The tree is down, most of the other holiday decorations have been put away for another year, and now the interior landscape is looking particular dreary. This feels like a great time to brighten the inside décor with a few new houseplants. Over the years many of mine have met their demise or in a couple of cases grown too large for their pots, and so I think I will indulge in a few new ones. Some of the larger nurseries may receive large shipments of houseplants in January and February, and some of them may run special sales during those months to help us choose new plants for our interior garden.
Remember that most houseplants are actually tropical plants and their biggest enemy in Minnesota is the cold. So if you do indulge in a few purchases, be sure to transport them home carefully. They should be completely wrapped, transported in a heated car and don’t dawdle on the way home or stop on other errands. Besides the cold, one of the most limiting factors to good growth of houseplants is light. Below are a few houseplants with which I have had good success in our northern climate.
I am on my fourth Boston fern (Nephrolepsis exalta “Bostoniensis”) and this one is out-growing its pot and space in my living room. A Boston fern is the old fashioned fern that many of our grandmothers kept as houseplants and it is characterized by arching ruffled fronds. For many years I was under the misconception that since the ferns that grow in our Minnesota woods grow in fairly shady conditions, and that a Boston fern would thrive in a dimly lit corner. Wrong. The tropical ferns that we use as houseplants actually require plenty of medium light. During November through February they will do well if placed near a west or south facing window; not too close so that they will be caught in any cold drafts. After February there is a danger that the increased intensity of the sun may burn the delicate foliage so move them to an east window. Keep the soil evenly moist. When the top of the soil is dry, water it thoroughly until water comes out of the drain holes in the bottom of the pot. After a few minutes dump off the excess water in the saucer. With proper watering and adequate light you should have a growing fern for many years.
If you are looking for plants that require less light you might do well with a pothos or peace lily. Both are members of the aroid family. In the tropics they are what are called understory plants, which means that they grow in the dappled shade under a tree’s high canopy. Both will survive in a north window or in a part of a room where there is enough sunlight to easily read the newspaper most of the day. The pothos is a vine with glossy green leaves. An additional advantage of a pothos is that you can cut off part of the vine and “root” it in water. My mother gave my primary pothos plant to me over 20 years ago, but I have several pots of its “offspring” around the house. The peace lily was passed on to me by my mother-in-law many years ago and has the added attraction of flowering. It puts out large white flowers several times a year and adds additional brightness to our living space.
Palms can be a dramatic addition to any room, but dimly lit corners are not for them. Even the most shade tolerant need fairly bright indirect sunlight. The best shade tolerant variety is the Parlor Palm (Chamedorea elegans) and they range in size from 8 inches to several feet in height, topping out at about 4 to 6 feet. One of the most common problems with palms is browning leaf tips. This is usually a result of a combination of improper fertilizing and watering. The soil should be kept moist but well drained. Fertilize only when the plant is actively growing; late winter to early autumn. Over-fertilizing results in a buildup of salts in the soil which result in “burnt” leaf tips, especially if the soil is allowed to dry out. A pest to watch for (and other house plants) is spider mites. Keep your foliage clean, as dusty foliage is an attractive habitat for spider mites.
For many years the king in our house was a ficus tree (Ficus Benjamina). The Benjamin Ficus (or weeping fig) is also king of many shopping malls, banks and office buildings. One reason may be that they easily out grow their homes. Ours came into the house at 2 ½ feet and 12 years later it was tickling our 8-foot ceilings. We eventually had to find a new home for the plant. The ficus is native to India, South East Asia and Malaysia, and requires several hours of bright sunlight daily. They are also very sensitive to the cold, so they cannot be too close to windows. Benjamin Ficus is notorious for its leaf drop whenever it is moved and as the hours of sunlight decreases. Otherwise the tree requires minimal care and is really a majestic specimen. The soil can be allowed to dry a little before being watered thoroughly. Beginning in late February it can be fertilized every 3-4 weeks with a ½ strength solution of fertilizer. Once the danger of frost has passed you can bring the plant outside for the summer, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t fit in the same space in your house in the fall. Now that I think of it, I may be in the market for a new ficus!