National Indoor Plant Week

 

According to the journal "Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health", houseplants are a wonderful thing to add to your home!!  

BENEFITS

• Helps promote relaxation
• helps improve focus
• great for your skin by increasing moisture in the air 
• bring beauty inside, creating a sense of calm and well being
• natural air filters

So what are some of the best houseplants?  That is like saying "Whats the best pet, or who is your favorite child".  There are different plants for different occasions. SO to break it down I have created various groupings based on your needs!

GOT A BLACK THUMB? Kill every plant you touch? Are you the anti-gardener?  Do plant quiver and die before your very eyes?  Try these 5 plants in your home.

AFRICAN VIOLET- This gorgeous little colorful houseplant is really pretty easy going and simple.  Doesnt require a lot of direct sunlight, and doesnt require a ton of watering either. Just press on the soil and if it is dry, give it a drink!  Perfect for those who may sometimes be a little forgetful with their houseplants! The best part is the African Violet stays in bloom year round, so you will always have a beautiful purple pop of color!!

ALOE VERA-  Growing up in the 70s and 80s, every home I knew had one of these growing in their window.  Got a sunburn? Aloe.  Cut your finger or scraped your knees? Aloe.   We would make up reason s to break off a little stem and smear the gooey gel over our skin.  Aloe vera requires bright sunlight.  Because AV is a succulent, they really only need water every 2 weeks! AV is also great for air quality!!

BEGONIA- In the right conditions, Begonias can flower year round! All they require is a bright, sunny location and regular watering and misting. Other than the light and water, this hardy little plant will reward you with bright cheerful blooms and beautiful waxy leaves that really are pretty hard to kill.

PEACE LILY-  I have had many of these in my home, and they are a workhorse of a plant.  When we moved cross country I ended up giving 3 of them away!  Literally one of the simplest houseplants to care for! Doesnt require much direct light, and is strong enough to withstand the occasional drought or overwatering.  Giant gorgeous green leaves with a pop of white cupped lily flowers that bloom regularly.  

SPIDER PLANT-  Every macrame plant hanger had a spider plant in it!! Indirect sunlight, occasional watering and voila...the perfect houseplant.  They grow these long tendrils, and look beautiful when hanging!

        DONT HAVE A LOT OF SUNLIGHT?  Maybe you work at a cubicle without a lot of direct light.  Maybe you need a plant for a room in your house that doesnt get a lot of light.  These are your plants! 

CALATHEA- Dark Green Scalloped leaves with silver highlights make this plant a favorite! If you flip over the leaf it is a rich purple color!  This plant isnt scared of low light !  Calathea can grow up to 3 feet tall and make great floor plants!  If the tips of the leaves get dry, mist the plant and place on a tray of pebbles to increase humidity around the plant.

LUCKY BAMBOO-  Although technically not real bamboo these sculptural houseplants bring good luck to any space they occupy. They grow in many shapes and sizes, designs, swirls, twirls, braids and more.   They do well in low light and grow very slowly.   However in midsummer, feel free to move your lucky bamboo to a north facing porch or window  for a week or so to give it some sun. It will thank you!

NERVE PLANT-  This gorgeous green and white plant is a native of Peru. Also called Fittonia this plant is lush and can thrive in low light conditions, it will just be a little less colorful. Smaller plant, and is great for desktop, terrariums and windowsill planters.  Just pinch back new growth to keep plants full and leafy.

SNAKE PLANT-  This laid back and easy to care for plant is sometimes called Mother-in-law tongue.   Straight, swordlike blades in variegated greens and yellows make this a great classic favorite. The snake plant enjoys low light, so dont worry  about that. And dont need to worry about underwatering, it likes to get a little thirsty!

ZZ Plant-  Zamioculcas Zamiifolia (ZZ) is great for those people who are really lax about taking care of their plants.  Hardy and forgiving, ZZ likes low light and wont be offended if you dont water it regularly. The thick glossy leaves are an office favorite, because they do well under fluorescent light conditions. 

WANT HOUSEPLANTS THAT HELP FILTER AND PURIFY THE AIR?  NASA released a list of houseplants they recommend !!  Along with Snake Plant, Spider Plant and Aloe Vera, here are a few more that you might enjoy!

ARECA PALM- This large floor plant needs lots of filtered light and regular watering. This plant is the king of purifying!!

CHRYSANTHEMUM- This colorful favorite is great at filtering out toxins that are found in plastics, glue and detergents!  Likes a nice sunny spot,  so a window is the best home for it!

GERBERA DAISY- One of my personal favorites, the prettiest of houseplants is known to output a crazy high level of oxygen, while filtering out the harmful stuff as well.  Great for people with sleep apnea and other breathing disorders, this plant likes direct sunlight in the spring, summer and fall and indirect sunlight in the winter.  Soil needs to be kept moist.

MONEY PLANT-  Not just for good luck and bringer of fortune, this firecracker works hard to filter out pollutants and other toxic airborne elements.  This houseplant works best in a house without pets or small children as its leaves can be toxic if ingested.

POINSETTIA-  A greay winter plant that do really well indoors with doors in windows shut is the beautiful poinsettia!  A great filter plant, the central american native likes a well lit, sunny window (Dont let leaves touch the pan, it could damage plant), and regular watering.  Keep away from pets as leaves can make your furry ones not feel so great.

RUBBER PLANT-  This robust Ficus plant is an easy to grow powerhouse.  Filtering out toxic chemicals, breaking them down and redering them harmless, they improve air quality.  They also can help eliminate bacteria and mold spores in the air!! This plant needs room to grow, as it can reach heights of  8 feet!  This plant is GREAT for beginners and neglectful owners. They do well in dim or low light spaces, and dont mind getting thirsty in between waterings.

Well, there you have it folks!!  Enjoy Indoor Plant Week, hopefully you are able to find a great plant that fits your lifestyle from this list!!