Houseplants are an easy way to decorate and add some greenery to your home. Here's a guide to help you decide what to use.
Houseplants are an easy way to decorate and add some greenery to your home. Most houseplants are used for their foliage, although some produce showy flowers such as the calla lily or Christmas cactus. Some houseplants are more like small trees, while others are used as hanging plants, on windowsills, or as accents around the home.
Many houseplants are actually under story plants that live in tropical or sub-tropical forests in Asia, Central and South America. Others, like the Norfolk Island pine, are native to the South Pacific, or from Africa such as the African violet or Dracaena.
Many of these plants are slow growing requiring low levels of light to thrive, which makes them ideal for interior use. Here is a list of the top ten houseplants you might want to consider using in your home.
1. Calla Lily
The calla lily (Spathiphyllum "˜lynise') is also known as the peace lily. It is a medium sized multi-stemmed plant with glossy dark green leafy foliage and large creamy white flowers. It requires partial sun in order to produce flowers and the soil should be kept moist. The call lily under optimal conditions will reach a maximum of 4 feet in height.
2. Parlor Palm
The parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is a graceful plant with dark green lacy foliage. It prefers filtered light and the soil should be kept moist, but not saturated. The parlor palm is upright in habit and reaches a maximum height of 4 feet. It does not produce flowers.
3. Dracaena
The most popular Dracaena is the hybrid Dracaena "˜Janet Craig'. Although not related genetically, the Dracaena is often called a corn plant because of the similarities between the leaves, which are long and narrow. It will eventually grow to a height of 10 feet, although it may take many years for this to happen. The Dracaena rarely flowers indoors unless it is placed in an environment with cooler temperatures for a specified amount of time to force the blooms. It does not like moist soil and the soil should be allowed to dry out between watering.
4. Philodendron
The Philodendron (Philodendron sp.) vine, native to Brazil, has many cultivars, although the heartleaf Philodendron is probably the most common. Vines can reach 6 feet in length and will wrap themselves around a support stake or any other object that happens to be in its way. Allow the soil to dry between watering and keep out of direct sunlight to avoid leaf burn. Philodendron is also used in hanging baskets.
5. Fig
Resembling a small tree, the fig (Ficus benjamina) is typically about 6 feet tall, although it can grow as large as 20 feet high under the right conditions. It is a perfect houseplant for modern interiors with lofty spaces. The medium-sized green leaves have a habit of shedding, which requires some maintenance. Figs prefer some direct sunlight every day. The soil should not be allowed to dry out, nor should it be moist. Fig trees do not like the cold. If you live in a cooler climate do not place it near doors or windows.
6. Schefflera
The Schefflera (Schefflera sp.) is a small slow growing tree that is rounded in habit. It is also known as the umbrella tree because of its glossy green leaves, which are divided into 7 to 10 leaflets resembling an umbrella. Schefflera plants tend to shed their leaves, so some maintenance is required. The Schefflera prefers a sunny location. It does not produce flowers.
7. Boston Fern
Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis') have dark green lustrous fronds. Boston ferns prefer indirect light and the soil should be kept moist. Because they need some humidity to thrive, they are perfect to use in the bathroom. They do not flower, but they do produce spores on the underside of the fronds, which resemble small round scales. Boston ferns are often used in hanging baskets
8. Norfolk Island Pine
With its triangular shape and short dark green needles, the Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla) resembles a small Christmas tree to the untrained eye. The Norfolk Island Pine prefers moist but not saturated soil and full to partial sun. It does not flower.
9. Christmas Cactus
Despite its name, the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera sp.) is not a member of the cactus family. Native to Brazil, it has showy white, pink, or red flowers and is somewhat drooping in habit. The flowers will not bloom during the Christmas season unless the plant is placed in a cooler temperature for a couple of weeks sometime during the month of October. It prefers full or partial sun. The soil should remain damp between watering.
10. African Violets
The smallest of the houseplants in the top ten, is the African violet (Saintpaulia sp.). African violets are extremely long-lived and are sometimes passed down from generation to generation. With their dark green velvety leaves and purple to pink or white flowers, they make an attractive display on an east or north-facing windowsill. Do not place in direct sun. African violets are diminutive compared to some of the other houseplants, only growing to a height of 8 inches.
