Article provided to Centenary Landscaping Supplies by Lifestyle Website: The Home Edition.
Indoor plants are a fantastic inclusion in any interior design. Plants clean the air, improve ambience and the right species can certainly add a touch of class. Check these 7 perfect indoor plants you can use to green up your home.
Peace lily
A Peace Lily or Spathiphyllum may seem like an old-fashioned option, but their easy care nature makes them a popular choice for both office and homes. Most commonly, Peace lilies have elongated dark green foliage and an interesting white flower. But what most believe to be the flower is actually a special leaf bract that grows over the flow bud like a hood for protection. Lilies can grow in medium to low light, but low light will produce less flowers. Like all indoor plants, the large leaves tend to be dust magnets, so wipe them down with a damp cloth at least once a year.
Mother-in-Laws Tongue
Another oldie, but definitely a goodie! Mother-in-law’s tongue or Sansevieria trifasciata may also be known as a snake plant or Saint George’s Sword and it is a species native to the tropical areas of West Africa. With its upright, erect leaf habit the snake plant makes for a striking feature specimen in the modern home setting.
Place in a well-lit location preferably with some direct sunlight at some stage throughout the day, but filtered light will still bring good results provided it is not deep shade. Water moderately through the spring and summer, but significantly less during the winter months.
The great thing about these little guys is propagation is as simple and cutting up a leaf and allowing to dry for a few days then planting them straight into some fresh potting mixture.
Succulents
Cheap, colourfull and full of variety! What’s not to love about succulents? The trick with succulents is the right balance of warmth and water. Most succulents like those from the agave species love dry, warm conditions like that of their origins from Southern USA and Mexico. This can be hard to manage indoors, as most people’s first reaction to a sick looking plant is water. A warm northern facing spot in front of a window can create a fantastic micro-climate perfect for succulents. Alternatively, utlise glass containers called terraniums to create artificial environments with humidity and warmth.
Choose specially designed planting mixtures for succulents to ensure correct drainage and water hold capacity and remember, the fastest way to kill a succulent is with too much TLC. Only water enough to keep the leaves from withering, this will be tough for some as it flies in the face of ‘normal’ plant care.
Rubber Plant
A Rubber plant or Ficus elastica can be a great feature plant in your home. The large form leaves and growth habit make it the perfect speciman plant that will certainly be an eye catcher over in a brightly lite corner. Let’s be clear, a rubber plant is more of a tree than a plant but with broad shiny attractive leaves it’s hard to go past.
Be carefull with this one, if you have a hungry pet that likes to eat the greenery, a rubber plant will be toxic. But the great news is a rubber plant has been rated one of the best house plants to clean the air and is highly disease and pest resistant.
Strelitzia
Stralitzia at Durham House in Brisbane
Strelitzia’s or more commonly known as Bird of Paradise are not typically used as indoor plants as in lower light conditions they can fail to produce the iconic flower they are best known for.
Strelitzia’s can be hungry buggers so rapidly growing plants will need fertiliser once a month or so. If in low light conditions and growing slowly less regular feeding will be required. Consider cutting watering back to twice a month instead. A plant in a bright position will need more water than those in darker spots. A good rule of thumb is to water after the top of the soil becomes dry.
If you’re lucky enough to get flowers, they last a long time so they are often worth the effort and position consideration. Once they begin to die-off, cut the flow stem out or if you get seed pod, they can be potted up as seedlings.
Monstera deliciosa
This Split Leaf Philodendron also called Monstera deliciosa, is a large popular easy-care houseplant with a unique leaf that is sure to make it a focal point of any room placement. It’s safe to say this plant isn’t going away anytime soon.
A Monstera needs medium to bright light but can survive in lower light conditions. In low light, the leaves won’t split and the plant becomes a little leggy but be sure to keep out of the direct sun. Keep leaves clean and dust-free by washing with a cloth dipped in a solution of a drop of dishwashing detergent in a few cups of water. Though it’s not required, the plant also appreciates regular misting of its leaves. Up-pot every 2-years or so to encourage new growth.
Fiddle Leaf Fig
No list of the best indoor plants would be complete without the popular Fiddle Leaf Fig or Ficus lyrata but whatever you do, don’t plant this chap in the garden close to your house, being a fig tree it can be a monster with a pretty extensive root system. Confined to a pot in your living room, it’s the perfect gentleman.
The best spot is a bright corner with indirect sun and light. It loves bright conditions, but not direct sunlight through windows. Fertilise once a month during the growing season and water when the top few centimetres of mix is dry.
Fiddle leaf figs are a slow growing tree, but they can reach the ceiling in optimum indoor growing conditions. As they grow taller the trunk becomes progressively thinner. Removing the growing tip encourages the plant to thicken and provide more support for the giant leaves.
They can be hard to come across, but good nurseries and landscape supply yards should be able to source them for you. Accompany with a stylish pot and your home will be bang on trend!