Houseplants - Cool Room, Hot Room

Continuing our discussion on your home’s environment we looked at the overall indoor plant environment and also a way to make a determination on how to classify the plant lighting where you plan on placing your house plant. Now let’s look at the indoor temperatures. How exactly would you classify the “plant room” or space from a temperature point of view.

Rooms vary in temperature from season to season. It’s possible to have a cold room in the winter and a hot room in the summer.

For example, during the winter months do you need a extra layer of clothing while sitting in the room? Granted some people are more sensitive to cold but if this doesn’t describe you the room would be labeled as a - cool winter room. If the family will never venture into the room without a thick blanket or heavy winter coat, the rooms definitely on the cold side.

If during the heat of summer the same room needs to have the blinds adjusted or pulled to reflect the suns rays and keep the heat out. This room would be labeled - hot in the summer!

If the room keeps a nice fairly even temperature all year round we would categorize this room as warm.

All this information helps you in the selection of plants indoors. Not only does it help with plant choices but also plant varieties. Some of the new plant varieties have been breed specifically to handle or tolerate cooler indoor temperatures.

A palm may be better than a Dracaena or new variety of Aglaonema do well where and old variety did not. Take these all into account when buying your houseplants.

Next time well take a look at the air…

Bromeliads Silk Plants and Flowers

My wife and I have been out looking at furniture and other accessories for our new house. While browsing through some of the furniture stores I’ve been amazed at the quality and variety of the silk plants on display. Everything from Silk ficus trees, Aglaonemas, Orchids, Spathiphyllum, Dracaenas, Calatheas, Bananas, palms like Kentia, Rhapis, and even bamboo.

For example, one of the most popular indoor plants on the market would have to be the colorful Bromeliad family. Bromeliad flowers and foliage offer a pop in color indoors and the plants adapt very well to interior use.

Bromeliads also offer a wide variation in size, shape, and foliage color - orchids may be the only other family that can beat these “air plants” in the color department. The unfortunate part is that not all areas in a home give easy access for easy to care for plants like the Bromeliad.

To the rescue comes the world of silk flowers and plants. If you can’t go “real” silk bromeliad flowers still offer the accent of color is those out of the way places. We have some “planters” sitting high above our kitchen cabinets. As much as I would like to go “live” almost the same look can be achieved using silk plants and bromeliad and orchid flowers for year-round interior beauty.

More on Bromeliad Care…

African Violet Plants - Grandma’s Easy to Grow Color

My mother has an African Violet sitting on her kitchen window sill probably 40 years old - maybe one day I’ll inherit this houseplant, does this make it an heirloom plant?

When I first started working at a nursery in my teens learning about and playing with orchids, anthuriums and other tropical house plants, the person I worked for had a few African violets sitting on the window sill in the kitchen. I liked the fact that the plant always had flowers.

His wife gave me my own violet to “care for.” I had to water, fertilize, repot, handle any pest issues and basically learn how to grow and care for this plant. My goal was to grow a better looking plant then the boss - and I did!

As I think back about growing that African Violet, I now understand what my boss was teaching me. It was simply plant care. It came down the learning, understanding and adapting the growing the needs of that plant to the environment and conditions available.

Maybe you have memories of someone in your family who cherished their African Violets and they were such a part of their live.

Go pick one up and start learning how to care for them. They’re great teachers. Then move on to other plants and start a plant legacy.

Using House Plants for Living Color Arrangements

Have you ever used house plants as a living color arrangement?

Arranging living house plants and flowers like bromeliads and orchids, can be used just like cut-flower arrangements. It’s always a matter of personal taste - there are no rules or restrictions except those imposed by the space available, and the needs of the particular plants you want to use. You can literally fill a room in your home with plants or satisfy your urge for an indoor garden by growing a miniature jungle in a terrarium.

Plants Preferences to Consider

Every plant has its preferences as to light, humidity, soil, etc. These are the first factors you need to take into consideration before you decide what plants or seeds to buy.

Analyze the space you plan to utilize. Is it a north window?

Do you want a spot of green:
- On the mantelpiece?
- On an occasional table?
- In the kitchen?

The home you give your indoor plants determines to a great extent which of the many house plant varieties you can use. Some plants need a good deal of direct sunlight, others will grow and even prosper for years in a spot that is never exposed to direct rays.

How’s Your Indoor Climate?

The next most important angle for you to evaluate is climate.

Is your home generally humid? Dry?
Do you live in a warm moist area?
Is the air in your house cool?

Never fear, wherever you are and whatever the conditions, there are plants which, given the proper care, will prosper under your green thumb.

Apartment Plants - 5 Easy Care Houseplants for a Touch of Nature

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!

Next Page »