In an era when shelves of mass-produced houseplants tempt us at big-box stores and supermarkets alike, Robert Moffitt sets an example for an alternative model to consider.

Mr. Moffitt, founder of the Haus Plant, a botanical design studio in Los Angeles, wonders if instead of impulsively purchasing another of those foliage-forward commodity types that too often become what he laments as “a quick little throwaway,” we might widen our definition of houseplant.

What if we scoured sources like Facebook Marketplace and estate sales and leaned into characterful plants with more sculptural forms like he does — plants with presence, and that maybe possess the potential for longtime companionship?

While we’re at it, let’s also rethink the generic flower pot, he proposes, and experiment with extremes of shape, scale and material to show off its resident most artfully.

The plants Mr. Moffitt specializes in are not your basic Pothos or Peperomia, and admittedly may require some visual recalibration on our part, at least until we’re in sync with the beauty of their idiosyncrasies.

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