place in a public space. 

“I thought a houseplant swap would be fun as a community to get together and do something with our hobby,” she said. “There aren’t as many greenhouses around here, so I also figured it was a good way to get new plants and meet people who share houseplants as a hobby.” 

Hernandez said about 10 people showed up to the last swap, but she is hoping that moving the location to Far West Coffee will get more people stopping by. 

“I visited with Christopher from Far West Coffee and told him I liked the open space to host a plant swap,” she said. “We will also be supporting his business by drinking coffee while we are visiting.”

She said she hopes there will be a good turnout for the event on March 19. People wanting to participate can bring clippings or their own plants that they no longer want to swap or simply show up.

The Facebook group can be joined by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/243643730084243. 

“We bring anything we don’t want to swap out for the plants we see that people have brought,” Hernandez said. “There is no requirement, people can bring a couple or a lot or take a lot or leave a lot.”

Hernandez added that at the last swap there were quite a few plants left, so she will be bringing those plants to see if anyone would like to rehome them. 

At the last swap, Hernandez said she found a plant that she was unable to attain locally on her wishlist. The plant was a Philodendron Mican. She added that a lot of times people can find plants they wouldn’t be able to find locally at the swaps. 

“Sometimes, it is hard to find different plants around here, but Alldredge Gardens has a lot of good varieties,” she said.

She plans to bring some string of pearls, Brandi Philodendron, snake plants and Monstera adansonii.  

The Midessa Houseplant Enthusiasts page was created by Anjanette Hantz on April 27, 2020, at the start of the pandemic. The idea for the group was for plant enthusiasts to come together and talk about their plant collections, share local resources on where to find certain plants or supplies and five tips and tricks while enjoying chit chat and friendship. The group currently has 475 members. 

Hernandez also has her own Instagram dedicated to her plants. She said that living in West Texas has made her create her own scenery with her houseplants at home. 

Jacy Lewis is a reporter and photographer for MRT.