Houseplants brighten your space
By AMY ROGNLIE | Photo from ADOBE STOCK | mihalovna88
OK, friends, it’s time to talk houseplants. I know many of you out there love them as much as I do, and I do love a good chinwag about houseplants. As I have mentioned in the past, the first houseplant I ever bought for myself was an inch plant, otherwise known as tradescantia. It was a glorious purple and silver mound that I picked up at the local Piggly Wiggly when I was in college. I named it Moses, and hung it in the middle of my dorm room to bask in the fluorescent lights. I’m not sure what my roommate thought of it, but she didn’t complain, and it made me happy every time I looked at it.
I still love inch plants, and always have a piece or two of the lovely purple/silver variety (known as “Zebrina”) rooting in a vase. Of course, I’ve also moved on to “Albovittata,” which is the white-striped version, and “Nanouk,” the beautiful green, pink and cream iteration that has become popular lately. Not to mention the fetching Tradescantia Luminensis “Lavender” with its pale, well, lavender striping.
Since that first plant purchase, I’ve always had at least a few houseplants around, even in the busiest times of my life. Houseplants lend a welcoming feel to any home and it is so relaxing to putter around with them. The popularity of houseplants has waxed and waned over the years, but during the pandemic, many folks discovered the joys of indoor gardening.
Since then, the houseplant market has exploded, and for good reason. Whether you have one sunny windowsill or a whole room to devote to houseplants, there are so many great plants to choose from, even if you are a beginner.
Some of my favorite houseplants are basic plants you can find at the grocery stores, big-box stores, or your local nursery. There is a reason why plants like pothos, sansevieria (dracaena), kalanchoe, peperomia, and orchids are so popular — they are all easy to care for. Though I have enjoyed growing all kinds of finicky plants over the years, I still love the commonly-grown plants. I particularly adore sansevieria (newly classified as dracaena, if you care about such things), which are the humble “snake plants.” There are so many variations of leaf color, shape and size. I’m intrigued with how they produce new pups that come up along the edges of the pot. It’s the “thrilliest” of thrills (as Anne of Green Gables would say), to see a new little baby plant peeking through the soil when you least expect it. They don’t need to be watered very often and can take a wide variety of light conditions, though they will grow better with more light.
Phalaenopsis orchids, the kind you can buy at H-E-B, are easy to care for. They look fancy and delicate, but as long as you give them enough light (but not direct sunlight) and water them once a week or so, they will keep blooming for weeks at a time. After the blooms fade, keep taking care of the plant and it will likely bloom for you again after several months. Of course, there are all kinds of orchid varieties and some are pretty temperamental, just like people, so stick with phalaenopsis at first so you won’t be discouraged.
Pothos or philodendron plants are also very easy to care for. They are very similar to each other and there are many varieties, but both are easy to propagate in water or soil. So, if you love growing them, you can always grow more. One of my recent favorite varieties is the “neon” pothos, which has bright lime-green leaves while its new growth is pinkish orange. I have mine grouped with a couple of other plants on a shelf where there is no sunlight whatsoever. Instead, the plants are thriving under the light of an ordinary light bulb in an ordinary desk lamp.
Even if you think you have a brown thumb, be brave and give it a try! There is a lot of information online for how to grow every plant. Or, ask advice from a friend who is successful plant parent. If you enjoyed this discussion or have an idea for a future topic, email me at amy.k.rognlie@gmail.com. I’d love to talk plants with you!
