JESSICA ZIMMER
A wide array of tropical plants thrive in Napa homes, including snake plants, Chinese evergreens, succulents, cacti, and ZZ plants, also known as Zanzibar Gems.
Alyssa Piombo, owner of Riza Plants in Napa, said the two most important factors are the amount of light in the home and the ownerâs âplant parentingâ commitment.
âThe best plants for a lower light environment are snake plants and ZZ plants. Ferns, Monstera, and Pothos plants do well a little further from a window in bright indirect light. Fiddle leaf figs and succulents grow best in direct sun.â
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For those that donât have a green thumb, Alyssa Piombo, owner of Riza Plants, would like to be of assistance.
âSomeone called me âthe plant sommelierâ the other day,â said Piombo. âI like the sound of that.â
Piombo opened her botanical boutique in the First Street Napa center in October.
Riza Plants sells all kinds of plants, plus an assortment of planters, locally made ceramics and macrame, plant accessories and indoor garden supplies such as insecticides, moisture meters, misters, fertilizers and potting soil.
Thereâs even a âsoil barâ, or âdo it yourselfâ potting station at the store.
1. How did you get into this business?
In July, developer Zapolski Real Estate announced plans to relocate the department store more than a mile south of its current location on Main Street.
The project would include the swap of Kohlâs for a new hotel, apartment building, commercial space (for tenants such as a grocery market) and a public gathering area with new access points on the Kohlâs footprint, said Andrew Mazotti, director for Zapolski Real Estate.
The project could cost as much as $250 million, said the developers.
âDowntown Napa is great,â said Mazotti. âWeâve come a long, long wayâ since the Great Recession and other challenges. However, âWe still have a way to go,â he said.