Last Updated on August 31, 2022 by Plant Mom Care
Growing plants indoors helps to improve the quality of air inside homes, by keeping rooms smelling better and fresher. An added benefit is that plants absorb and filter harmful compounds, toxins, and chemicals from the air indoors.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice gardener or if you happen to travel frequently. There are plenty of low-maintenance indoor plants that don’t need watering constantly, feeding, or care while they grow constantly and purify the air you breathe.
Select plants with dark green leaves that are known to grow well in artificial light sources and require less watering. Take a look at planter boxes or pots that provide a reservoir of water to sustain your plants if you’re away from home for longer periods.
However, it’s easy to notice when plants are under-watered if you see wilting leaves or dry soil pulling away from the sides of the planter/pot.
Heartleaf Philodendron
The Philodendron Hieracium, also known as the Heartleaf Philodendron, is an evergreen climbing vine native to Central America.
It is an easy plant for a novice to grow indoors. It is characterized by deep green heart-shaped leaves and is known for its capability to filter harmful chemicals and toxins in the air of a typical home.
It grows well in medium indirect lighting but also in low lighting settings. It requires watering once a week and it’s best to let the soil dry out before watering again.
The watering period can be extended a bit if you invest in planting boxes or pots that feature a water reservoir but you may have to increase the frequency of watering if the plant is located in an area of strong light.
It usually is very tolerant of low levels of humidity but thrives better in more humid conditions. This helps it to produce larger leaves and grow faster, allowing it to reach 10 feet in length if not pruned. It grows poorly in low indoor temperatures (below 60°F).
It is an easy, low-maintenance plant to grow indoors, but it can be affected by over or under-watering and root rot disease. Make sure to use a well-drained potting soil mix with some perlite or lava rocks mixed in.
The sap can cause skin irritation and burning inside the mouth if swallowed. Although it is not poisonous, it is best to keep it out of reach from small children and pets.
How to care for Heart-Leaf Philodendron
Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa, also known as the Swiss Cheese Plant, is an evergreen tropical plant native to Central America, characterized by its natural leaf holes.
These holes eventually grow towards the edge of the leaves and open up as they mature. It is very easy to grow and maintain, its unique appearance helping to beautify your home.
Monstera deliciosa thrives in bright to medium light conditions. Water once weekly or when you notice the soil is dry. It’s best to water more often if the plant is brighter and less often if it is in lower light.
It can thrive in normal room humidity but prefers humid conditions since it IS a tropical plant. Perhaps consider getting a humidifier to boost humidity levels indoors if you live in an area of low humidity.
Wipe dust off the leaves with a damp cloth occasionally to allow the leaves to breathe freely. It doesn’t grow well if the temperature drops below 60°F.
While it is an easy, low-maintenance plant to propagate, it can be affected by over or under-watering. Make sure you use a well-drained potting soil mix with some perlite or lava rocks to allow aeration.
It usually outgrows pots after two years or so and needs to be repotted or having the roots trimmed.
Monsteras deliciosa can be irritating to pets and humans if leaves are eaten, so it’s always better to keep them out of reach.
How to care for Monstera Deliciosas
Bird of Paradise
Also known as Strelitzia reginae or crane flower, it gets its name from its bright and colorful flowers that look like brightly colored birds. The leaves tend to split if under-watered but misting or wiping the leaves with a damp cloth will help curtail this.
It can tolerate temperatures between 65-70° F, usually requiring at least four hours of adequate lighting but needs warmer temperatures and plenty of light to produce flowers.
It requires rich, well-drained soil and is best kept partially shaded to prevent leaf burn if you live in a hot, sunny region. The plant can suffer severe damage if temperatures drop below 24° F. A humidifier will help it thrive if you live in an area of low humidity.
Water until the soil is saturated and again when it is dry to the touch, as it prefers the soil to be a little moist, not soggy.
Feed the plant in early spring every 2 weeks and once per month in summer with soluble plant fertilizer. It needs to be repotted or have the roots trimmed about every 3 years in spring. Flowering will take at least five years to start if grown from seed.
