Having plants in and around your house comes with a long list of benefits, which was one of the reasons why I became a Plant Parent quite early in my life. Indoor plants make the best natural air purifiers cleansing the air of toxins such as Benzene and Formaldehyde which are generally found in solvents, paints etc. Adding potted plants at a workspace reduces stress, fatigue and anxiety. Most indoor plants require very little attention, making them the best options for house décor.
But with our hectic work lives, how many of us actually bring ourselves to buy a plant and take care of it? So, if you are more of a leave-it-and-forget-it type who wants to add benefit and aesthetic to your homes with extremely low maintenance potted plants, you should continue to reading this article (alert its really long!).
Leafy Island brings an extensive variety of healthy and robust indoor plants ranging from Succulents to Foliage plants and Vines to Basket plants. Each of these plants provide wide functions from natural air purification to pest control to adding an exquisite touch. They not only provide a relaxing environment but also elevate oxygen levels at your workspace and home.
Here’s a take on 7 Indoor Plants that thrives beautifully within four walls with minimal care:
- Epipremnum aureum or Money Plant
Money Plant is commonly known as Pothos, Golden Pothos, Devil's ivy. It is a part of the Araceae family. It is an easy growing plant that requires minimal care. A money plant is used to create edges on the wall or balcony. The best way to grow the Golden Money plant is in a hanging basket. It is a tropical plant that requires warm conditions and doesn't sustain in cold winters. The plant is a well-known natural air purifier that eliminates pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene.
How to care for a Money Plant?
- Light and Temperature Tips: The plant thrives pretty well in indirect and partial sunlight with a range of 15℃ to 30℃.
- Water Tips: Over-watering can damage roots, so water when the top soil is dry, reducing the amount of water gradually as winter months roll in.
- Soil Tips: Well-draining soil should be used with pH ranging between 6-7.5. Nitrate base fertilizer is recommended.
- Extra Tips: The plant is found to be harmful to cats and dogs, so make sure that the plant is not ingested by the pets.
You can buy a healthy Money Plant here
- Zamioculcas zamiifolia or ZZ Plant
ZZ plant, belonging to the Araceae family, has emerged as one of the most popular house plants with its wide, attractive, dark green leaves, and boasts many favorable traits for offices and homes. ZZ plant tolerates neglect, is drought tolerant, and accepts low-light conditions without throwing a fit. Its waxy, smooth leaves reflect sunlight and brighten rooms. It is also used as a natural air-purifier.
How to care for ZZ Plant?
- Light and Temperature Tips: The plant can thrive well in low to bright indirect sunlight with a range of temperature conditions.
- Water Tips: It doesn’t require a lot of watering, so twice or thrice a week watering is enough for the plant.
- Soil Tips: Use a well-draining soil and add liquid fertilizer once a month.
- Extra Tips: The leaves have toxins, so it should be kept away from pets and children.
This is one plant that you should get home & hence I recommend you to buy a ZZ plant online today.
- Ficus lyrata or Fiddle Leaf Fig
Native to the rainforests of Western and Central Africa, the Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree or Ficus lyrata is a stunning plant with huge green leaves and an even larger following of house plant fans. Despite its popularity, it’s certainly not the easiest houseplant to maintain, but it’s visual impact in a space is unmatched when given proper conditions.
How to care for Fiddle Leaf Fig?
- Light and Temperature Tips: The plant should be kept in places where sunlight is plenty. It also enjoys a humid atmosphere.
- Water Tips: Use a fair amount of water as the Fiddle Fig loves water. However, browning of leaves is an indication that over-watering is being done.
- Soil Tips: Use a well-draining soil and fertilize once a month with a fertilizer that has a 3:1:2 ratio of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (or NPK for short).
- Extra Tips: Fiddle Leaf Figs grow towards the light, so rotate your plants once or twice a month so as to ensure an uniformed growth of the plant.
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- Codiaeum Variegatum or Croton Duckfoot Plant
Croton Duck Foot belongs to the Euphorbiaceae Family and is widely used for ornamental purposes. It is well known as a natural air purifier. The main attraction is it's vibrant and colorful foliage. It is a high drought tolerant plant. The Croton Duck Food is an indoor as well as an outdoor plant. But it is suggested to place the plant indoor during cold winters to avoid shedding of leaves. It is one of the best choices to decorate your workspace, home, or garden.
How to care for Croton Plant?
- Light and Temperature Tips: Croton Duck Foot needs high humidity and bright and partial sunlight. The temperature should vary from 15-30 degrees Celsius.
- Water Tips: Croton Plant requires regular watering during hot summers. Avoid overwatering for root damage.
