Selecting Plants for the Home – The Basics Explained For Healthy Greenary

Choosing plants for different situations in the home can be as enjoyable and as vital as selecting any other furnishing accessory. Every space is enhanced by the addition of one of the many charming plants available for this purpose, and many modern furnishing designs and architectural styles require the complementary presence of a houseplant to be seen at their finest.

Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a houseplant. This is just a collective term used to describe a variety of unique plants from warmer regions than our own, which will readily adapt to being grown indoors, provided an effort is made to meet their needs. However, this does not mean that any mystical or ritualistic approach is necessary for successfully growing plants indoors. The key to having ‘green fingers’ lies in providing plants with the growing conditions they need or, even more simply, growing only those plants suited to the available temperature, light, and humidity levels.

Ideal conditions may be described as a draught-free space with good light, an even temperature, and high humidity. However, few people can achieve this perfectly. If you live in a home without central heating or where the temperature fluctuates throughout the day, then choose plants that can tolerate these variations. There will be little hope of successfully growing an anthurium or croton in such conditions, but an aspidistra, ivy, fatsia, or rhoicissus will thrive quite happily.

Temperature and Humidity

When assessing your room conditions, first consider the level of warmth available and whether it remains constant or varies throughout the day. Plants should be placed away from any areas close to heat sources, as these cause a rise in temperature in the immediate surroundings.

Humidity is moisture that has evaporated into the air, and its main function, as far as plants are concerned, is to prevent them from drying out too quickly due to moisture loss from their leaves. High humidity means air that contains a lot of moisture, while low humidity means dry air. In typical rooms, the air tends to be low in humidity and becomes increasingly drier as the temperature rises. Many of the most popular houseplants come from warm, humid regions, and to grow these successfully, some means of increasing humidity must be found.

The plants in the trough—peperomia, anthurium, and ivy—are placed in moss to increase humidity. Dracaena marginata is behind the chair, and Begonia masoniana is on the small table.

Air and Light Requirements

Plants vary widely in the amount of light they require, yet few foliage plants can tolerate direct sunlight for long periods, as the sun’s rays, when focused through glass, can scorch the leaves. Artificial light has no harmful effects on plants; on the contrary, it can provide a useful boost to the available light levels.

Providing sufficient air circulation is essential for keeping plants healthy and minimizing disease, but nothing is more damaging than placing them in a draught. A position in line with doors and windows may be unsuitable. A windowsill is an obvious choice for plants, and modern home designs now include plant windows with specially designed sills. However, be cautious of strong sunlight. Curtains can also reduce light transmission or protect plants from room heat when used on cold winter nights. In such cases, it is better to move the plants into the room in the evenings or protect them by placing a thick layer of paper between them and the glass. Plants growing on windowsills should be rotated frequently to encourage even growth.

Plants for Different Situations

For a Sunless Room:

• Minimum temperature 16°C (60°F): Aglaonema, Dizygotheca, Dracaena deremensis, Ficus lyrata, Fittonia, Spathiphyllum.
• Minimum temperature 13°C (55°F): Adiantum, Dieffenbachia, Ficus elastica, Fittonia, Kentia, Maranta, Neanthe, Peperomia, Phoenix, Pilea, many Philodendrons, Platycerium.
• Minimum temperature 7-10°C (45-50°F): Araucaria, Cissus antarctica, Chlorophytum, Euonymus, Fatshedera, Fatsia, Hedera, Rhoicissus, Tradescantia.

For a Sunny Area with Good Ventilation:

• Minimum temperature 10-16°C (50-60°F): Beloperone, Bougainvillea, Codiaeum, Coleus, Chrysanthemum, Euphorbia splendens, Hibiscus, Hippeastrum.
• Minimum temperature 7°C (45°F): Azalea, Cacti, Campanula isophylla, Citrus, Geranium.

For a Room with Some Direct Sunlight:

• Minimum temperature 16-18°C (60-65°F): Anthurium, Aphelandra, Caladium, Calathea, Codiaeum, Dracaena, Cordyline, Ficus benjamina.
• Minimum temperature 13°C (55°F): Asplenium, Begonia, Bromeliads, Ceropegia, Ficus elastica, Heptapleurum, Impatiens, Saintpaulia, Schefflera, Streptocarpus.
• Minimum temperature 7-10°C (45-50°F): Achimenes, Araucaria, Asparagus, Chlorophytum, Cyclamen, Euphorbia splendens, Grevillea, Hedera, Primula, Rhoicissus, Sansevieria.

For Extremely Cool Winter Conditions: Acorus, Araucaria, Aspidistra, Chlorophytum, Fatshedera, Fatsia, Hedera, Philodendron scandens, Tradescantia.

Plants for the Office

Many offices, with their ample lighting and constant temperatures, provide a seemingly ideal home for a number of plants. Larger plants thrive in such places. The main challenges are dry air caused by central heating and air conditioning, as well as inconsistent watering due to public holidays and weekends.

Group plantings help counteract the lack of humidity. Investing in a plastic sprayer for misting particularly sensitive plants is worthwhile. Overall, tougher, leathery-leaved plants such as Monstera, Ficus, Peperomia, and Schefflera will survive best, along with the ever-popular Busy Lizzies, Tradescantias, Chlorophytum, and African Violets. Ferns, apart from Asplenium, are generally difficult to maintain for long periods, but palms tend to do well.

Buying the Plants

Houseplants are continuously increasing in price, and it is a waste of money, as well as disappointing, if they die almost as soon as you bring them home. Shop around and be selective. Avoid sellers who leave plants standing on the sidewalk, where they are exposed to cold and wind. Plants already face enough stress moving from the grower’s greenhouses to the retail space and then to your home, without the additional hardship of being chilled and buffeted by wind.

Ensure that plants are adequately packed before leaving the store. Summer is the best time to make purchases, as plants are not subjected to drastic temperature changes, reducing the chances of acclimatization problems.