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Picking the right plants for your home

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Plants provide the perfect decorative touch for any home. Their colors, structures, and placement can add brightness and texture to a room. Choosing the right one can be hard, but adding an organic element to your home makes it worth the extra effort.

How do you know which plants are right for your specific dwelling? Knowing how to choose plants for home doesn’t have to be a complicated or mystifying process. In fact, there are only three things to take into consideration when picking plants for home:

  • The quality of light in your home
  • The climate conditions in your home
  • Your level of commitment 

Determining these three factors will help you choose the right plants for your particular living space and lifestyle. So let’s talk about which indoor plants are best for you. 

Plants That Thrive In Sunlight

If you think back to your high school science class, you might recall that plants survive by virtue of a process called photosynthesis. This refers to when plants convert sunlight into the energy they need to stay alive and grow. 

With that understanding, it might seem strange that certain plants are better than others at standing up to sunlight—but it’s true. While some plants thrive on copious amounts of sunlight, others need only a little bit to get the nourishment they need.

Here are some plants that are perfect for houses, apartments, or even window sills that get a ton of direct sunlight.1

Cacti

Cacti thrive in loads of direct sunlight, making them the best plants for those super sunny window sills in your bedroom or kitchen. They also don’t require a lot of water, which makes them extremely easy to care for.   

Aloe Vera 

Aloe vera and other succulents are great for home decor, as they grow full with a beautiful green color. They’re an excellent option for plant parents who want a low-maintenance, easy-to-care-for plant. 

While an aloe plant requires a significant amount of bright light, it only needs a moderate amount of water to thrive. Depending on the size, your aloe vera plant may be best on the floor or on a shelf.

If you choose to decorate with aloe vera, remember to:

  • Give your aloe plant lots of direct sun
  • Keep the soil moist but don’t overwater
  • Plant in a heavy pot for added support and improved air circulation

Bonus tip: This plant’s sap can be used on scars and burns to heal them faster.

Snake Plant

Snake plants are known for being “impossible to kill.” And while that might be an exaggeration, it’s true that snake plants are among the most resilient and easy-to-care-for houseplants that you can find.

What makes snake plants so appealing is their versatile nature. Equally suited to areas of high sun or low light, they’re an attractive indoor plant that requires little effort—you don’t even have to water them everyday. In fact, snake plants only need to be watered once every few weeks. This makes them ideal for anyone who’s new to the world of house plants.

The sword-shaped leaves of a snake plant can also elevate the look of any contemporary interior. We love the way they look on a side table or even sitting on the floor in the corner of a room.

Ponytail Palm

With its wild mane of thin leaves and thick trunk, the ponytail palm is an immediately recognizable—not to mention fun—addition to any window sill or end table.

Ponytail palms do best in full or partial sunlight, so don’t be afraid to put this potted plant out where it can catch those rays. Also, be sure to:

  • Avoid overwatering – Ponytail palms store water in their bulb-like bases, so be sure not to overwater your little friend. A helpful tip is to never water this plant more than once a week and be sure to let the soil dry out in the meantime.
  • Repot every 1-2 years – Although the trunk of your ponytail palm will grow relatively slowly, you’ll need to repot the plant every one to two years to give it the best shot at survival. 

Croton

If you’re looking for a simple plant that makes a big statement, look no further than the croton. This charming plant is distinguished by its thick green leaves flecked with a spray of dark yellow dots—it really does look like a work of art! 

For plant parents who need a worry-free way to bring color into their home, the croton is the perfect solution. To thrive, it requires only: 

  • Intermittent watering (let the soil dry out in between)
  • Full sunlight

Be careful, though: crotons don’t do very well in temperatures colder than about 60 degrees.

Jade Plant

Another succulent that loves the sunlight is the jade plant. A popular fixture of indoor plant collections, the jade plant stands out for its sturdy stems and unique, thick leaves. With proper care, this potted plant can live for decades or longer. 

When caring for your jade plant: 

  • Water intermittently – As with most succulents, you’ll want to let the soil dry out completely between waterings. 
  • Give it lots of sun – Let your jade plant bask in the sun for at least four hours a day.
  • Plant it in a heavy pot – Jade plants grow slowly over long periods of time, so make sure you plant it in a pot that can accommodate its changing size and weight.

Plants For Low Light

Not all plants can spend all their time in the sun. This is great news for anyone who yearns for more foliage but finds themselves with a shortage of direct sunlight—it means that your living space doesn’t have to be flooded with light for you to have an impressive and thriving plant collection.

Here are some can’t-kill options for plants that do well in low light areas2

Cast-Iron Plants 

Cast Iron plants have a very long lifespan, with a maximum height of 2 feet. Their dark green, healthy leaves provide a perfect deep green hue to your space. You don’t need to water them too often, but don’t let the soil get too dry or else they are hard to revive. 

