House plants are truly amazing. Not only for their beauty and class, but for all they can do for your home. They contribute to better air quality and can enhance a feeling of well being.
So today, we are going to go through 6 classic house plants, how to care for them, and why they are great.
Why should you keep houseplants?
Houseplants are not only pretty to look at, but can be benefitial to creating a harmonious and healthy enviroment indoors. The biggest reason is for air purification. Plants use something called photosynthesis, where it takes the carbon dioxide you breathe and releases oxygen, which improves air quality. Some plants even filter out toxins, like formaldehyde and benzene, and therefore making your indoor air cleaner.
What do I need to have at home to care for house plants?
The most important thing you need is a good watering can. Most plants require regular watering, so having a nice watering can that you can have standing close to your plants can help you keep them lush and full of life.
Most houseplants will need to be repotted at least once in their lives, and for that, you will need a good planting spade.
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
The Boston fern is a really popular choice for most homes, known for its' lovely, lush, green hanging leaves. This plants exudes elegance with its bow shaped greenery, and is a clear choice when choosing your house plants.
It thrives in quite humid conditions and partial shade, and is great at purifying air from toxins. This makes your bathroom or kitchen the best placement for this green friend.
Care tips: The soil should stay moist but not soggy, so water often but not too much. You can also mist the leaves occationally to keep the humidity high.
Weeping Fig (Ficus Benjamina)
The Weeping Fig is an elegant and super popular house plant. It stems from south east asia where it can grow to be up to 30m high! But for your home, it is usually about a meter high. This plant truly deserves its place as one of the most popular house plants, with its gracious hanging branches and small, glossy leaves. And it is also great at purifying the air in your home.
Care tips: The Weeping Fig is really easy to care for, you only need to water when the soil has started drying up. The ideal placement is where it would get a lot of light, but not direct sunlight, as this can cause the leaves to yellow. Avoid placing it in drafts and don't move it around to much. This can cause it to drop its leaves.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is not only a classic, stylish succulent, but it can do great things for your home. You may recognize this plant for its medicinal properties, as the gel-rich leaves can be used to soothe burns and skin irritations.
It also helps with air quality, making it perfect to place in the bedroom and living room.
Care tips: Aloe Vera, like most succulents is pretty low maintenance. Place in a sunny window in a well drained pot, and let the soil dry up between watering.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The Spider Plant gets its name from its long, green leaves with white stripes. This plant is a great at filtering air, and thrives in bright conditions but not direct sunlight. To get the most out of its beauty, place it on a shelf or in a hanging pot. This allows the leaves to hang freely, creating a rustic charm. It is adaptable, easy to care for and a great plant for beginners.
Care tips: Water when the soil feels dry. That's it really, it is a really resilient plant that can thrive in most homes with minimal care.
Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii)
If you want something different, maybe a bit more colorful, then Gerberas might be for you. This plant fits both your home and garden.
The Gerbera can liven up any home with its bright, vibrant and long-lasting flowers. Not only does this plant add a pop of color to your home, but it is great, like the other plants on this list, at purifuying the air in your home. Gerberas like bright conditions but avoid strong direct sunlight. So Gerberas are the ideal choice for a spot of color, for both bouquets and potted plants.
Care tips: Place in a bright spot with protection too much direct sun, and water quite often to keep the soil moist.
Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
To finish off this list, lets talk a little about the Areca Palm. If you want a more lively, slightly tropical feel for your home, the Areca palm might be the right choice for you. This plant is known for its soft, feathery leaves, and thrives in a bright but not sunny enviroment. And if you want a plant that purifies the air in your home, this is one of the best options for just that.
Care tips: Always keep the soil moist but not soggy. Mist the leaves from time to time to increase the humidity for the plant.
I hope this post has inspired you to decorate your home with lovely, lush houseplants. What is your favorite house plant? Comment below!
