Story by Umair Naseem, Summer 2018
The money plant — also known as Devil’s Ivy — has always been the go-to plant in my family. When I was in Pakistan, money plants were planted all over my house. Its name used to make me think that money grew on it, but I was unfortunately wrong. Money plants used to grow naturally in our house and made me feel as if it was a native plant. My aunt and mom took care of it like they were their babies, and never let anyone touch them. My aunt would dedicate some time out of her day to cut the dead leaves off the plants to give them a refreshing look. Her passion for gardening initiated my interest in it as well. I remember seeing her using a trowel to plant the roots of the money plant, which made me want to use it and help her plant something as well. Money plants were all over the walls; I realized that this is the plant that brings comfort and unity in our family. It seemed second nature to us. The money plant brought comfort to our eyes and kept us united. It gave us a reason to come together as a family and cherish the blessings. I feel lonely and off-put without the plant that I grew up with. Money plant gave us something to talk about everyday, and despite its simplicity, it managed to carve in a way through to our hearts.