Covet List: Cactus

Alex here! I'm on the cusp of a major life decision. There comes a time in every 20-something-year-old woman's life, I think, where she looks around herself and says, "hey! Check me out-- I'm gainfully employed, with health insurance to boot. I'm in a stable, loving relationship. I pay my bills on time. Could I be ready to assume responsibility for a life other than my own?"

Yup. You read it here first, folks. I am seriously considering adopting a house plant. Why now? Well, I'm glad you asked. I've always self-identified as a anti-houseplant person. For one, I suspected I wouldn't be able to keep one alive. And perhaps more importantly, most of the commonly available and oft-recommended plants for black thumbs didn't appeal to me visually. I was wary of imbuing my apartment with a "granny chic" vibe in exchange for some moderately purer air.

But then came an affection for and curiosity about cacti. I like them for their aesthetic qualities (in their myriad shapes and sizes), but I also feel a spiritual kinship. I like my personal space and, frankly, wouldn't mind a spiny perimeter for enforcing it. Particularly handy, I bet, during rush hour on the F train.

Image source: cinderellahope.tumblr.com

Here are a few more images of cactus that are fueling my enthusiasm for what I'm calling Plant Adoption 2013 (this is, weirdly, a big deal for me.) I might also entertain a few other plant varietals-- maybe some succulents or a baby jade plant. But the big kahuna on my covet list is the cactus.

Sources (clockwise from top left)

1. Glass Terrarium, Heath Ceramics - $200 (image via 7x7SF)
2. via Pinterest (original source unavailable)
3. via Lotta Agaton (Blog)
4. via Its Hard to Find A Friend (tumblr)
5. via Chic Cham (Blog)
6. Cacti, West Elm - no longer available

Correction to Yesterday's Post: I incorrectly spelled "complement" (about 6 times...) I apologize for any confusion. I did not intend to suggest that your color palette might lavish you with praise. Embarrassing. But on the plus side, I nailed palette vs. palate? We must celebrate our victories and learn from our defeats.