Monstera, fiddle leaf and co. are the stalky stars of social media. Owners refer to themselves as "plantparents" or "plantfluencers". The love of plants indicates mindfulness and a sustainable approach to consumption and the environment. The paradox of this situation is that the modern "urban jungle" is part of a colonial tradition that brought tropical plants into the luxurious city flats of the 19th century bourgeoisie through exploitation and shipping. At this time, exotic plants became an object of representation of wealth and prosperity. This parallel becomes visible in photographs in which people, then as now, stage themselves with their own collection of tropical plants.