Apartment Plants - 5 Easy Care Houseplants for a Touch of Nature
By Plant Pro
Living in an apartment or dorm can pose some interesting issues for those wanting houseplants to bring a little nature indoors. The space doesn’t allow for lots of big plants, plus with space being tight usually giving up the precious real estate is not at the top of the “must have” list - although easy care is!
The limited amount of light available can also be major consideration. However, just having a few houseplants offers a little “getaway” from the concrete jungle even with limited access to the outdoors.
In our fast-paced society, who wants to take a lot of time caring for a plants, we all want houseplants which are easy to care for with little time investment. We want plants that fit our wash and rinse lifestyle , we want to leave home for a week, and the plants will still be alive when we walk in the door.
So here you go - Five suggestions for easy-to-care-apartment house plants:
Peace lily - The plant handles lower light levels common to apartments and when the Spathiphyllum is thirsty it tells you with wilting leaves.
Soft succulents - These toughies require some indirect light, do well in small pots, store water like a cactus and come in a variety of sizes and colors.
Pothos or Philodendron - Most of the varieties grown for indoor use grow downward like an ivy. Lots of colors, although with lower light the colors will not be as vibrant, few pest problems and require limited quantities of water.
ZZ plants (zamioculus zamiofolia) - The ZZ can survive in just about any setting. They are slow growers and have little demands for water and light, a very unique plant.
Aglaonema - One of my favorite groups of plants. Lots of color choices, many new Aglaonemas handle cold much better and tough!
Aspidistra - Also know as the cast-iron plant. This tough as nails houseplant was a favorite in Victorian times along with the Kentia palm. Back then houses were anything but bright and airy - much like apartments! In the Southern United Statesyou can find Aspidistra growing completely carefree as a groundcover in dense, dark shade.
One note - The Peace lily, Pothos or Philodendron, ZZ plant and the Aglaonema all come from the Araceae family.
Sorry that was six not five choices for apartment plants. Now that you know which plants to look for - go get’em!
[...] Plant Care has a short article on what they think are the top five easy care apartment plants. Some of the links they provide for each plant are very informative. [...]
[...] Size and maintenance are two important factors to keep in mind. First, you don’t want a plant that is going to take over your apartment, and second, you don’t want a plant that will leak, or grow and make a mess your landlord probably won’t like. About.com, Plant-care.com, and Oh My Apartment have great suggestions for indoor plants that do not require a lot of care (i.e. don’t need a lot of sunlight, constant watering, and are not prone to infestation). [...]