What plants will work the best in your house?

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

A previous column talked about considering your home conditions before making a decision on what plant(s) you may want to put in your house. With that in mind, here are some suggestions of plants for some of the rooms in the house with less than ideal growing conditions. The plants suggested, are chosen based on what conditions are typically presented in these rooms. As it is a generalization, your home may not fit the description exactly, but you can use this as a guide to suit your own home.

Foyers and Hallways
Not all homes have but If you are lucky enough to have a place near a door or hallways wide enough to house a plant, remember that foyers and hallways near entrances are susceptible to drafts. Keep this in mind along with the light conditions of where you want to place the plant when making your selection. If you choose a flowering plant, make sure to place is somewhere where it will not get knocked by those passing by. The plants listed below tend to be more tolerant of cool drafts and variable light conditions and can be well suited for these areas of your home.
Cyclamen – Likes moderate light. Make sure the soil doesn’t dry out completely between watering.
Daffodils – Usually available in pots and ready to flower, around Easter time. Although the bloom time is short, they tolerate cool drafts from opening doors and are a great way to invite spring into your entry way.
Ivy (English variety is the most common and most versatile) - Loves filtered and artificial light. Look for varieties with different leaf shape, size and/or variegation. Regular watering is all they need to thrive.
Mums – Are often available year round as houseplants. Once the flowers are done they don’t usually flower again but its a great experiment to try. Keep the soil moist. Tolerate most light conditions but best when not in full sun for prolonged periods.
Strawberry Plant – Called this because the dark green leaves look similar to those of a real strawberry variety and they form on long hanging red stems. Easy to grow in indirect light and doesn’t mind the cooler parts of the house. Easy to start from slips to share with a friend or acquire your own for someone else.
Spider Plant – Where doesn’t this plant grow? Many varieties available with varying patterns of white stripes on the leaves. I have a few different ones myself.
Wandering Jew – A very versatile low light plant. A few different varieties are available.

Bathrooms
Bathrooms tend to have low natural light and those with a bathtub or shower, often go from being cool and dry to very hot and steamy at times throughout the day. The key here is to choose a plant that can tolerate the fluctuating temperatures and can thrive in both extremes. As a general rule of thumb – plants that have dramatic foliage tend to like these conditions.
Asparagus Fern – Tolerate the lower light conditions of a bathroom and loves the humidity. Delicate and wispy hanging leaves are very pretty.
Anthurium – Needs indirect light. Those bright red flowers can liven up any room.
Begonia – The “Painted Leaf” variety, not to be confused with the varieties we plant outside as annuals likes indirect light and moist soil.

Boston Fern – Likes the humidity.
Cristate Table Fern – Unique foliage and loves the humidity of bathrooms. Not always easily found but a fern variety that is less finicky about its conditions than the Boston fern.
Maiden Hair Fern – More delicate foliage than the Boston fern. Keep moderately moist as it doesn’t like its soil too wet or to dry out.
Peace Lily (also known as a Spathophyllum) - Tolerates low light and likes the higher humidity of a bathroom but may struggle with the temperature changes just depending on your specific situation. It can also be relocated to another location in your home if it doesn’t like the bathroom.
Peperomia (also known as a baby rubber plant) - Needs indirect light and a barely moist soil at all times.
Spider Plant – Likes bathroom conditions too.

Areas with Low Light
Boston Fern – Because it likes a higher humidity, make sure to mist with a mister every few days.
Ivy (English variety) - Appreciates misting too.
Peace Lily - Tolerates the low light well and even produces white flowers.
Peperomia – also known as “Baby Rubber Plant”.
Philodendrons – Many varieties to choose from including creeping vines to upright and tree varieties. Because they are so easy to grow and care for they are good plant to choose if you are just starting out with house plants.
Prayer Plant – Often mistaken for a Philodendron and equally as easy to care for. The leaves often fold up at night so this creates an additional feature to already interesting leaves.
Strawberry Plant – Easy to grow in indirect light.
Spider Plant - almost indestructible so a great plant for the beginner gardener.
Wandering Jew – my favourite from this family is the “Giant White Inch Plant” but has been really hard to find in recent years.
I encourage you to think about adding some houseplants to some rooms in your home where you don’t always expect plants to thrive because of challenging growing conditions. As you can see from this column, there are many houseplants suitable for these areas of the home. A little live greenery may be all you need to put the finishing touch on your decor.