- Soil Tips: Fertilize the plant once in every 15 days during summers and spring. You should use any organic liquid fertilizer
- Extra Tips: Trim the tips of the plant with disinfected scissors to increase the new growth of your plant. Repot when it grows too big or root bound.
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- Ficus elastica or Rubber Plant
Rubber Plant is a part of the Moraceae family. The plant is native to Southeast Asia. It is a low maintenance plant as it requires minimal care. The plant has wide, oval-shaped leaves that are widely used to decorate the home or workspace. The rubber plant is popular for its good height and attractive leaves.
How to care for a Rubber Plant?
- Light and Temperature Tips: The Rubber plant requires bright and indirect sunlight, moderate humid conditions and usually requires a temperature of around 15-24 ℃. During winter it can tolerate the temperature up to 10 degrees ℃.
- Water Tips: The rubber plant should be water thoroughly during summer and spring. During winters water the plant only once or twice in a week.
- Soil Tips: Requires well-draining soil and once a month fertilizer addition.
- Extra Tips: Drooping leaves indicates that the plant needs more water. Use insecticidal soap to clean the mealybugs, mites, scales, and aphids from the plant.
- Spathiphyllum or Peace Lily
A long-time favorite of those with a green-thumb and even those without, Spathiphyllum, commonly known as the Peace Lily. It is an adaptable and low-maintenance houseplant. This tropical shade-loving plant helps cleanse the air we breathe. While we all love to have clean & oxygenated air but what makes Peace Lily my favorite is that it needs minimal care. It is also more resilient and forgiving in nature making them a popular houseplants choice. You can never go wrong in shopping a Peace Lily plant.
How to care for Peace Lily Plant?
- Light and Temperature Tips: Peace Lilies prefer light partial shade, and can tolerate fluorescent lights. It prefers a temperature range of 65-85°F and humid climates. Peace Lilies cannot withstand cold drafts or temperatures below 45°F. With enough light, Peace Lilies may produce white to off-white flowers in the early summer and continue to bloom throughout the year.
- Water Tips: Water at least once a week and keep the soil moist. Throughout the summer growing season, spritz the leaves with soft or distilled water. Water your plant less often in winter. Peace Lilies can be sensitive to chlorine. So make sure you use non-chlorinated water.
- Soil Tips: Fertilize the plant once a month or every 20 days during spring and summer. Use any well-draining soil for Spathiphyllum.
- Extra Tips: They are poisonous to cats, so keep away from pets.
- Dieffenbachia or Dumb Cane
Dumb Cane is a herbaceous plant belonging to family Araceae. It is also known as the best choice to decorate and enhance the beauty of your workspace or home. The plant is widely used for ornamental purposes. It is an excellent house plant and has air purifying properties.
How to care for Dumb Cane Plant?
- Light and Temperature Tips: The plant requires partial and indirect sunlight. The temperature should vary from 18-23 degrees Celsius. It requires high humidity for survival.
- Water Tips: The plant survives in moist soil, so over watering should be prevented.
- Soil Tips: It is suggested to use well-draining soil and robust quality liquid fertilizer. Fertilize once every 40-60 days.
- Extra Tips: The plant leaves are harmful to eat as it causes swelling of the mouth.
Some of the determinants of a good plant growth is generally the amount of light it gets, the temperature, water application, soil quality and fertilizer additions. While most Indoor plants do well in partial or no shade, some require quite the amount of sunlight. Over watering is a very common problem and no houseplant is an exception to it. So pot your plants in well-draining soil and water lightly, keeping the soil consistently moist but not soggy. If you are unsure as to if the soil is dry or not, put 2 fingers inside about 2 inch of the soil and check the moisture.
As a Botanist, I have always used and recommended the usage of organic fertilizers over chemical ones.
In addition to releasing nutrients, they improve soil quality and water holding capacity of the soil. Apart from that they are the ultimate slow-release fertilizers, so you don’t have to worry about over fertilizing and have minimal risk of toxin build-up since organic fertilizers are almost completely biodegradable, sustainable and environment friendly.
That being said, you can be today years old when you decide to get introduced to Plant parenthood with no inkling of keeping a plant alive. In that case, the above plants make excellent first choices for keeping a plant at home.
Happy Planting!
Author: Swastika Sarkar, Botanist at Leafy Island
About the Author: Swastika is a Botanist who has been into the research in the fields of Environmental Sustainability and Bio remediation with the use of Biological Organisms. She has presented various papers in both national and international conferences on the use of micro-organisms as a method of Phycoremediation and reducing pollutants from contaminated mediums in an ecologically and environment friendly manner.