Houseplants for Colorful Foliage & Winter Blooms

Whether it is cold and snowy outside or a beautiful summer day houseplants are always here to stay.  Adding houseplants to your indoor space supplies interesting foliage and colorful blooms to a room and also adds oxygen and humidity for good health.  In a previous post I introduced several user friendly houseplants that are hardy and low maintenance.  I have come across a few new additions which I would like to share!

Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen)

Lighting:  Low to Moderate (More Light for Red Variegated Varieties)

Water & Soil:  Keep Moderately Moist (Water in Center of Plant)

Once of the newest additions to my home is an exciting new hybrid of Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen). I found it accidentally while searching for a new Croton plant for my indoor space.  I spotted the variegated pinkish-red foliage of this Chinese Evergreen and it really caught my eye.  Never having seen this particular variety before, it appeared to be unusually close in resemblance to the Croton I was looking for.  I excitedly purchased the two plants the nursery had left and brought them home to try out.  The variegation is slightly different on each plant so I combined the two together for even more interest and to my delight the new addition is thriving in my southwestern window.   Keep in mind that Chinese Evergreen normally prefer low light, but with the lighter tinged colorful foliage on this variety, it is doing well in the brighter conditions. I am getting so much enjoyment from this new plant with its beautiful and vibrant foliage and I would highly recommend it for your indoor garden!

Crassula argentea (Jade Plant)

Lighting:  Bright Southern or Western Exposure

Water & Soil:  Moderately Dry Well Drained Soil

Jade Plant has always been a favorite of mine.  I started growing two Jade plants about 25 years ago which have now been propagated into four. I had the rare surprise of seeing my two mature Jades bloom for the first time in the past several years.  I can only remember them in bloom about three or four times since I have had them and when they bloom it goes on for months. I think what sparked the beautiful blooms was a combination of both plants being very root bound, the dose of cactus juice I had given them, and the night time temperatures of the windowsill they are located on suddenly dropping, thus signaling the arrival of winter. I have read that Jade requires a dramatic temperature change to encourage blooming but to get them to bloom is a difficult feat. This rarity is truly a joyous surprise that I am glad to be able to share!

Crassula argentea (Jade Plant) in Flower

Here are the blooms of the Jade.  They resemble small clusters or star bursts.

Amaryllis

Lighting:  Bright Light

Water & Soil:   Moderately Moist Rich Humus Soil

Amaryllis is an all time favorite houseplant for the winter months with its large showy blooms available in a variety of colors.  Plant the bulb one quarter to half way exposed in a humus rich soil and keep moderately moist in a sunny window. Blooms will last approximately 4-8 weeks and put on quite a show!  After blooming, Amaryllis bulbs can be allowed to dry out and stored in a cool dry location until being re-planted next season.  Start forcing bulbs 6-8 weeks before desired blooms by planting in a small planter in a peat based soil, watering sparingly until the bulb starts to sprout then weekly afterwards. Enjoy the blooms for the lifetime of the bulb which can be several years.

Schlumbergera truncata (Thanksgiving Cactus)

Lighting:  Bright Diffused Light

Water & Soil:  Moderately Moist (Requires a Well Drained Soil)

Thanksgiving  Cactus is another all time favorite for winter flowering.  In reality a succulent, there are three varieties of this plant for bloom time, one near Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving Cactus), one near Christmas (Christmas Cactus) and one near Easter (Easter Cactus). Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) has very pointed and claw-shaped projections on the edges of each leaf, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) has more scalloped or tear-drop shaped leaves and Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) has more rounded, smooth leaves. Water infrequently until November then increase the watering to encourage blooms. After blooming withhold watering once again, allowing to dry out (but not completely), until new growth appears. As new growth appears in spring apply a weak strength fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.

Haworthia Attenuata (Zebra Cactus)

Lighting:  Bright Light (Southern Window)

Water & Soil:  Well Drained, Water Sparingly

Like my Jade Plant this Zebra Cactus is approximately twenty years old and all I do to maintain it is to water weekly.  It is very root bound in a well drained cactus soil and grows over the rim of its planter. I'll give it a dose of cactus food once or twice at most during the growing season and remove any growth that has become aged and browned, which is infrequent.  It is basically a maintenance free houseplant and a conversation piece!

Dracaena sanderana (Lucky Bamboo)

Lighting:  Bright Diffused to Low Light

Water & Soil:  Weekly (Only Use Distilled Water)

Dracena sanderana, otherwise known as Lucky Bamboo, is really not a bamboo at all but a member of the Lily family, which includes the Easter lily and spider plant. Lucky Bamboo can be grown in either a closed pebble filled planter or in a potting soil with good drainage. The important thing is to water only with distilled water since even a small amount of fluoride from tap water can be phytotoxic, or detrimental to the plant. With proper care Lucky Bamboo can add interest to even the darkest of locations.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Emerald Fronds'

Light:  Bright Diffused -Low Light

Soil & Water:  Well-Drained Soil, Water Weekly

Since my last houseplant post my Zamioculcas, commonly known as "ZZ Plant", has grown into a three foot high focal piece.  It thrives in indirect light from a sky light and requires minimal care.  ZZ Plants do not require much fertilization and leaf polish should not be used on its attractive glossy leaves.  To maintain the plant all I do is water weekly to keep the soil from completely drying out and keep the leaves cleaned with a moist cloth.  Some sources will say to allow the plant to become completely dry before watering but I find that weekly watering encourages much more new growth.

