Purchasing

Selecting and purchasing a healthy plant right from the beginning is important.

For more on selecting houseplants:

• Selecting Houseplants (University of Illinois Extension) is a one-page article discussing what to look for when purchasing indoor plants and what to expect thereafter.

Light Requirements

This jade plant is best suited to high light conditions. (Photo credit: Deb Brown)

One of the greatest limiting factors in selecting indoor plants is the amount of light the plant receives in its indoor environment. This point is further exemplified by most indoor plant selection guides, which categorize indoor plants by light. Of course, plant needs such as water, humidity, nutrients, and space all affect the quality of the indoor plant, but those factors are usually much easier to modify in a home or building than placement of windows, skylights, or doors.

Find out what defines a low-, medium-, or high-light indoor plant see:

• Light Requirements for Houseplants (University of Minnesota Extension).

Selection Guides and Recommendations

(Photo credit: Karen Jeannette)

Aside from choosing indoor plants by light preference, homeowners often choose plants for decorative qualities, whether the plant is toxic to children or pets, and even the ability to improve air quality.

Search Engine and Guides

The following plant selector and references can help you find plants that match specific light conditions, cultural needs, and decorative qualities:

Indoor Plant Selection Lists

The following are lists of indoor plants that are suitable to indoor conditions:

• Types of Houseplants (University of Illinois Extension) provides lists of plants by common name, scientific name, and light requirements.

• Guide to Selecting Houseplants (University of Nebraska - Lincoln) provides lists of plants by light, moisture, and temperature requirements.

Household Safety and Toxicity

The Toxicity of Common Houseplants, the first resource below, recommends that homes with children contain only nontoxic plants indoors. Use the following guides to eliminate certain indoor plants if access by children or pets may be a concern.

See:

• Toxicity of Common Houseplants (University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Lancaster County).

• Houseplant Safety (Virginia Cooperative Extension).

• Cornell University Poisonous Plants Informational Database (Cornell University).

Air Quality

Philodendron. (Photo credit: Deb Brown)

Could it be too good to be true? Some indoor plants have been proven to improve indoor air quality. Check out the following Web link:

• Cleaning Air with Houseplants (Colorado State University Extension) provides information about plants that are effective at cleaning the air of common indoor air pollutants.