Pothos 

Pothos are great because they can thrive anywhere except for in total darkness and direct sunlight. This makes them perfect for those areas of your home where light may be limited, like:

  • Hallways
  • Bathrooms
  • Bedrooms 

Another thing that’s notable about pothos is their resilience. Sometimes known as Devil’s Ivy, it is a notoriously hard-to-kill plant. Too much light or not enough, over watering or under water, there’s not much your pothos can’t bounce back from. 

That said, for best care, the soil should be kept damp, not dry. Water this plant moderately, but regularly. 

Spider Plant

Few house plants can match the subtle impact made by the spider plant—which might help explain this plant’s widespread popularity.

They’re also relatively easy to look after. They do best in bright but indirect sunlight and don’t require daily water. In fact, it’s a good idea to let the soil dry out between waters to prevent root rot, which can destroy your plant.

Philodendron

Perfect for new plant owners, a philodendron makes a dramatic addition to your home. Philodendron grows fast with minimal care and makes quite a sight when hanging in your living room. 

What makes the philodendron such a great option is how much neglect it can put up with. Factors that would spell certain doom for most plants are no match for the hearty philodendron. These include: 

  • Low light
  • Poor soil conditions
  • Bad watering habits

They’re also easy to propagate, so whenever you want to start growing another plant, you can. Simply clip from the plant at the stem, and replant the cuttings in soil. You can also grow them in water. 

Monstera Floor Plant

This moody-looking, impressive plant isn’t as difficult to care for as its appearance would suggest. It’s relatively non-finicky and perfect for living spaces where direct sunlight is in short supply.

Here’s how to care for your monstera:

  • Sunlight – Your monstera has a preference for low, indirect light. Place it on the floor near to but not directly below or in front of a window.
  • Water – At most, you’ll only need to water your monstera once every one to two weeks, although this can depend on how much light the plant is getting. To get the most out of your monstera, use filtered water. 
  • Soil – With your monstera, don’t skimp when it comes to soil. Make sure to plant it in a quality potting mix that drains well. 

Monstera are also known to be excellent air purifiers. So they don’t just look pretty—they also keep your home feeling clean and fresh. 

Plants For Different Climates

Aside from water and sunlight, the climate conditions of your home are equally important to how well your green friends get by. Temperature, air moisture, and humidity levels can all play a part in growing conditions. 

Here’s what to know about common climate conditions and how they’ll affect your houseplants.3

Plants For Humid Climates

The good news for those who live in more humid climates is that a number of houseplants find humid air perfectly suitable. 

  • Eucharist Lilies – Eucharist Lilies do well in humid climates, and in the company of other potted plants. Medium light is best for this plant, and it should be watered once each week. The soil should be dry in between watering.
  • Ferns – Ferns are another great option for humid climates. They thrive in moist soil and when they have access to some light, making them perfect for areas that aren’t too dry or bright, such as your bathroom.

Many of the other plants on our list, like Monstera and philodenron, as well as a variety of orchids, also do well in humid conditions.

Plants For Hot, Dry Climates

It can be somewhat trickier finding indoor plants that are built to withstand very dry climates. That said, you aren’t completely without options when it comes to finding the perfect plants to decorate your home.

But what kinds of plants do well under hot, dry conditions? Here are just a few of the options you can choose from:4 

  • Cacti
  • Clivia
  • Snake plant
  • Geraniums
  • Aloe
  • Rubber tree plant

Plants for Cold Climates

Colder climates can wreak havoc on delicate plants or those that just aren’t made to withstand plummeting temperatures. But even if you live in a colder climate, you still have plenty of exciting plant options for your living space.

If things tend to get chilly where you are, consider inviting the following plants to share your space:5

  • Jade plant
  • English ivy
  • ZZ plant
  • Maidenhair ferns
  • Sago palm

Find the Perfect Plants for Your Space

Loving where you live starts with having stylish surroundings that combine beauty with convenience. That’s part of what makes Common such an enticing option for all kinds of home-seekers.

With Common, you can be at the forefront of changing the way housing works. From private rooms in a coliving space to traditional private apartments, our living spaces offer beauty and convenience for less than the average cost of rent in your city. 

Convenient, affordable, and ready when you are, Common is the housing solution you’ve been looking for. Find your new home today. 

Sources: 

  1. Thespruce.com. 12 Best Houseplants for Sunny Windows. https://www.thespruce.com/best-houseplants-for-sun-4147670  
  2. Goodhousekeeping.com. 12 Best Low Light Plants. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/g32306185/low-light-plants/  
  3. Rockethomes.com. Best Houseplants for the Climate You Live In. https://www.rockethomes.com/blog/homeowner-tips/best-houseplants-for-the-climate-you-live-in  
  4. Backyardgardenlover.com. 15 Best Indoor Plants for Dry Weather. https://www.backyardgardenlover.com/best-indoor-plants-for-dry-climate/ 
  5. Gardeningknowhow.com. Cold Tolerant Houseplants. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/cold-tolerant-indoor-plants.htm  

 

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