Released Oct. 29, 2007
BOZEMAN, Mont. -- When the trees have lost their leaves and it's getting colder outside, what could brighten your home more than a new houseplant or two? Houseplants make your living room come alive, soften your living space and can even clean the air.
There are easy-to-grow houseplants that just about anyone can raise, and with these plants, you can forget about green thumbs, fingers or toes. Upright plants include the rubber plant or Ficus elastica, Aloe vera or medicine plant, snake plant or Sansevieria and Aspidistra, otherwise aptly known as the cast iron plant. For a hanging basket, try the spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum, Philodendron, or pothos (Epipremnum). Both philodendron and pothos may be treated as trailers or climbers, depending on your decor. They can be woven on indoor trellises to define areas in a room, or to cover an unsightly wall.
If you want to try something a little more demanding, try the African violet (Saintpaulia). While only being recognized as a houseplant for less than 75 years, African violets have become a worldwide favorite. Flowering at almost any time of the year, it is a compact plant, and can be tucked into a group, or left alone on a narrow windowsill. Experts can keep the plant in bloom for 10 or more months a year, but if you're a beginner, you probably can expect several flushes each year.
African violets have five basic needs. They need steady warmth, with a minimum temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit and no cold drafts. They also require careful watering. You need to wait until the surface of the potting media is dry before watering, but its roots also need to be kept moist. Always use tepid, not cold, water, and keep it off the foliage by placing the water spout below the foliage. You can also use an immersion method to bottom water. They want good light, ideally an east or south window in winter and a west window in summer, but they also need to be protected from strong sunlight. For winter blooming, provide some artificial light into the night. To grow using only artificial light, place two 40 watt fluorescent bulbs 12 inches above the plants, giving the plants 14 hours of light a day. High humidity helps, so place your African violets on a pebble tray filled with water. The pebbles keep the pot out of the water. If you mist your violets, keep them out the sunshine until they dry. Feed them regularly, using a good African violet food and following label directions.
What you buy and what you get a year later can be quite different, because a houseplant that's small when you buy it may grow into a mammoth. What are some of these monstrously large plants to watch for?
My favorite of the large houseplants has a colorful name -- Monstera deliciosa, commonly called swiss cheese plant or splitleaf philodendron. With proper care, large, perforated leaves will grow to 1 1/2 feet or more across. You'll need sturdy support as stems can reach a height of 20 feet or more!
A full grown Ficus benjamina, or weeping fig, would be out of place in a small living room, but it is a splendid specimen plant for a large home, office or reception area. These tree-like plants are commonly seen with three or more plants in a pot, with their trunks braided. The braided trunks will eventually grow together by natural grafting.
Most philodendrons are climbers, but Philodendron selloum or lacy tree philodendron is an exception. Don't be fooled! It is one of the tree philodendrons, and it will spread 8 feet or more. My sister had one of these giants in her home and she called it Hercules. It was a true monster! This philodendron would be impressive in a large reception area or entry hall. It has large deeply cut leaves with a ruffled edge.
And finally, there's the Draceana genus, which includes the popular cornplant, dragon tree and gold dust plant. These plants will grow from 4 to 20 feet tall, so watch what you're buying. Generally, Draceanas have narrow arching green leaves that can be tinged or spotted with red or yellow or both.
Select your houseplants with care, and contact your local MSU County Extension office for additional information on proper growing conditions.
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http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=5289
Contact: Cheryl Moore-Gough (406) 994-6523 or hort@montana.edu
