Add Colorful House Plants to Your Home
Bring some color into your home without having to rely solely on flowers. These house plants with vibrantly colored leaves are simple to grow.
Similar to the philodendron snake plant or peace lily, pinstripe plants display bands of color along the their elongated leaves. These tropical houseplants thrive in conditions of low light.
Croton
The vibrant, varied patterns on the croton leaf can add visual interest to any room. This exotic house plant is best loved for its vibrant colors however, the variety of sizes and shapes makes it a standout on its own.
This exotic plant can be grown indoors or outdoors. The leaves are narrow and Croton are strewn with red, green purple, and yellow, creating a kaleidoscope of colors.
Bring it inside during cold snaps. Crotons are prone to lose its color when exposed to cool temperatures or drafts. It is also prone to pest activity. Inspect often and spray horticultural insecticides as required.
Fittonia
Fittonia has a striking deep-green foliage that is adorned with pink, white, or red veining. It can brighten a dark space and looks amazing in the terrarium.
It thrives in humid and warm temperatures, like other tropical houseplants. Place it in a humid, warm space away from drafty windows and heaters that could dry the air.
It needs to be repotted each year. Cut the tips when it appears to be straggly. This will encourage growth that is more bushy.
Like most tropical plants, nerve plants require a weekly application of liquid fertilizer formulated for houseplants during the growth season. It is recommended to apply an optimum 5-5-5 fertilizer, diluted to half strength. It also thrives in a humid climate. Mist the leaves, or make use of a humidity tray.
Calathea
These exotic house plants are beautiful centerpieces for tables, no matter if you pick the calathea with its bright green pinstripes or the peacock, with dark green, purple and silver brush marks. Also their large oval leaves can make great floor plants that can be placed on low plant stands. Calatheas thrive in humid air (between 50 and 80 percent humidity) However, they do not grow well in moist soil. They thrive in a potting mixture consisting of 2 parts coco coir, one part peat and a little orchid bark.
Water calatheas is once a week when the soil's top inch is dry to the touch. Using rainwater that has been filtered instead of tap water will prevent the buildup of salts and other chemicals in the water which could cause damage to the plant. This is especially crucial during winter, when growth slows for plants. It's also the ideal time to feed your plant with a liquid fertilizer diluted to 1/2 strength.
Red-edge Dracaena
Red-edge Dracaena offers an attractive tropical look to your home. This plant is often mislabeled the palm. It has slim stems and multiple canes, with clumps of thin green leaves, which are trimmed in dark red or yellow.
Like all dracaenas, it thrives as an indoor houseplant and is easy to care for. They prefer indirect light and bright but can tolerate lower lighting conditions. They prefer a well draining pot mix, but might require fertilization on occasion. Common problems are root mold edges, tips that are brown or brown and insect infestation.
The plants are renowned for their ability to cleanse the air. According to NASA's Clean Air Study, they are particularly effective in removing benzene from the air (produced by cigarette smoking synthetic materials, car exhaust) and xylene and formaldehyde. They are also very easy to propagate from cuttings, which can be done anytime during the growing season, by dipping into rooting hormone, then lanting them in a pot filled with moist soil.
Aluminum Plant
Pilea cadierei (commonly called aluminum plant or watermelon pilea) is a tropical houseplant which grows as an unmounded mound of quilted green leaves with distinctive silver stripes. It's a striking and easy-to-grow plant however, it could be susceptible to spider mite infestations.
It prefers warm, indirect light and moderate humidity. The temperature should be in the range of 60-75 degF (16-23 degC).
It's a low maintenance plant that likes soil that is moist, but the top quarter inch of the soil should be dry before re-watering. In the growing season of active growth, spring and summer, it is important to water the soil enough to keep soil moist. During the dormancy period in winter and fall, water less often. It is a good idea to use liquid fertilizer every month during the growing season. Stem cuttings are a great way to propagate vegetatively this plant. They can be easily cultivated in a mixture of loamy soil and peaty.
Waffle Plant
Hemigraphis Alternata, which is also known as the purple waffle plant, has metallic green-purple foliage with an unusual puckered surface. It is a great plant to grow in hanging pots or in a terrarium. It can also be planted outside, however it is less tolerant of cold temperatures than many other house plants.
Hemigraphis alternateta thrives in bright indirect sunlight with high humidity, just as it does in its native equatorial rain forest. You can replicate this environment by misting your Hemigraphis Alternata with distilled water or placing it on a tray of purified water and pebbles.
You can trim Hemigraphis alternata when it gets large to encourage bushy growth, or to add visual appeal. Apply an insecticide, or a mixture of warm Neem oil and water to kill mealybugs, if it is prone. Hemigraphis Alternata can be propagated by stem tips that measure 4 to 6 inches, taken in the spring and summer.
Rex Begonia
Begonias are tough plants that thrive indoors, particularly those with showy leaves. The Rex begonias are distinguished by their veining and ruffling along with streaks and splotches in a mix of greens, white silver, reds and pinks.
These beautiful plants require regular watering. Water the plant when the soil's top layer is dry to the touch. Avoid pools of water that can lead to root rot.
To add a light texture to your soil, mix 50% standard potting dirt with 25% peatmoss, orchid bark or coco coir. This mixture also helps the begonia keep moisture. If you find yourself struggling with powdery mildew, reduce the amount of water that your begonia is receiving and move it to a brighter location to help get rid of the mold. There may be mealy bugs on your begonia. The soaking of a cotton ball in alcohol can help to eliminate them.
Alocasia
Alocasia "Black Velvet" has bold, green-black leaves with prominent veins that resemble scales. The undersides of the leaves have a whitish, or even purple tint. This adds a dramatic contrast with the foliage. This variety is suitable to be grown indoors all year long or outdoors during summer in zones 4-8.
This tropical beauty thrives in light that is bright and indirect, which stops the leaves from scorching. A bright sunny window is ideal, however many varieties will be tolerant of filtered light or shaded by dappled.
The soil should feel moist, but not soggy. A weak all-purpose feed is suitable once a month, but it is best to avoid feeding in winter, when the plant is in dormancy. Look for brown or mushy roots that may indicate a nutritional deficiency. Alocasia is prone to root rot, which could be fatal.
Bromeliad
Bromeliads can give color to rooms that are devoid of color. They're tropical by nature and thrive when a humid and moist environment is created. They thrive with a consistent schedule, and their bright colors can add a pop of color to otherwise dull spaces.
They produce large and vibrant "flowers," called bracts, that are actually specialized leaves that attract pollinators. The real flowers of the plant are hidden in the bracts, and only appear once the flower has been fertilized.
As the plant grows, it will produce offshoots that look like miniature versions. These offshoots are known as pups and can be propagated to produce new bromeliad plants. Watering is the same for the parent. Avoid using hard tap water to water your plants. It could cause the leaves to turn stained. Use rainwater or filtered if you are able to. This is particularly important for bromeliads that are in the pot.
Hedgehog
The hedgehog is a small mammal of the Animalia class. This animal that sleeps at night has cool quills that aren't harmful. They are the oldest mammals on earth and have a distant ancestry with Shrews and pigs.
In the wild, they are omnivorous, consuming toads and frogs as well as grass roots, mushrooms, and fruits. When scared the hedgehog can turn into a ball of spiny hairs. Only best houseplants are able to pry the ball open.
If you spot a hedgehog on the ground, put it back in its home or re-cover the site with natural materials. If you have to remove it from its natural habitat put it in a large container away from your bedroom. Give as much shelter as you can. They should be kept in a warm 73-80 degree environment.