Household Plants
Growing Household Plants
The ease of difficulty of growing some of the more popular household plants will depend on the plant and the environment it will be living in. The more popular house plants tend to be those that are relatively easy to care for, and do not require very specific temperature, lighting, or humidity conditions that may be difficult to maintain in the home. Some tropical house plants for example may require very warm and humid conditions, which one may be able to create in a hothouse, but not in the living room, or any other room in the house.
Fortunately, most of the household plants you'll find in a nursery, or in many supermarkets for that matter, are attractive and easy to care for, or they probably wouldn't sell. If you haven't had house plants before and just getting started, there are quite a few plants to choose among that are tough enough to survive if you make a mistake or two, or forget to water on occasion. There are many plants of course that require a good deal of attention, some orchids for example, that one really has to have a love for household plants to take the time and effort to care for properly.
Brush Up - A good way to start would be to go to a nursery or book store and look for a primer on household plants, or borrow a book from the library. You can get a good idea of what some of the popular household plants are, how to care for them, and what might be suitable for various locations in your house. There are plants that demand full sun, and plants that do best in indirect or filtered light. There are even plants that are at home in a rather dark room. Some household plants need to be watered or misted practically every day, while others like a drink of water once a week or in some cases, once a month. A few plants do best when growing in conditions that are barely fit for humans.
The amount of water a plant needs is something you'll need to check into up front. Some household plants will not do well if they don't get just the right amount of water. Household plants come in pots or containers, do not have extensive root systems, and tend to dry out faster than would be the case if they were growing out in the garden.
Here's a baker's dozen of household plants you might consider if you're just getting started.
Philodendrons - If you like to train a vine that will grow to exceptional lengths, and have a place for it to grow, this attractive plant is tough and easy to care for. It does best in low light or filtered light which could mean any wall not behind a south or west facing window.
Spider Plants - Great for hanging baskets. Generally pest and disease free. If the plant gets too large, and it eventually might, it's easy to divide and make new plants.
African Violets -Begonias - Cyclamen - Listed together, as each of these household plants has beautiful blossoms, come in a variety of colors, and can be great hobby plants. Plus, the African Violet and Cyclamen each have a long blooming period.
Cactus - Another potential hobby plant is the cactus, of which there are a huge number of different varieties. Easy to care for, though slow growing. Those that bloom quite often have spectacular blossoms.
Christmas Cactus - This plant doesn't have spines, but has beautiful blossoms that will bloom during the holidays if kept in a cool, darker room for a certain period. The Christmas cactus can become fairly large, but the larger it is, the more attractive it will be.
Chrysanthemum, Geranium and Fuchsia - Three plants we normally associate with the flower garden but will grow well indoors, and add a great deal of wintertime color. The Fuchsia prefers filtered light, but the other two are sun lovers.
Hoya - Like the Spider Plant, the Hoya, also called Shooting Star or Wax Plant, is great for a hanging basket. The Hoya can be in a brightly lit room but keep it away from direct sunlight.
Ficus benjamina - Also called the fig tree, this may well be one of the best known of the larger household plants. This plant has a habit of dropping its leaves if disturbed, or if the lighting, temperature, or watering conditions get beyond its comfort zone. The leaves will come back however.
Orchid - The orchid comes in many different shapes, sizes, and colors, and many varieties require very special care. No list of possible household plants would be complete however without a mention of the orchid.