Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Top 15 Indoor Plants

Some may think indoor plants are boring because of the lack of choices. This article shows they are anything but.

Article taken off home.ivillage.com

15 of Your Favorite Indoor Plants



Geraniums
Houseplants add color and beauty to any room, but sometimes they can be frustrating to grow. If you're looking for a low-maintenance or easy-to-grow option, try one of these GardenWeb member favorites.

"Red geraniums are my absolute favorite [indoor plant]s. I have two in my kitchen. They're cheery, easy to grow and I love the color." —lynninnewmexico



Mother-in-Law's Tongue
"I think my most favorite [houseplant] has to be the truly easy-to-grow, even if you forget to water [it] for weeks, snake plant a k a Mother-in-Law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)." —redbazel



Peace Lily
"My favorite houseplant is the peace lily... This plant is really beautiful and, no matter what I do, I just can't kill it. I don't mean to, but I neglect it severely sometimes. I will go quite a while and forget to water it, but it always lets me know because the leaves start to droop. Then, I just water it again and it perks right back up within a few minutes. It is really easy to care for. This plant has really pretty big green leaves and has beautiful white blooms every once in a while. If you're looking for a low-maintenance houseplant, this is a great one!"



Amaryllis
"My favorite [plant] for indoors is the amaryllis (hippeastrum). Late every summer and in the early fall I go through catalogs and decide which kinds to order for the coming year. I stagger the plantings and usually keep amaryllis in various stages of growth on display from December through July. [It's] such an easy plant to grow, so beautiful and, if you keep the flowers out of strong light, they last a long time."



Kalanchoe
"Kalanchoe is easy-care and [it] starts well from cuttings. [Mine] blooms every now and then (depend[ing] on the length of the day)."



Schefflera
"I have a miniature schefflera that sits on the floor next to a window in my family room. I like the way it looks and I only water it once every two weeks."



Ivy
"[My favorite houseplant is] definitely ivy. I have it inside as topiary and just free-form. There are so many varieties to plant... The secret for long-lasting survival inside is to use an insecticide to prevent spider mites and aphids and to water infrequently."



Zamioculcas
"Without a doubt the very easiest, least demanding and most dramatic plant is the zeezee plant. The leaves look like you have dipped them in shiny wax, although that is their natural look. It will grow in low light or bright indirect light and only require[s] watering about once every two weeks... They thrive on neglect. I just love this plant."



Aloe
"Aloe is easy-care and [it] starts well from cuttings. Plus, the sap is good first aid for burns."



African Violets
"I bought [African violets] on the dead-and-dying rack at Home Depot or Lowe's for a quarter. The cashier gave me that ‘Are you nuts?' look when I check out with three bone-dry pots of shriveled plant material, but they all survived and are now rewarding me with flowers!"



Ficus
"The only plant I have now is a ficus tree... The indoor ficus is flourishing and I've just had to repot it into a larger pot. It thrives on very little care and seems to like its situation in the dining room below a large window and a French door on the perpendicular wall. It receives a lot of light but no blazing sun."



Jade Plant
"[My] jade plant just keeps growing. It is easy-care [and] starts well from cuttings."



Aloe Vera, Philodendron and Christmas Cactus
"What works for my brand of neglect are aloe vera, philodendron, and my Christmas cactus."



Cut Flowers
"I guess you could say that my favorite indoor plants are in-season cuttings from flowering outdoor plants."