A couple of flower pots on the window sill? BORINGG.
Nowadays you can transform your home into a jungle with lush and decorative houseplants. For the longest time, exotic plants like orchids topped the list of the most popular indoor plants.
“They were really big over the last 10 to 15 years. For about three years now, however, green houseplants have been gaining in popularity, ” says Leo Thissen from the German Federal Association of Ornamental Plants.
Varieties with large leaves are the most popular, such as the Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa), the fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) or the bird of paradise (Strelitzia).
“However, orchids still dominate flowering plants, ” explains gardening industry specialist Arne Hueckstaedt. In addition to the well-known butterfly orchid, other species are now increasingly in demand.
Flowering plants that have beautiful leaves or special colours, such as flamingo flowers (anthurium), have also gained in popularity. A little cactus or a succulent is also becoming more and more popular.
If you want to showcase a single plant in a room, you should look for a specimen with a special leaf shape or colour. Large and unusual flowers also make a single plant stand out, as do plants with a striking shape.
Plants like contact – but also social distancingThe trend for wall-mounted plants is a particularly new and modern one.
“A wall garden inside a picture frame is relatively straightforward, ” says Thissen. “Sturdy, upright plants are best for this. Like any other houseplant, they need to be chosen to match the climate, otherwise they’ll suffer and become unsightly.”
A wild mix of green, the on-trend “urban jungle” is achieved by combining different plants.
“You should choose plant types with the same requirements in terms of temperature, light and maintenance, ” says Hueckstaedt.
It’s important for large plants not to take away light from smaller ones. Any smaller ones should therefore be placed closer to the window.
Plants benefit from being arranged in groups – not too close together, however, otherwise they will hinder each other’s growth. Larger plants can also be planted under with smaller species, thus accommodating two or more plants in the same pot. Here, too, the plants should be similar in terms of needs and requirements.Don’t underestimate the role of light
Most indoor plants have one thing in common: “Almost all on-trend plants come from tropical or subtropical regions. That’s why they usually need temperatures of 20°C or more, ” explains Hueckstaedt.
Since they also need a lot of light to ensure healthy growth, they should be kept in a bright spot. Plants with multi-coloured leaves in particular need a lot of light to ensure they keep their colour and grow well. In a dark corner, they would quickly wither and die.
For example, the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), cycadales and the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) like things very bright. “These plants need more than 4,300 lux (luminous flux per unit area), ” explains horticulturalist Juergen Hermannsdoerfer.
On the other hand, the dragon tree (dracaena) and Chinese evergreen (aglaonema), for example, need considerably less light. Depending on the variety, 800 lux is enough.
“Before you buy a houseplant, you should know where you’re going to place it, ” advises Thissen. “There is a suitable plant for every room.”
It’s important to know which direction the room faces, with completely different plants coming into question depending on whether the room faces north or south. – dpa
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A green wall is one of the most exciting ways to take the gardening experience indoors. Photo: GMH/dpa
Vertical greenery also improves the indoor climate, and is less complicated than you'd think.
The sword fern needs a lot of moisture. Photo: Andrea Warnecke/dpa
If you want a wild mix of greenery at home, it’s important that all the plants in your living room jungle have the same requirements in terms of light and care. Photo: Franziska Gabbert/dpa
Living plant pictures are eye-catchers and usually uncomplicated to care for, but they need a stable wall. Photo: GMH/FVRH/dpa
Houseplants with XXL leaves are eye-catching and decorative, like this ruffled fan palm. Photo: GMH/BVE/dpa
With their attractive leaf shape, flamingo flowers (anthuriums) and ivies are popular ways to add greenery to the home. Photo: Silvia Marks/dpa
Succulents often require little care and are therefore well-suited for beginners. Photo: Andrea Warnecke/dpa