It is mildly poisonous to pets and humans if parts are consumed in large amounts and eating the seeds can cause abdominal pain and vomiting.
How to care for Bird of Paradise
Peperomia
This is a varied group of tropical plants of more than 1,000 known species. They are characterized by slow growth, thick ornamental leaves and are a low maintenance plant, ideal for the novice gardener.
Leaves can appear marbled or smooth, with a variety of colors – red, green, gray, or purple.
Use a well-draining orchid potting mix, placing the plant in bright indirect light. Water is only necessary when the soil is very dry, and feeding is rarely required.
The plants are susceptible to root rot if the soil is too soggy. Low lighting conditions will result in less leaf growth, leaf drop, and affect the appearance of the plant. Avoid positioning the plant in direct sun, as it can suffer from leaf burn.
It prefers warm and humid surroundings, particularly in the summer. You can place it on a tray filled with pebbles and water to help increase humidity or look at getting a humidifier. The plant can suffer damage if exposed to temperatures less than 30° F.
Since it is non-toxic to pets and humans, it can be grown in any location in your home.
Chinese Money Plant
Pilea peperomioides, also known as the Chinese money plant or pancake plant, is characterized by its flat, round leaves resembling thick, dark green pancakes balanced on long, thin, red stems. This plant can grow to a height of almost 15 inches, with the stems twisting as it gets older.
It thrives in bright indirect light since direct sunlight can result in leaf burn, and shade results in better leaf growth.
While it thrives in a temperature range of between 55°F to 86°F, avoid temperatures drops below 50°F. As with all plants, it prefers some humidity so a humidifier is necessary for areas of low humidity.
It requires a well-drained potting soil mix, with some perlite or lava rocks mixed in to provide aeration. Let the soil dry out before watering again, although it will require more watering if the weather is warmer or if the leaves appear to wilt.
The large leaves tend to attract dust, so occasional misting or wiping their leaves with a damp cloth is necessary to keep the pores free from dust. Feed it once a month with an all-in-one plant fertilizer in spring and summer.
As it is not poisonous to pets or humans, it can be grown anywhere around your house.
How to care for Chinese Money Plant
What plants can I grow in my bedroom?
Sleep is necessary for us to be healthy. These days, it appears that many people are affected by sleep problems such as insomnia or worrying that stops them from getting enough rest.
While there are several types of medications available to help us sleep properly, most of them have side effects and can affect our health in the long run.
Plants can help with sleep problems, as they do with so many other things in our lives. Plants help us to calm down and relax our minds.
Not only are they pleasing to look at, but they also bring peace and comfort into our busy lifestyles. At work, they help to enhance creativity, reduce stress levels, increase productivity, naturally filter air pollutants, and so much more.
Most of us don’t realize how important air quality is since we are exposed to pollution everywhere. Even at home, things like insulation, paint, and furniture can fill indoor air with toxins and gases like formaldehyde and benzene among others.
Plants can absorb these harmful gases through the pores in their leaves, filtering and cleaning the air we breathe every day, releasing the oxygen that refreshes and relaxes us. They also add a nice touch of decor and color to any indoor space.
Golden Pothos
Pothos, or the Epipremnum aureum, is native to Southeast Asia. It is widely known to being one of the easiest plants to grow indoors. It is characterized by its heart-shaped green leaves with yellow streaks and swirls.
It has an aerial root system along the stems that enables it anchors itself and grow vertically on a coir pole or trained to climb up and around walls. Pothos is particularly ideal for growing indoors because it can filter out toxins from the air and provide a healthy environment in the house.
Use a well-drained potting soil mix with perlite or lava rocks mixed in for better soil aeration.
It thrives in bright, indirect lighting conditions, but is also able to tolerate medium or low indirect light conditions, not liking intense, direct sunlight.
Water it once a week, allowing the soil to dry out before watering again, and always water more often in brighter light conditions and less often in lower light conditions. It can thrive in a variety of humidity levels, and as with most indoor plants, it prefers temperatures in the 65°F-85°F range, doing poorly if it goes below 60°F.
Since it can be irritating to pets and humans if the foliage is consumed, it is best to keep it out of reach for small children and pets.
