Shops & Boutiques

Shop Local: Urban Planting Cleveland Is Rooted In Easy Care

Owner Elio Calabrese fills his Cleveland shop with plants such as succulents, cactuses and dracaenas that will add life to any home.

by Sara Crawford | Aug. 26, 2020 | 12:00 PM

Courtesy Urban Planting Cleveland

Courtesy Urban Planting Cleveland

Green thumb or not, Urban Planting Cleveland is an oasis for anyone in need of adding some life to their indoor spaces. Everywhere you look in the 900-square-foot Clifton Boulevard shop, plants such as succulents, cactuses and dracaenas create an enticing jungle effect.

“Pretty much everywhere in here is usually full of plants,” says owner Elio Calabrese, who had been in the interior plant business for five years before opening this space in 2019. While he gets upwards of 15 different plants almost every week, Calabrese’s big advantage over big-box stores is his knowledge of what plants will thrive in certain situations.

For example, schefflera or umbrella trees, are large and leafy options that are easy to grow when placed near light. “Plants are really not as hard as people think they are,” Calabrese says. “You just keep getting the wrong plants for the wrong space. It’s fun for me finding people the right plant and helping them to enjoy it.”

Sansevierias

An Item We Love: Sansevierias ($10-$120) come in multiple varieties and shapes, such as the leafy black coral or the twisted cylindrica braid, and are a cinch to take care of.

10908 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland, 440-476-7194, urbanplantingcleveland.com

Click here to explore more than 30 local shops and boutiques as part of this month’s “Shop Local” package.

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