Sustainability is a good idea gone bad. Theoretically, it is commendable. Horticulturally, it involves growing species and cultivars that require minimal intervention or resources that they can not obtain naturally from their environment. In more extreme application, it can involve growing only native species, but not their cultivars that would not be naturally occurring, in order to limit interference with natural and endemic ecosystems.

Capitalism is a good idea too. Unfortunately though, it too often compromises other good ideas. It is how sustainability became a cheap fad, which now involves all sorts of artificial but marketable products and interventions that are contrary to its original intention. Regardless of their sources, water, fertilizers and amendments that are not provided by nature are unnatural. Container gardening infrastructure, irrigation systems, artificial illumination and really anything that is made of unnatural material are violations of sustainability that should be more obvious than they are.

‘Sustainability’ has become a buzzword for marketing.

There is certainly nothing wrong with appealing exotic vegetation with the garden or home. Almost all of the best and most popular vegetation is not native, and most of it relies on unnatural intervention and resources to perform as desired. However, it should be recognized for what it is, and not marketed as ‘sustainable’ if it is not.

This unusual cultivar of Aglaonema was unnaturally selected or developed from species that are native to tropical or subtropical climates of southeastern Asia. it grows primarily as a houseplant here because it is vulnerable to even very mild frost. It grew in artificial potting medium, within a plastic pot. It will always be reliant on artificial irrigation, and will perform better with unnatural application of fertilizer. It will always be less vigorous than greener cultivars because it lacks chlorophyll. Yet, it is marketed as ‘sustainable’.