Houseplants are a great way to add color to a room or express your own personal style in a simpler space such as a desk or office, regardless of the weather! They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and there are even tropical and desert plants to choose from. So take a look at the list below to see which options works best for you!
The begonias that make spectacular winter houseplants are the angel wing, rex, and hairy-leaved begonias. These are species with striking leaf shapes, interesting, even sculptural, forms, and beautiful colors and textures. As a bonus, the angel wings produce large groups of flowers in shades of white, pink and orange. Grow begonias in bright light in the warmer rooms of the house. They like to stay evenly moist ? don't let them dry out or get wet feet. Plant them in Miracle-GroŽ Potting Mix to help provide a home that meets these conditions. They appreciate a room with humidity and prefer to stay away from drafts. Feed them monthly with a product such as Miracle-GroŽ Liquid Houseplant Food during the winter, and when it begins to warm up outside in spring, move them to a protected porch or balcony to enjoy their beauty all summer long.
Bromeliads are members of the pineapple family and are among the most spectacular foliage plants around. Many are vase-shaped with strap-like leaves that come in an astonishing array of colors including red, purple, orange, and yellow, with bands, stripes, and spots. Tree-dwellers in nature, bromeliads readily adapt to life as a house plant. They tolerate fluctuations in light, temperature and moisture and reward you with a taste of the tropics in mid-winter. Provide bromeliads with bright, indirect sunlight. South-, west- or east-facing windows work well. Any temperature comfortable for you is fine for bromeliads. Just don't expose them to temperatures below 40 degrees. Grow them in a fast-draining potting mix such as Miracle-GroŽ Cactus, Palm and Citrus Soil, to mimic their tree-top habitats. Bromeliads should be watered thoroughly, then allowed to dry out completely. Never leave these plants in standing water. Feed them regularly with Miracle-GroŽ Water Soluble Orchid Food.
For a spot of winter cheer, a colorful coleus is just the ticket. Coleus plants growing in the home environment lend remarkable color and texture to any room. Although most of us are accustomed to growing them as summer annuals, many coleus varieties are shade-tolerant and will adapt easily to life indoors. Take cuttings in fall of your favorite coleus growing in the garden, or lift the entire plant before the first killing frost. Pot the plants in Miracle-Gro Potting Mix and give them a piece of honor near a sunny window. With average room temperatures and moderate humidity, your coleus plants will brighten the windowsill all winter long, and can return to the garden next spring.
These guys are attention-grabbers indoors. They offer a touch of the tropics while providing architectural interest few plants can surpass. If you have a large space in need of an accent, try growing a palm. Palms prefer bright light with indirect sun. Pot palms in large containers with a light, humus-rich soil mix, such as Miracle-GroŽ Cactus, Palm, and Citrus Soil. Keep them evenly moist without staying wet. Soggy soil is their kiss of death. Site them away from chilly windows in a room that stays warm at night. Good palm choices for growing indoors include Chinese fan palm, fishtail palm, lady palm and miniature date palms.
Many cacti and succulents have incredibly interesting forms making them living sculptures in the home. These attractive specimens are among the most carefree of houseplants. They like lots of light and benefit from living near the brightest windows in the house. Due to their desert origins, cacti and most succulents require very little water during the winter and can go for a month or more without much attention. Plant cactus and succulents in clay pots and use a cactus soil mix, such as Miracle-GroŽ Cactus, Palm, and Citrus Soil, to ensure they receive perfect drainage. This group of plants is well suited to chilly rooms as they are tolerant of cool temperatures and low humidity. Aloe, jade and Christmas cactus are the succulent stand-bys of houseplants but many types of barrel cactus, agaves and crassulas are well-suited to the indoor life.
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