A houseplant can improve the levels of oxygen, lessen dust and pollutants and improve your indoor air quality. In addition, caring for it can be an excellent source of satisfaction. It's even been proven to improve your mental well-being.
Which house plant is best for you? Experts gave us their recommendations.
Marble Queen Pothos
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is among the most sought-after house plants, with its heart-shaped leaves and stunning white variety. It's also among the easiest to maintain and is a great choice for beginners. Like other tropical house plants plants thrives in different light conditions. However, it prefers moderate amounts of indirect sunlight. It can also grow in less light or full shade. Moderate household humidity and an acidic soil mix work well for this plant, too.
So long as the soil isn't allowed to dry out completely, this plant is tolerant of a lack of watering, but overwatering is a common cause of death in houseplants. If you're not sure it is best to test the soil with your finger. the soil test: Place your finger one or two inches deep into the soil to check whether it's damp; if not, it's time for watering. If the leaves turn yellow, it's likely due to a lack of light or too much direct sun or an indication of fungal disease.
In contrast to most plants, pothos can tolerate air pollution, including the ozone layer and volatile organic compounds. It's a great choice for a bathroom or kitchen, where it can help filter the air.
Like many other plants like it, this one is susceptible to pests and diseases. It's best to treat problems quickly, so that they don't get spread throughout the home. Pests like mealybugs and thrips are the most frequent pests on this plant. Maintaining your Marble Queen pothos well-watered and fed will help to stop these insects from attacking it in the first place.
To keep your plant looking at its best Keep the stem tips trim frequently. This will help the marbled foliage remain full and keeps the vines from becoming too long. The stem tip clippings can be used to create new plants.
If you want to encourage your Marble Queen to expand, give it something to cling on. This could be a moss rod the trellis for your houseplant, or strings. Make sure to spray the moss or any other support with water as part of your regular routine of irrigation to aid in helping it grow quicker.
Monstera
The Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera delica) is also called the Monstera plant, is one of the most sought-after houseplants of today. Its leaves are speckled with natural holes known as leaf fenestration -and can add a tropical vibe to any room. It's also easy houseplants to propagate by cutting and growing it in water making it a good option for people who are new to gardening.
Monstera deliciosa is a fast-growing plant, and it will require repotted every couple of months as its roots grow. To ensure your plant's health take one or two leaves at a time, and repot in well-draining soil. Make sure the container is well-ventilated. You can also add perlite or lava rocks to the soil for the purpose of aeration, should it be needed.
As houseplants that are evergreen, these vines can be easily cared for if they receive enough light and humidity. They're content to climb the trellis or climb down and can be easily trimmed to form they prefer in a particular way. It's easy to mist a large tree with a spray bottle of water to increase the humidity in its leaves daily.
A monstera isn't actually a succulent, despite its name. While succulents have thick fleshy leaves that hold water, monsteras have thin heart-shaped leaves that have fenestrations. Monsteras are tolerant of dry climates, but they require more water to grow than succulents do, so they must be kept at the right temperature and with sufficient humidity.
The leaves of the monstera plant, despite appearance, are not edible. This plant's fruit, stems and leaves contain oxalic acids that can cause throat and mouth irritation when consumed.
If you've already mastered the fiddle leaf fig Blank suggests moving to a monstera next to really get a feel for how easy gardening indoors can be. "A monstera is able to adapt to a variety of conditions," says Blank. It requires a warm and humid climate, but it can also tolerate lower temperatures.
ZZ Plant
The ZZ plant is among the most durable house plants. It grows slowly, is hardy and can endure a wide range of conditions. It thrives in dark areas and doesn't seem to be affected by low humidity. It's also very accommodating of forgetful owners, requiring only occasional watering to live. The leaves of this tropical succulent could be lime green, purple-black, or a combination of both colors as they age.
It is possible to propagate the ZZ plant by cutting its rhizomes. These are the root-like tubers on the bottom of each stem. Remove the plant from its pot, separate the rhizomes and trim them a bit before placing them in pots with fresh potting mix. You can also plant new ZZs by using stem cuttings that have two leaves, each measuring about an inch in length. Place the cuttings in pots with a 50:50 mixture of multipurpose compost and perlite and then place them in a warm spot. It can take up to one year for the cuttings to grow.
Despite being one of the toughest house plants, certain factors can cause it to die. This includes excessive watering, direct sunlight and dry soil. Water the ZZ plant only when the soil feels dried. If the soil is damp it's fine to let it be. The plant can go for weeks without watering because its rhizomes store water.
This plant doesn't attract many pests, but it can be prone to fungus and rot. The best way to prevent these problems is to routinely remove dead and old foliage from the plant. It is also important to keep it out of reach of small children and pets as the stems and leaves can cause irritation if eaten.
The ZZ plant can be utilized as an air purifier that removes benzene toluene and Tropical other volatile organic compounds from indoor environments. It can also remove volatile organic compounds like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. This makes the ZZ plant an ideal option for apartments and offices that don't have adequate ventilation.
Parlor Palm
Palms have a long-standing history as indoor plants, and for good reason. They bring lush, tropical vibes to living spaces, and tolerate a wide variety of lighting conditions as well as temperatures. The chamaedorea species, also known as parlor palm, is no exception. The plant (also known as the neanthe bella palm) is native to Central America, and it's gaining popularity for its versatility. It grows best in bright, well-filtered light, but it can be planted in areas with less lighting, like rooms facing east or north. It's a slow growing plant so it may take a year or more for it to reach its maximum height of between 2 and 6 feet.
If you want your plant to flourish, you can fertilize it each month with a balanced liquid fertiliser. It needs a well-draining mix, and Bridget Zazzara, retail indoor and seasonal plant manager for Logan's Trading Company, recommends using the same potting mix as you would for succulents and cacti. Find soil that drains well and has a pH between 6.1 and 7.8. Add a little sphagnum moss for better soil's structure and retain water.
Keep your parlor palms clear from drafty areas, and mist their leaves daily to keep the humidity in check. You can also install a humidifier in your home. If your palm in the parlor becomes rootbound, repot it in the spring. It's important to not overwater the plant, however, since the plant can become susceptible to root rot. Water the plant as soon as the top inch or so of the compost is dry to the touch. Water more frequently during warm weather, and less frequently in the winter.
These palms are attractive to bees, however ensure that you keep them out of reach of pets and children. The needle-like leaves are poisonous and can be ingested. They also attract mealybugs. These insects appear as white, fluffy blobs on the undersides of the leaves and can be difficult to eliminate. If you spot them, wipe off the bugs using the help of a cloth or a cotton bud soaked in insecticide that contains fatty acids or plant oils.
