The 10 best plant stores in Chicago

You could spend hours roaming among intricate bonsai trees, hanging spider plants, blooming flowers and tons of other greenery at this massive Andersonville nursery, which has supplied Chicagoans with everything landscaping, garden and houseplant-related for nearly 40 years. Pay the shop a visit to chat with a staffer for houseplant advice and browse the greenhouse's sizeable planter collection to beautify your plant before taking it home. Got an extra-green thumb? Stop by the greenhouse's sale section to find slightly bedraggled plants for an excellent price—all they need is a little extra TLC.

When business at Nika Vaughan's beauty studio began to falter during the pandemic, she decided to pivot to another longtime love: plants. Thus, Plant Salon—a hybrid boutique specializing in houseplants, skincare and beauty products—was born. Among its shelves, you'll find tropical plants and funky planters alongside incense and scented bath salts, making the West Town store a one-stop shop for all things self- and plant care related. Check out Vaughan's TikTok account (@plantsalonchicago) for instructional videos and sneak peeks at the shop's newest wares. 

This garden and floral store has been a staple of West Town since 2003, expanding across the street on Damen Avenue to a second location that specializes in lush floral arrangements and home goods. Take a stroll through the original shop to check out a rotating selection of houseplants, plus tons of hand-crafted planters. Looking for an attractive (and relatively low-maintenance) option to fill your plant stand? The folks at Sprout Home can also create a customized terrarium, tailored to your home's level of natural light.

Adams & Sons Gardens has offered its verdant wares to customers in Humboldt Park and beyond since 1993. There's something for every season even in its outdoor section (where you'll find garden plants, mums, pumpkins, Christmas trees and more, depending on the time of year). Inside, take a look through succulents, air plants, hanging baskets, tropical plants and a fridge stocked with flowers, plus an assortment of gifts and other knick-knacks.

The folks that run this Mayfair plant shop are education-minded and eager to help customers find plants—with an emphasis on succulents, cacti and tropicals—that work for their lifestyle and budget, whether you've already got a mini-jungle at home or are looking to become a first time plant parent. Based in the 'burbs? Check out Plant Shop's newly-opened Evanston location. 

If you can't easily access a plant store from your neighborhood—or just don't feel like lugging your new purchases home—Andy Robledo and his dog Gerald are here to help. Robledo founded Plants Delivered Chicago at the end of 2019 as a side gig before expanding to a full-time delivery business a few months later, bringing verdant plants to folks across the Chicago area from the back of a vintage pick-up truck. Delivery is free within Chicago, as are in-person or virtual plant consultations, if you need advice on what to order. Bonus: A portion of yearly proceeds go to local organizations like the Greater Chicago Food Depository. 

Inspired by the Victory Gardens of World War I and II as well as the agriculture education Granger Movement of the 1870s, City Grange aims to make home gardening more accessible throughout Chicago with landscaping services, online classes, events and more. The Lincoln Square location is just offering curbside pickup and delivery for now, but you can pay a visit to the shop in Beverly to browse plants, pottery, flowers and other gardening essentials. Keep an eye on the shop's website and social media pages for upcoming events, like a free plant swap and mixer. 

Part shop, part studio (thus the name), The Shudio carries a blend of sustainable and vintage goods along with a plethora of plants. Pick out a towering fiddle leaf fig or a neon-colored philodendron while you shop vintage clothing, home goods, jewelry as well as art from a rotating cast of artists-in-residence. Follow The Shudio's Instagram or check out the shop's website for upcoming workshops, which cover everything from repotting to making your own seed bombs.

Founder and plant enthusiast Ryan Glynn—who previously worked for a healthcare start-up—opened this Wicker Park plant shop amid the pandemic in 2020, hoping to meet the growing demand for at-home greenery. Now, a little over a year later, Chicago Plants offers everything from home and office plant consultations (meant to help people find what works for their space) and repotting services to detailed online plant care guides, not to mention a gorgeous selection of houseplants. Diehard growers should check out the shop's rare plants section, which includes treasures like the prehistoric-looking Alocasia.

Got a sad, wilted-looking houseplant at home and no clue how to nurse it back to health? If you shoot an Instagram DM to staffers at The Sill—a New York-based plant company that expanded to a Chicago storefront—along with a photo of your ailing plant, they'll offer tips on how to get it back in shape. Operating with the slogan "plants make people happy," the shop specializes in demystifying plant care and helping folks pick out plants to suit their lifestyle. Swing by the Lakeview location to browse plants arranged by their light requirements, or head to the shop's website to check out upcoming plant education workshops.