House plants: the 10 best for decorating and purifying the environment
Unfortunately, not everyone can enjoy a green space in their home. This should certainly not discourage plant and garden lovers: there are absolutely valid and equally pretty alternatives. House plants are in fact exceptional from an ornamental and embellishment point of view, thanks to their aesthetic beauty, but they also have the function of purifying the air, as we show in this short video, which can help you in choosing which plant to treat.
Each plant requires special care and attention. It is not enough to simply enjoy their ornamental beauty: it is necessary to know their needs and characteristics, in order to prevent common diseases and pests.
Areca (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
One of the most common and interesting varieties of houseplants is the Areca Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, which has the appearance of a small apartment palm that can reach up to two meters in height, with the characteristic lanceolate and thin leaves, of a bright green. It is a plant native to the rainforests of Madagascar, where it can reach 10 meters in height, however, requiring a minimum temperature of 10 degrees. The most popular side of the Areca is its convenient and moderate price, as well as its easy availability: it can also be purchased from Ikea or on Amazon. Chrysalidocarpus lutescens it is one of the depolluting house plants and is in fact used to remove exhaled xylene from paints or building materials! But it is essential to know the downside: it is a toxic plant for pets, especially felines. The Areca needs a mixture of earth, compost and sand and above all a lot of light. It also requires a good amount of water, in summer it is good to wet it 1-2 times a week, while in winter it does not need to be watered. insect attacks, fears ladybugs and red spiders.
Boston fern (Nephrolentis)
If you're new to gardening and don't have a particular green thumb, the so-called Boston fern is a good solution for you. It is an easy plant to care for, as long as a good degree of humidity is maintained, watered often and is not exposed to direct sunlight. This is one of the houseplants with a rather fast growth, native to rainforests, it resists up to 7 degrees and prefers a mixture of heather and compost over a layer of gravel. As we said, it is necessary to wet it often: regular watering is necessary, even in winter, and above all a daily spray on the foliage, preferably with non-calcareous water. Caring for the leaves is very important and eliminating the dead dead ones is a good place to start.
The Boston fern is one of the house plants most susceptible to insect attacks, especially the cochineal, but they also suffer from the lack or excess of water.
Medinilla (Magnificent Medinilla)
This is also one of the house plants of tropical origin and for this reason it fears frost and should not be placed in an environment with temperatures below 15 degrees. It is a houseplant that forms a small erect bust, with few quadrangular branches. The leaves are large and dark green, with clearly visible light green veins.The Medinilla also produces small flowers of a few centimeters in diameter, characterized by waxy petals of pink or coral red color depending on the quality.
It is a plant not suitable for beginners: it is not easy to grow. However, those who are already familiar with orchids will already start on a different foot, since the care is almost the same. It is necessary to place the Medinilla in full light, but move it to the shade when the sun is stronger and more direct. It does not require special soils, the universal one is sufficient. It requires a certain humidity and should be watered twice a week in summer, only once. in winter. It is advisable to spray the foliage and remove dried and wilted leaves and flowers after flowering.
The Medinilla has 150 species and all grow in tropical rain areas such as Africa, South-East Asia and the Pacific, without however missing in our Italy.
Wax Flower (Hoya)
After the Areca, the bright green leaves return which can reach up to 70 cm in height. It is a plant native to tropical regions, so it needs at least 7-13 degrees. The wax flower owes its name to the white flowers star-shaped that bring inside another small protrusion of a different color depending on the variety: the most majestic and fascinating fuchsia or red, or the more tenuous pink and pale yellow. These flowers are also characteristic because they have a consistency so to speak "waxy".
The wax flower is a houseplant of the variety of creepers, so you need a support to attach to. As for the position in pot, the Hoya likes a mixture of peat, sand, bark, compost of leaves and charcoal, in addition of the fertilizer; it also requires direct exposure to the sun, although in summer it is preferable to move it to a shady area, and a fairly mild and high temperature, between 19 and 24 degrees. Precisely for this reason, it needs to be wet a lot in the summer months, while avoiding water stagnation. The wax flower fears flour butterflies, but red spiders and aphids are no less important.
Ficus
The ficus is an evergreen native to tropical rainforests and has over 800 species. It is a plant especially for houseplants, it fears the cold and cannot tolerate temperatures below 15 degrees. The ficus has neither flowers nor fruits but attention must be paid to the leaves because the leaves are toxic and the sap irritating or allergic. The ficus is also the most effective plant against pollution as it absorbs the formaldehyde emitted by many furnishing materials.
