25 best plant memes of 2020 - Los Angeles Times
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Plants

The L.A. Times pays me to make plant memes. Here are my favorites from 2020

Plant memes.
(Micah Fluellen / Los Angeles Times)
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Since starting my job in June 2020 as an illustrator and designer for the Los Angeles Times, I’ve made more than 40 plant memes for our plants Instagram account, @latimesplants.

My main motivator for doing anything creative is to be able to have fun and ultimately make myself and hopefully others laugh along the way. I’ve never been an awfully serious person and I never hope to be, so I’m thankful I’ve found work that aligns with my ambition to joke through life.

Here’s a look back at some of our favorite plant memes of the year.

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The first plant meme.
(Micah Flullen / Los Angeles Times)

Where it all started. The first plant meme. A personal favorite.

Fernie Mercury

Fernie Mercury

The alternative caption for this was “Is it just plantasy?” Punny, right?

Delight the gardening fans in your life with our plants gift guide featuring clogs, gloves, planters, and other helpful resources.

Oct. 30, 2020

Megan Thee Succulent

Megan thee succulent

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Ready for hot plant summer. 2020 would have been the summer of our discontent if it weren’t for Megan and hot girls around the world.

A little plant self-care

A little plant self-care

I feel like in a lot of ways plants and people are pretty similar: We both need some time in the sun, have to drink water regularly and need room for growth. This comic was a sort of personal reminder.

Pictures of Spider plants

Bring me pictures of spider plants

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Sometimes I rack my brain for plant puns and other times they’re delivered to me on a silver platter. Shout-out to every plant with an easily pun-able name. You’re all the true MVPs.

F.E.R.N.S

F.E.R.N.S

Are you more of a Moss or a Rachel? I’ve actually never seen “Friends” but I couldn’t pass up the pun opportunity. I’m more of a “How I Met Your Monstera” kinda guy.

Black Raven ZZ plants for Aquarius. Fiddle-leaf figs for Taurus. How to pair houseplants with your sun sign.

June 6, 2020

Dandelion DeVito

Dandelion devito

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Danny’s latest role, coming to a lawn near you. Most of my plant-celeb memes are essentially fan art. I wanted to pay my respects to national treasure Danny DeVito.

Peas in a Podcast

Podcast

When I drew this, I had just picked up the practice of listening to podcasts during work — a truly transformative experience that I had to document.

The native Coffeeberry Bush

Coffeeberry bush.

This was my favorite piece from a short series on illustrated native plants in California.

Download these holiday patterns made by local artists and bring joy to meetings everywhere by putting them behind your head while you Zoom.

Dec. 7, 2020

DISCLAIMER: We don’t condone overwatering your plants.

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Wet aerated plants

I was surprised my editors let this one get posted — but to be fair the first version didn’t say “aerated.” I may or may not have an ongoing personal quest to sneak curse words by the editors.

We love @gameofthrones

Jon Snowpea

I’m exposing myself again, but I’ve never seen “Game of Thrones” either. I couldn’t pass up the easy pun opportunity, though.

Mac DeBarko

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Mac Debarko

“We love Mac DeBarko even if his music is a lil sappy.” Another fan art piece.

Anxiety, depression and plant growth

Anxiety, Depression, and Plant growth

“When that special person texts you back.” Full disclosure: I was going through it when I made this one. This meme had a pretty good audience reception and I had a moment of realization: “A lot of people were going through it, dang” — lol, I hope we’re all drinking water.

The moisture from showers and sinks can create an ideal climate for moisture-loving houseplants.

Oct. 28, 2020

Check out my new leaves

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Check out my new leaves

“Things are heating up on this week’s episode of ‘Real Houseplants!’” I was pretty starved for iillustration ideas and someone else on the plant team suggested I do “Real Housewife” memes. That’s lightning in a bottle.

Lil’ Pachty

Lil' pachty

@lilyachty otherwise known as Lil’ pot.

The Roots

The Roots

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Questlove’s in the houseplant! What are your plants listening to today? I was upset I didn’t make this joke sooner.

Diana Moss

Diana Moss

It’s a Diana Moss & the Sprucepremes kind of day. Another shout-out to every easily pun-able plant name.

Spiderplant

Spiderplant

With great flowers comes great responsibility.⁠ Do you think I’d only make ONE spider plant meme?

This is how we self-care

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Things plant lovers do in their sparetime.

Things plant lovers do in their spare time.

What’s your favorite Plantflix show?

Emily in pteris

No.

Raking bad

Now I HAVE seen “Breaking Bad”!

Beats talking about politics

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Beats talking about politics.

We’re thankful for our plant dinner guests this year.

Can’t stop hearing this meme in your head

I ain't never seen two healthy houseplants.

I ain’t never seen two healthy houseplants.

A showy houseplant

A showy houseplant.

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I wonder if my houseplants get jealous of my Christmas tree. (They let me say hell! :) )

Doing hot plant girl stuff

Doing hot plant girl stuff

A.k.a. watching TikToks and following plant influencers on Instagram.

Thanks for enjoying all the dumb jokes about plants I’ve made this year. For more memes in the future follow @latimesplants on Instagram.

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