Indoor plants are a great decoration and a way to create a cozy atmosphere in the house. The most pleasant moments for amateur flower growers come at a time when there is a winter blizzard outside the window and you can enjoy the beauty of fresh flowers. Often, the window sills of apartment buildings turn into real oases with rich greenery. In this article, we will look at the most popular indoor plants that you can grow at home.
Ficus
Ficuses are not a specific type of plant, but a whole separate family, which includes both lianas and shrubs, as well as full-fledged trees. Most of them are not suitable for breeding in a home, but there are species that are in great demand among flower growers. These include:
- rubber;
- benjamin;
- Bengali;
- dwarf;
- lyre;
- bonsai;
- retuza.
Most indoor loversspecimens grow ficus not only because of its aesthetic appearance, but also because it is extremely unpretentious in its care. Indoor flower can often be seen in the lobbies of hotels and hotels, offices and private households. This plant belongs to the mulberry family.
Leaves are usually alternate, but sometimes there are whole, lobed and serrated. Stipules differ in large size. One of the most important features of the ficus is the milky juice it contains, which is widely used in medicine.
Indoor ficus plant: how to care
Ficus fully develops when all care requirements are met. Subject to the necessary conditions, this plant is able to reach a height of three meters, adding 20 centimeters per year. If the ficus is grown by planting a seedling, then its rooting occurs in 3 months. After that, he needs constant, but not requiring significant effort, care. There are some of the most important plant care recommendations:
- For ficus, the most favorable is slightly acidic, fertile soil with high humidity. It responds well to the addition of fertilizers. In this case, it is recommended to cover the top layer of soil with sand, and the lowest, drainage layer with expanded clay.
- The plant is very fond of intense lighting, so it should be placed in open places, but without direct sunlight, it can be harmful. In winter, the lack of daylight is compensated by additional illumination.
- Ficus -heat-loving plant that needs to be kept at the optimum temperature for it - not lower than +30 degrees Celsius.
- The procedure for fertilizing the soil in which the flower is planted should be carried out twice in the spring and summer periods, preferably at the beginning and end of each month. For these purposes, wood ash is best.
Geranium cultivation
Most people who grow geraniums in a pot can say that they associate this plant with an unusual smell that its leaves emit when they are rubbed. The main advantage and advantage of the plant is its love for intense lighting. In this case, even direct rays will not cause any damage to the bush. Thanks to this feature and attractive appearance, it has become one of the most common indoor plants.
Geranium is absolutely not afraid of drafts and temperature changes, so it can be grown not only in living rooms, but also in containers on open balconies. Temperature from +18 to +25 degrees Celsius will be comfortable for keeping this plant, while humidity is not important for it. Top dressing with fertilizers should be carried out no more than twice a month. Watering geraniums in a pot should be done only with settled, soft water. It is worth considering that an excessive abundance of moisture can harm the root system of geraniums. It will be almost impossible to restore the plant, so it cannot be flooded.
Features of violet care
Today violet takes pride of place inrating of the most common indoor plants. She is loved for her excellent decorative appearance and comparative unpretentiousness in care. Violet, like ficus, is not one plant, but a whole family that has many different species, a wide variety of forms.
Favorable conditions for growing a houseplant violets are partial shade and moderate humidity. It does not tolerate direct sunlight, but for intensive flowering it needs 10 hours of light, which can be provided by additional sources, such as lamps with a dim, diffused light.
Water the violet should only be after the surface of the soil in the pot dries out, as the root system of this plant does not tolerate excessive moisture and may die. Watering is done with settled, soft water, hard water can destroy the violet. A positive effect will have a fertilizer added to the soil monthly, but no more than twice in 30 days.
Cactus - an exotic interior decoration
The houseplant cactus is an outlandish representative of the desert fauna. Its stem is studded with sharp spines. It belongs to a large family of cacti, which include both ornamental home plants and wild ones that grow in their historical homeland - South America. The cactus became a popular indoor plant in Russia in the middle of the 18th century, but in Europe this curiosity appeared a hundred years earlier.
