Bring the jungle inside: Short North plant shop Yelo Aple on fall swaps, winter prep and pet-safe picks

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Tucked into the Short North at 1198 N High Street, Yelo Aple is the kind of shop that smells fantastic the moment you walk in. It is a botanical boutique specializing in indoor tropical houseplants, run by founder Bee Yelo, and as the weather cools it is exactly where Columbus plant people are headed.

We asked Bee for fall advice for our readers. Here is what came back.

October plant swaps

Yelo Aple’s plant swaps are a tradition. They are free, everyone is welcome, and the rules are simple: bring a healthy, pest-free plant or a few cuttings you are willing to part with. Anything plant-related is fair game as long as it is free, pest-free, legal and honestly represented. No sales allowed. It is a good way to meet fellow plant people and leave with a few new additions to your collection.

Getting tropicals ready for winter

Move plants away from drafts, cold windows and doors. Water less. Check carefully for pests, and quarantine and treat anything you find. Bee’s rule of thumb: less light means less water. As the days get shorter and plants get less sunlight, they typically use less water, so adjust the routine.

What is hot this fall

Hoyas, snake plants, money trees and alocasias. People spend more time indoors as the weather cools, and they want to bring a little more green into their homes. Plants are a good way to make a space feel alive, cozy and inviting in the colder months.

“Postmates for plants”

The delivery service started back in 2018, when Bee was selling plants on Facebook Marketplace and driving around to meet buyers. When the shop opened, offering delivery just made sense. Now they get plants to people’s doors, and delivery partners earn money doing it.

Pet-friendly picks

Spider plants, calatheas and marantas top the list. For a little more color: hoyas, purple waffle plants, purple passion plants and peperomias. Many are relatively easy to care for. One note from Bee: toxic does not always mean poisonous or deadly, but it is always important to know what you are bringing home when you have pets.

Yelo Aple is at 1198 N High Street in Columbus, and they ship plants nationwide. Find them at yeloaple.com.

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