 Houseplants add life to the indoors and these selections have proven to be relatively low maintenance and easy to care for in your home.  For indoor blooms and attractive colorful foliage add some of these beautiful houseplants to your space and bring years of enjoyment to your indoor garden!

You may also be interested in this article on indoor container gardening.

As Always...Happy Gardening!

 

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

Best Houseplants for Indoor Gardening

I have been wanting to do a segment on indoor houseplants, so it seemed to be a good time to do so. While waiting for my outdoor plants to come to life here in the northeast I have been paying a little extra attention to my indoor plants in anticipation of the grander scheme outside.  Let's discuss some of the indoor plants that I have found to supply great pleasure at a low a maintenance cost. 





A colorful versatile plant in the philodendron family is Golden Philodendron or Philodendron 'Brasil'. It displays variegated heart-shaped leaves and is a climber that is happy as either a stand-alone piece or mixed with other plants. Philodendron 'Brasil' prefers bright-diffused indirect light and moderately moist soil with good drainage. It is for the most part carefree and is a nice addition to the indoor garden.

The next candidate is Clivia minata.  This beauty originates from South Africa and is known as "bush lily". Its elongated dark green foliage alone makes it an attractive houseplant and in spring and fall the plant produces beautiful yellow-orange flowers that last for several weeks. Clivia prefers low to medium light and well-drained soil.  Allow drying out in between watering and water weekly during the growing months and less in winter. Fertilize when blooms are produced.  This plant prefers to be root bound.

Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonemas) is a tropical evergreen known for its variegated green and white foliage and easy maintenance.  It prefers to be grown in low light in a moist, well-drained soil.  Aglaonemas produce white flowers occasionally in spring and summer that are better to be cut off because they do drain energy from the plant. Chinese’s Evergreen is carefree and makes a nice house-warming gift for a low light area.

The next beauty is Croton, a multi-colored foliage plant for higher light areas. Croton is native to Southeast Asia and was once only grown outdoors. They have increased in popularity indoors because of their beautiful orange-green-yellow foliage. Croton grows best in a southwestern window in a moderately moist soil with high humidity. When kept in higher light these beauties will put on a show of color!


Another favorite indoor plant is Spathiphyllum or Peace Lily.  Spathiphyllum prefers to be grown in a moderately moist-well drained soil in diffused sunlight preferably in a northern or eastern window. Peace Lily are easy to grow, have elongated glossy dark green foliage and frequently display their lovely white flowers that are formed from the leaf stalk of the plant. Spathiphyllum can be grown as a stand-alone piece or can be combined with other low light plants to make a lovely display.

Another plant in the Philodendron family is Philodendron 'Xanadu'. 'Xanadu' is a compact grower displaying medium-large finger-like leaves in the form of a full clumping plant. Philodendron 'Xanadu' prefers to be root bound and grown in bright indirect light in a moist well-drained soil. When leaves yellow, simply pull them out by the stalk and new shoots and leaves will unfold to keep the plant full and attractive. Thumbs up for this one for it is low maintenance!

Another very low maintenance plant is Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law's Tongue. This easy to grow plant is very versatile, can be grown in low light to full light conditions in a slightly moist, well-drained soil. This plant is about as low maintenance as you can get and has been a popular houseplant favorite for years. Under the right conditions it will last for many years.

Jade Plant (Crassula argentea) is a popular succulent plant that displays small pink-white flowers if grown in a southern window. Jade prefers to be grown in bright direct light as in a southern or western window. Crassula argentea does not require much water and should only be watered when dry to the touch. When cared for properly this showpiece will last for many years and become a valued family member! 

Here is the newest addition to my houseplant family.  It is Zamioculcas Zamiifolia (nicknamed ZZ plant).  It thrives in nearly any lighting condition except darkness.  I have mine in indirect sun and it is doing just great.  As far as watering is concerned, Zamioculcas Zamiifolia is a tuber plant that stores its water intake.  It is best to let its soil completely dry out and then water thoroughly.  Zamioculcas Zamiifolia does not require much feeding. Feed four times a year with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength.


There are a huge variety of houseplants to light up your home every day of the year. These are just a few that can bring some enjoyment to your indoor garden!  

For more on houseplants visit Houseplants for Colorful Foliage & Winter Blooms.

As Always..Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide To Northeastern Gardening Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.