Plantmania Gulf Coast Brings Rare and Exotic Houseplants to Daphne Civic Center Saturday

Plantmania Gulf Coast fills the Daphne Civic Center on Saturday with thousands of rare and popular houseplants. Tickets start at $15, and children 12 and younger get in free.

By James Bullard

October 24, 2026 · 7:24 am Updated October 30, 2026 5 min read

Plantmania Gulf Coast brings thousands of rare and popular houseplants to the Daphne Civic Center on Saturday.

DAPHNE, Ala. — Plantmania Gulf Coast is at the Daphne Civic Center this weekend, giving plant lovers, collectors and growers a place to meet, shop and trade rare and unusual plants. General admission runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets start at $15, and children 12 and younger get in free.

Thousands of plants under one roof

The event brings together plant enthusiasts and experts to share rare and unique plants. Shoppers can browse thousands of exotic and popular houseplants from around the world, from familiar favorites to hard-to-find specimens that seldom show up at local garden centers.

Shows like Plantmania are a chance to see a wide range of plants in one place, ask growers questions directly and pick up something new for a home collection. For serious collectors, they are also a chance to find specific varieties they have been looking for.

Back in Daphne

Plantmania has been to Daphne before. In July 2025, the show filled the Daphne Civic Center and billed itself as the Gulf Coast’s first and only rare plant expo. That event featured unusual and exotic plants from around the world, along with vendors and well-known plant influencers who gave advice and met with fellow enthusiasts.

Its return this fall gives Eastern Shore plant fans another chance to shop, and the cooler weather makes it a good time to bring new plants home.

Tickets and hours

General admission: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: Starting at $15
Children: Free for ages 12 and younger

Because children get in free, the show is an affordable outing for families with young gardeners.

Why houseplants have taken off

Interest in houseplants has grown a lot in recent years, especially among younger adults and apartment dwellers looking to bring some green indoors. Plants such as monsteras, philodendrons, hoyas, anthuriums and alocasias, many with striking leaf shapes or patterns, have built devoted followings. Rare and variegated forms, with leaves splashed or streaked with white, cream or pink, can draw high prices from collectors.

Social media has helped. Collectors post photos of their plants, trade growing tips and track down specific varieties through online groups, and in-person shows turn those online communities into a weekend gathering.

Tips for shopping a plant show

Bring boxes or a tote. A sturdy box or reusable bag makes it easier to carry several pots and protect leaves on the way home.
Look before you buy. Check leaves for spots, holes or pests, and look at the undersides and stems, where problems often hide.
Ask about care. Growers are usually happy to explain how much light, water and humidity a plant needs. That matters for tropical plants in a home with air conditioning in summer and heat in winter.
Know your light. Before shopping, think about which windows in your home get bright, indirect light and which are shadier, and buy plants that will do well in those spots.
Keep new plants apart at first. Many growers suggest keeping new arrivals away from the rest of your collection for a week or two so any pests can be spotted before they spread.
Protect plants on the ride home. On sunny days a closed car heats up fast, so take plants straight home.

Gardening on the Gulf Coast

South Alabama’s mild winters and humid summers make it a good place for gardeners, and many plants sold as houseplants elsewhere can spend at least part of the year outdoors on Eastern Shore porches and patios. Tropical plants still need protection when temperatures drop, so buyers should be ready to bring sensitive plants inside on cold nights.

Plantmania also comes during a busy fall for local gardeners. Earlier this month, the Baldwin County Master Gardeners held their fall plant sale in Fairhope, offering hundreds of discounted plants for home landscapes.

Keeping tropical plants happy through a Gulf Coast winter

Many of the plants sold at shows like Plantmania come from tropical and subtropical regions, so they need some extra care once fall turns to winter, even in south Alabama:

Watch the thermometer. Many tropical houseplants start to suffer when temperatures fall below about 50 degrees. Plants kept outdoors should come inside before cold fronts arrive.
Water less in winter. Most houseplants grow more slowly in the shorter, cooler days of winter and need less water. Overwatering, which can lead to root rot, is one of the most common ways houseplants die.
Hold off on fertilizer. Plants that aren’t actively growing generally need little or no feeding until spring.
Mind the humidity. Indoor heating dries out the air. Grouping plants together or placing them on a tray of pebbles and water can help humidity-loving plants such as calatheas and ferns.
Keep plants away from vents and drafts. Blasts of hot or cold air from heating vents, doors and drafty windows can stress tender leaves.

Daphne at a glance

Daphne sits on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in Baldwin County, between Spanish Fort and Fairhope. It is known as the “Jubilee City” for the rare natural event called a jubilee, when crabs, shrimp and fish crowd into the shallows along the bay’s eastern shore, usually in the early morning hours of summer. Its location along U.S. Highway 98 and near Interstate 10 makes the Civic Center easy to reach from both sides of the bay.

About the Daphne Civic Center

The Daphne Civic Center, at 2603 U.S. Highway 98, is the city’s convention and performing arts center. It opened to the public in December 1999 and had its formal grand opening in January 2000. Its main exhibit hall covers nearly 12,000 square feet and has a permanent stage, and the building also has meeting rooms and a large circular lobby.

The center regularly hosts concerts, banquets, festivals, trade shows and community events, and its open exhibit hall works well for vendor-based shows like Plantmania, where shoppers move from table to table.

If you go

What: Plantmania Gulf Coast
When: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. general admission
Where: Daphne Civic Center, 2603 U.S. Highway 98, Daphne
Cost: Tickets start at $15; children 12 and younger free
What to expect: Thousands of exotic and popular houseplants from around the world, plus collectors and experts sharing rare plants