were flourishing in the 18th century, which stocked thousands of plants, including citrus, jasmines, mignonette, bays, myrtles, agaves and aloes. 19th century The Victorian era saw the first use of houseplants by the middle class, which were perceived as a symbol of social status and moral value. Some foliage plants which tolerated the typical gloomy and snug environment inside a Victorian house became popular. The quintessential Victorian plants were palms (such as kentia palms and parlour palms), the cast iron plant, and ferns. Ferns were grown in Wardian cases, an early type of terrarium. Geraniums were often placed on window ledges and in drawing rooms and were the most affordable houseplant for the average Briton. In 1818, orchids were introduced to Europe when they were used as packing material for the shipment of other rare plants. German ivy was introduced in the United States sometime in the 19th century as a houseplant. Other typical Victorian houseplants included mop-head chrysanthemums and yuccas. At the end of the 19th century, the range already included begonias, cineraria, clivia, cyclamen and flamingo flowers, but also leafy ornamental plants such as silver fir, ornamental asparagus, lilium, snake plant, and rubber tree. 20th century In the early 20th century, there was a turn against houseplants as they were seen as dated relics of the cluttered Victorian era. When there were houseplants, the more architecturally shaped cacti and succulents were the most common. In the 1920s, commercial houseplant production began in California, focused on the Kentia palm and the pothos, later expanding to include Philodendron and Araucaria species in the 1940s. During World War II, houseplants became more common in offices, which began to more closely resemble the domestic environment as more women entered the workforce. By 1960, Florida produced more than 55% of American houseplants, and has remained the main producer of houseplants for the American market since. Philodendrons, rubber plants and geraniums were mainstays of the postwar era. Many plants entered the United States and the United Kingdom through the influence of Scandinavian design, which featured plants. Tropical plants like bromeliads, birds of paradise, and philodendrons were popular accents in tiki-themed spaces. The postwar years also saw a broader commercialization of houseplants. In the 1960s, plant care labels were introduced, and garden centers became ubiquitous in the 1970s. A lush display of houseplants fit into the environmentalist and hippie movements in the 1970s; a large