Add Colorful House Plants to Your Home
Add a colorful touch to your home without relying on flowers. These house plants with vibrantly colored leaves are simple to cultivate.
As a cousin to the philodendron snake plant or peace lily, pinstripe plants have bands of color that cover elongated foliage. These tropical houseplants thrive under low lighting conditions.
Croton
The bright, varied patterns of croton's leaves add visual interest to almost any space. This exotic houseplant is famous for its vibrant colors, but its variety of shapes and sizes makes it stand out.
This exotic plant enjoys direct sunlight that is bright and can be grown outdoors or indoors. The narrow leaves are flecked with greens, reds, purples, and yellows making an kaleidoscope.
This croton is renowned for its leaves turning brown when it is exposed to cool temperatures and drafts, so bring it inside during cold snaps. It is also prone to pest activity, so inspect often and spray with a horticultural insecticide as needed.
Fittonia
Fittonia is an eye-catching plant with striking deep green foliage, contrasting pink, white or red veins. It can bring brightness to a dark area and looks particularly mesmerizing when placed in a planter.
It thrives in humid and warm temperatures, as many tropical houseplants. Keep it in a cool room, away from drafty windows and heaters that may dry out the air.
It thrives in well-drained soil and must be regularly repotted. When it starts to look unnatural, trim the tips to encourage bushier growth.
As with most tropical plants nerve plants require a regular application of a liquid fertilizer specially formulated for house plants during the growing season. It is recommended to use an optimum 5-5-5 fertilizer, diluted to half strength. It also thrives in humid environment, so mist the leaves or set up a humidity tray to maintain high humidity around it.
Calathea
Whether you opt for the bright green pin-stripe calathea, or the peacock plant with its dark green, purple and silver brush marks These exotic house plants look stunning as centerpieces for your table. Their large oval leaves are great floor plants when placed on low plant stands. Calatheas like moist air (between 50 and 80 percent humidity), but they do not grow well in soil that is wet. They thrive in a potting mix of 2 parts coco coir, 1 part peat, and a bit of orchid bark.
Water calatheas every week when the soil's top inch is dry to touch. Using rainwater that has been filtered rather than tap water will stop the accumulation of salts and other chemicals in the water that can cause damage to the plant. This is especially important during winter when the plant's growth slows. This is also a good time to feed your plant with a liquid houseplant fertilizer that is diluted to 1/2 strength.
Red-edge Dracaena
The Red-edge Dracaena can give your home a tropical vibe. Sometimes misidentified as a palm this plant is characterized by its slender stems or canes that are adorned with clumps of thick green leaves trimmed in yellow or dark red.
Like all dracaenas it thrives as a houseplant indoors and is easy to care for. They prefer indirect light and bright however they are tolerant of less lighting conditions. They thrive in well-drained potting soil, but they might require periodic fertilization. Root decay, brown tips or margins, and insect infestation are common issues.
They are renowned for their ability to clean the air. According to NASA's Clean Air Study, they are especially good at getting rid of benzene in the air (produced by cigarette smoking synthetic materials, car exhaust), as well as formaldehyde and xylene. It is also easy to propagate by cuttings. This can be done at any time during the growing season. Simply dip them into rooting hormone, then place them in a container with damp soil.
Aluminum Plant
Pilea cadierei also known as aluminum plant or watermelon pila, is a tropical indoor houseplant that creates a mound of green leaves with silver stripes. It's a very beautiful and easy to grow however, it could be susceptible to infestations of spider mites.
It is a fan of warm, indirect light and moderate humidity. The temperature should be in the range of 60-75 degrees F (16-23 degrees C).
It's a low-maintenance plant that likes soil that is moist, however, the top quarter inch of the soil should dry before re-watering. During the active growing season in summer and spring you should water regularly enough to keep the soil wet. During the dormancy period in fall and winter, water less often. It is recommended to use liquid fertilizer every month during the growing season. Stem cuttings are a great method of vegetative propagation for this plant. They easily root in a mix of loamy and peaty soil.
Waffle Plant
Hemigraphis Alternata, also known as the purple waffle plant, has metallic green-purple leaves with the unique surface of a puckered. It thrives indoors in a hanging basket or a terrarium. It is also able to be grown outside, but it is less tolerant of cold temperatures than some other house plants.
As in its native equatorial rainforest, Hemigraphis alternata thrives with bright indirect light and high humidity. You can recreate this natural environment by misting your Hemigraphis Alternata with distilled water or placing it on a tray filled with filtered water and pebbles.
low maintenance house plants can be pruned when it becomes excessively crowded. This encourages growth that is bushy and improve the appearance of. If it is prone to mealybug infestation, use an insecticide or a mixture of warm water and neem oil in order to kill the insects. Hemigraphis Alternata can be propagated from stem tip cuttings of 4 to 6 inches taken in spring and summer.
Rex Begonia
Begonias are hardy plants that thrive indoors, particularly ones with large leaves. They are distinguished by their distinctive veining puckering, ruffling and ruffling together with splotching, spotting and streaking in mixes of silver, greens white, reds and pinks.
These beautiful plants require regular watering. Water the plant as soon as the top inch of soil is dry to the touch, and avoid pools of water that can lead to root rot.
Use a mix of 50% potting soil with 25% peat moss, coco coir, or orchid bark to create a light, porous texture to the soil. This mixture also helps the begonia retain moisture. If you are having issues with mildew, reduce the amount of water your begonia is receiving and then move it into an area that is brighter to help eliminate the mold. You might also notice mealy bugs on your begonia. Soaking a cotton ball in alcohol can remove these.
Alocasia
Alocasia ‘Black Velvet’ has bold, greenish-black leaves that are adorned with prominent veins, resembling scales. The leaf's undersides are a purple or whitish tint that creates a striking contrast to the foliage. This type of jewel is ideal to be grown indoors throughout the year or outdoors during the summer in zones 4 to 8.
This tropical beauty thrives in bright indirect light that prevents scorching of the leaves. good house plants is a bright, sunny window, however many species can tolerate filtering or dappled light.
The soil should be moist, but not soggy. A moderate all-purpose fertilizer is recommended every month, but avoid feeding in winter, when the plant is in dormancy. Look for the appearance of brown or mushy roots that could indicate a nutrient shortage. Alocasia is prone to root rot, and it can be fatal.
Bromeliad
Bromeliads add the color of rooms where a variety of house plants can struggle. They are tropical plants that thrive in humid conditions. They thrive with a consistent schedule and their bright colors can add a pop of color to otherwise dull areas.
Bracts are big, vibrant leaves that are used to attract pollinators. The actual flowers of the plant are hidden inside bracts and only show up after the flower is fertilized.
As the plant grows, it will produce offshoots which look like miniature versions. These offshoots are known as pups and can be propagated to produce new bromeliad plants. They require the same care as the parent, including watering. Avoid using tap water that is hard to water your plants. It could cause leaves to turn streaked. Use potted house plants , or filtered water when you are able to. This is especially important for bromeliads that are in the pot.
Hedgehog
The hedgehog is a tiny mammal of the Animalia class. This nocturnal mammal has cool quills that won't hurt. They are among the oldest mammals on earth and have a distant ancestry to pigs and Shrews.
In the wild, they are omnivorous, consuming toads and frogs, and also grass roots, mushrooms and fruits. When scared the hedgehog can turn into an elongated ball of hairs. Only the strongest predators are able to break the ball.
If you find a hedgehog on the ground, you can put it back into its nest or cover the area with natural materials. If you need to remove it from its natural habitat put it in a large jar away from your bedroom. Give as much shelter as you can. They must be kept in a space that is warm (73-80 degrees).