Does your house look like a jungle full of lush, green plants on every surface? Or do you steer clear of flora due to a black thumb and zero confidence in sustaining the life of a plant? If it's the latter, there's help out there for you.
Besides being pretty to look at, house plants offer a variety of benefits around the house. They can improve the air quality of your home or office and can improve your mood. At the very least they can give you something to do. Still not convinced that you can successfully nurture a living thing in your home?
Not all house plants need to be watered every day. Some can even go days without any water. Not all house plants need to be in direct sunlight, receive fertilizer or be trimmed back. And no, you don't have to talk to your plants in order for them to thrive. You should pick a plant that works with your lifestyle; one that you can devote as much or as little time as you need to keep your plant beautiful.
Easier said than done, right? Wrong. HowStuffWorks has already done a lot of the research for you. All you need to do is visit the House Plants page to get the lowdown on which plant is right for you (and which plants may not be so right for you). If you're interested in turning your thumb from the darkest of black to the greenest of green, then we can help. After all, our thumbs match the greenest of rolling hills in Ireland; or at least that nice, fluffy fern in the kitchen!
House plants bring the fresh beauty of the outdoors inside your home. Learn about different kinds of house plants and how to care for them.
The haageocereus chrysacranthus, a columnar cactus found in Peru, has numerous ribs and fine needlelike spines. In order to produce a cactus that is fatter in appearance, provide it with plenty of food, water, and bright light. Learn how to care for this cactus. See more »
Peperomia is low growing and a good choice for dish gardens. Its many varieties offer plenty of options for gardeners, with leaves from puckered to fleshy. Learn more about planting peperomia, especially in a terrarium.
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Peruvian apple cactus is a tall, green, spiny house plant that will live almost anywhere but only really thrives in a sunny spot. Read more about this easy-to-care-for, typical cactus.
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Phalaenopsis, or moth orchid, grows flowers in shades like cream and pink. Learn about this orchid's traits and preferred growing conditions in this article.
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Piggyback plant has bright green leaves in the shape of hearts, each of which makes a baby plant. Be sure to keep its environment well-circulated in summertime. Learn the different reproduction methods for piggyback plant.
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Pincushion cactus is one of the few demanding cacti. It usually grows in clusters of ball-shaped plants, each covered in spines or white wool. Read about its flowers and how to make it thrive.
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Pleurothallis orchids are small orchids with lovely flower sprays. Read about the traits and growing conditions of these orchids in this article.
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Podocarpus is a type of foliage plant originally from China and Japan. It has long, narrow, leathery, leaves that grow on woody stems. It is available all year long. Read about how its texture and dark color adds weight and solidity to arrangements.
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Poinsettia blooms in early winter and is popular around Christmas. It has green leaves with red, white, or pink flowers. It is demanding and needs several hours of daily darkness to rebloom. Read more.
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The ponytail plant is a house plant native to Mexico. This house plant can survive for long periods just on the water stored in its trunk. Learn how to care for the ponytail plant.
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In the late 19th century, a French plant collector was the first to begin cultivating porteas. These beautiful Brazilian plants love bright light and can grow to be quite large. Learn more about these tall, magnificent plants in this article.
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Pothos, or devil's ivy, is a hardy and very easy house plant to care for. It has heart-shaped leaves marbled with yellow and white that can grow quite large. Read about its care.
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Prayer plant, or rabbit tracks, is known for folding up its leaves at night. They are oval and marked with red veins -- much more decorative than its flowers. Read about this easy house plant.
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Prickly pear cactus produces clumps of prickles with hooked barbs, perfect for self-defense. Though rare inside the home, blooms come in a variety of striking colors. Learn more about recognizing this cactus.
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The genus Protea is the national flower of South Africa. The genus was named after the sea god Proteus who was always changing his shape. Protea flowers are massed at the ends of the stems. Learn how to use this flower in cut floral arrangements.
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Purple passion vine has clambering branches and toothed leaves that are completely covered in purple hair making it look soft and velvety. It is easy to care for but do not overfeed it. Read more.
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The rat tail cactus (aporocactus flagelliformis), a flowering plant, has thin stems that can grow five feet long. Reddish-brown spines cover the stems. Two or three red flowers can grow and last for several days. Learn how to care for this cactus.
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The rebutia, a small flowering cactus, is ball- or barrel-shaped, features spiral tubercles, and thrives indoors. A flowers tend to come in a wide variety of colors, and can sometimes grow larger than the plant. Learn how to care for this cactus.
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Renanthera Brookie Chandler orchids can grow to over seven feet tall. Read about the traits and growing conditions of these orchids in this article.
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Rhynchostylis coelestis grows sprays of small white and lavender flowers. Learn about this orchid's traits and growing conditions in this article.
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Rodriguezia secunda blooms rosy flowers on one side of its stem. Learn about this orchid's traits, history, and growing conditions in this article.
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