As the Washington Post and other outlets that study millennial habits with a similar curiosity have noted, plants provide a manageable taste of what it’s like to be responsible for another living thing. "I’ve seen so many articles that read 'plants to fill gap in millennial's heart', which is really just a jab at our generation," Rose laments. But it’s hard to deny that houseplants reveal a Goldilocks-style level of maturity that many young people crave. Healthy houseplants say that you have your shit together enough to take care of something, but that you could still take off for a spontaneous music festival or weekend camping trip at the drop of a hat. And isn’t that the exact kind of vibe a lot of us are trying to cultivate? Comedian Aparna Nancherla summed up this phenomenon perfectly in a recent tweet, writing: "The pressure being put on young succulents these days to convey our lives are going well is toxic."