The plant has a huge number of varieties, and almost all of themgrow in rocky hot deserts. Therefore, breeding it at home requires a large amount of light. He is not at all afraid of direct sunlight. Experts recommend placing almost all types of cacti on the east or south side of the room. However, not all plants of this family like to be in open places. There is such a species as zygocactus, which needs less lighting, so it is usually placed on the north side. If such a plant is placed in the southern part of the room, then failures between periods of dormancy and flowering may begin, and the leaves will take on a pale appearance, which will ultimately lead to diseases of the cactus.
In summer, the plant needs fresh air, so at this time it is best to keep it on a ventilated loggia or balcony. In winter, at elevated temperatures in the house, the cactus needs additional air humidity. It should be borne in mind that in cold weather it is at rest. During such a period, the most comfortable conditions for the plant will be a temperature of +15 … +17 degrees and a shaded room.
Although the cactus is very drought tolerant, it needs only slightly less watering than other common houseplants. Experts in the field of floriculture recommend systematic wetting of this curiosity with water at room temperature, which has settled for at least a day.
Tree to attract we alth
Many people have heard at least once in their lives about the existence of an indoor flower, which, according to legend, canattract we alth and prosperity to the house, but not everyone knows what this plant looks like. The money tree, or fat woman, has glossy leaves and is highly decorative. Although it does not bloom, it pleases the owners with its exotic appearance. There is a belief that by placing a pot with a money tree in your home, a person can attract prosperity and abundance.
The historical homeland of this unique plant is Africa. Due to its adaptability to hot and dry conditions, the fat woman is excellent for growing in apartments.
The money tree is a succulent, that is, it has the feature of moisture accumulation, due to which it can do without watering for a long time. Because of this feature, the fat woman is most popular among flower growers who like to travel often. Among other things, this plant loves good lighting, but has a negative attitude towards direct rays. The most optimal for him will be diffused light, so experts recommend placing the money tree on the shelves under the window. A fat woman will benefit from fresh air, so in the spring she can be safely put on a balcony or loggia.
Chlorophytum
The houseplant is native to Africa, where it grows right on the tree bark. It gained its popularity in European countries in the 9th century. Outwardly, it is a herbaceous plant with tendril processes, thanks to which it also reproduces with leaves that have a long narrow shape. It is noteworthy that the color of the foliage can be of various shades, from dark green to light green. Leavesthis plant reaches up to 85 cm in length, bushes - up to half a meter in diameter. Due to its hot homeland, indoor chlorophytum is very drought resistant. It is able to accumulate a large amount of moisture in the roots, as a result of which it goes without watering for a long time. Such a plant will be a great solution for forgetful people or those who often travel or business trips.
This plant is also unpretentious to the soil. It is able to take root in the most diverse soil and in any amount of light.
In addition to excellent decorative qualities, chlorophytum is known for being a natural air filter in enclosed spaces. It is able to absorb carcinogens, bacteria and fumes. There is an opinion that several of these colors can purify the air of the room from all possible harmful impurities. Experienced flower growers also claim that by adding a small amount of coal to a plant pot, you can increase its filtering properties many times over.
Dragon Tree
The description of the dracaena houseplant would not be complete without noting that it is a truly diverse type of ornamental tree, with more than 60 different specimens. They grow in the Canary Islands and are very large. The very name of this tropical tree in literal translation into Russian means "dragon female". According to the assumptions of flower growers, this species received such a name in honor of the color of the resin of one of its representatives. It has a rich bright red color. Some species can be grown in an apartment or house. These include fragrant dracaena, but the most beautiful and largest are grown in specially equipped greenhouses.
Dracaena is quite capricious in its care. In order for this flower to please the eye and be he althy, some conditions must be observed for its content:
- Compliance with the temperature regime, in the warm season not lower than +15 degrees. But in winter, it remarkably tolerates lower rates - + 10-13 degrees.