It requires a fertile and well-drained soil, preferably enriched with compost. Almost all varieties of ficus tolerate the penumbra well, except the darling that requires light. It is absolutely not recommended to prune the branches, except if the plant becomes too invasive: it tends to become tall and large, so you must make sure you have adequate space to use it as an ornamental plant in the apartment. Finally, watering must be regular in summer and less frequent in winter, always avoiding stagnation that would make the leaves yellow.
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera)
This houseplant has this particular name because the time of its maximum flowering is in December and owes its scientific name to Fréderic Schlumberger, the famous plant collector. It is a variety of cactus characterized by particular smooth and flat leaves, devoid of thorns. Christmas cacti produce trumpet-shaped flowers that sprout directly from the stems and, depending on the variety, can be white, pink or red. This is also a depolluting plant that can last for years if it receives the necessary care. Schlumbergera is also native to the Brazilian rainforests and for this reason it does not withstand the cold and requires a temperature not lower than 10 degrees, ideally it would prefer 20. In general, it is advisable to avoid contact with heat sources and direct sunlight, especially in summer, when it is best to place it in the shade. As for the earth, use a mixture of heather and sand and a neutral pH. To ensure good flowering, do not forget the cleaning of the foliage and the removal of withered flowers, as well as that of stagnant water, which could cause the roots to rot. Once the longest flowering period is over, in September and October, place the Christmas Cactus in a temperature between 10 and 15 degrees, watering moderately and keeping a dark area for at least 12 hours a day, which favors the formation of new ones. buds. When they begin to sprout, maintain good humidity by watering the soil more regularly, so that it is always moist even on the surface.
The Schlumbergera is especially afraid of ladybugs, in all its many varieties.
Norfolk Pine (Heterophyllous Araucaria)
L"Araucaria heterophylla it is commonly known as the Norfolk Island pine and it is a rare conifer that can be grown indoors. Its country of origin, in the Pacific, allows it to exceed 60 meters in height, but indoors. it does not exceed one and a half meters. At the time of purchase, both from the trusted nursery, and on Amazon and other online sales sites, it is good to make sure that the needles are green and sticky because in the adult plant the leaves become scaly and curved .
The preferred type of soil is that of woods and a position near the window, away from the direct midday sun is better; in addition, however, it does not like the cold and must not drop below 5 degrees. It is a conifer suitable for flats and pots, but has a tendency to lose the lower branches, which are recommended to be cut low.
Misery grass (Tradescantia fluminensis)
The poor grass is a hanging grass with high resistance to almost everything: heat, light, humidity, drought. This plant is available in different varieties, in which the foliage can be more or less green, striped or two-colored. It is also equipped with small white flowers that sprout in spring. The ideal temperature is between 10 and 22 degrees and is very simple and quick to grow, so much so that it is a recommended houseplant for those who do not have a green thumb. The procedure is simple: just place a stem in a glass full of water and the roots develop in a few days. As for the soil, the universal one with a little sand is sufficient, always with a good dose of drainage on the bottom. In summer, it is necessary to water it abundantly, twice a week, while in winter only one is enough.
Even the miserable grass has numerous varieties, up to 60 different species, which vary in the color of the leaves.
Beaucarnea recurvata
More sympathetically known as "elephant foot" or "smoke eater", Beaucarnea recurvata has the appearance of a palm tree. It is an evergreen known with the aforementioned names for its very large base which in fact requires a special vase suitable for its size. Especially suitable for those who have a garden, a balcony or a green space, the Beaucarnea recurvata does not go unnoticed in the eyes of neighbors, including those less attentive and gardening lovers! It is native to the hot and dry areas of Central America, grows slowly and tolerates drought. Even in the case of this curious houseplant, it can be conveniently purchased on Amazon, along with the most suitable pots for interiors.
Sansevieria
Sansevieria, like the plant just mentioned, is an extremely beautiful evergreen, scenic and showy thanks to its leaves: long, shiny and shiny and fleshy. Often adorning one's interior spaces with multiple vases of Sansevieria, it is impossible that it will not be noticed. It is a plant very similar to the previous one as it is resistant to drought. Sansevieria needs a lot of light, but they don't tolerate direct sunlight. In the same way, they also fear the cold, so they are also suitable for outdoor use in spring and summer - in the case of a garden or green space in your home interior - while in the rest of the year they must be kept sheltered in the home interior.
These plants are excellent starting points for those who want to try their hand at gardening, which can be an activity carried out alone or in the company of the whole family. These pots will adorn your home, even in the absence of a garden you will feel like you can enjoy a small personal green space!