- Dracaena loves intense light, but does not tolerate direct sunlight. In addition, it grows well in artificial light.
- During summer, this tropical plant requires abundant moisture, but in winter, watering should be moderate and carried out taking into account the temperature in the house. In addition, dracaena needs systematic irrigation of leaves during the cold season. Spraying, like watering, should be done only with water at room temperature or a little warm.
Harvest of lemons in the apartment
The lemon tree is one of the rare fruit-bearing indoor crops that can be grown indoors without much effort. Unlike bananas and pineapples, which are more fussy about conditions, lemons are easy to grow from an ordinary seed planted in a pot and watered systematically. However, to get your first real harvest of indoor fruits, you need to have a basic knowledge of crop care and spend a little time and effort. An adult tree growing at home is capable of producing full-fledged large fruits.no different in taste from those cultivated in open areas. If you comply with all the conditions for the content, then in a year you can get a small amount of lemons and forget about buying them.
Caring for a lemon tree is a simple and labor-intensive process. The plant loves intense bright light, but at an early stage of growth does not tolerate direct rays. Therefore, until he is fully grown up, he should be protected from this. When the culture is fully grown and strengthened, direct rays will not be afraid of it. Another equally important nuance for a lemon is air temperature. The tree belongs to the subtropical type, therefore it is very thermophilic. The recommended temperature of the content should not be lower than +12 0 C during the cold season, but not exceed +22 during the summer. The lemon tree is very fond of watering and moist air, so it needs to create a similar atmosphere.
Chinese rose
The plant is a representative of the mallow family, which includes both huge giant bushes and small types of flowers. In the natural environment, the reproduction of hibiscus or Chinese rose occurs with the help of its own seeds. At home, this culture is bred mainly vegetatively. Hibiscus is valued by flower growers for its exceptional decorative qualities and not too troublesome process of caring for it. It has bright and large inflorescences, while the leaves of the plant themselves often also have a color, thanks to red and white veins.
Chinese roserefers to tropical crops, so it requires regular irrigation of the leaves, which must be carried out in the early morning. It is noteworthy that, when carrying out the spraying or watering procedure, a small amount of sugar can be added to the water. According to experts, this measure contributes to the protection of hibiscus from ultraviolet radiation. In the cold season, it is worth watering the plant no more than twice a month. If at this time the buds began to bloom, then you should also sweeten the water. This will have a beneficial effect on strengthening the flowers. Hibiscus are fertilized, as a rule, with a potassium-phosphorus mixture no more than twice a month.
Monstera - room liana
This culture, originally from tropical countries, is very large and even in housing conditions it can grow up to several meters in length. The shoots of the monstera home plant have a very interesting texture, and the leathery leaves of rich green color that grow on them fit perfectly into any interior. Liana is distinguished by its unpretentiousness in care. Due to its large size, it is grown in spacious halls and offices, but this does not prevent it from being one of the most common indoor plants.
In order to avoid strong growth of the monstera over the area, it is given a vertical shape using various props. A distinctive feature of this culture is the presence of aerial roots. They must be sent to a container with soil. For roots of this type, bags with earth are made in order to place air processes in them on weight. Monsterahas no less impressive leaves, exceeding 35-40 centimeters in length.
Plant care involves temperatures ranging from +12 to +25 degrees. At the same time, the monstera is not critical of its differences. She extremely negatively perceives direct sunlight and receives severe burns from them, which in the end can destroy the culture. In a place that is too shaded, the development of the stems will stop. The recommended location of the creeper is the corners of the rooms near the windows. Here she will receive the necessary amount of light and at the same time protect herself from direct sunlight.
Because the monstera is native to the tropics, it needs moisture and regular watering, which must be done without allowing the soil to dry out. For moistening, it is required to irrigate the leaves with water at room temperature. In order for the monstera not to lose its grace, it needs mineral fertilizers at least once a week in the summer and at least 2 in the cold season.
What plants can you see on your windowsill?
