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Big, Bold, Indoor Houseplants

by / Comments Off on Big, Bold, Indoor Houseplants / 3513 View / February 26, 2016

While some people feel that they have to make space for small plants indoors, I assert that large, bold, plants create and enhance space!

Big plants are more like indoor trees that can be used for a variety of practical and decorative purposes which help them earn their space in the smallest rooms.

 

I presented three of my favorite large indoor plants on the Home & Family show recently and assigned a different function for each of them.

 

CORDYLINE: LIVING SCULPTURES 

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Cordylines are one of the most decorative, large indoor plants you can find.

I consider Cordylines  as affordable art, especially if you contrast the plant leaf color with the color of your wall or rug.

The lance-shaped leaves come in a variety of colors ranging from solid green  to variegated greens, pinks, and black!

Cordylines are slow-growing to 10 feet when in containers indoors and need bright to medium light and no direct sunlight.

Room temperatures should be between 65 and 90 degrees.

Water when the top two inches of soil feels dry.

Too much watering may cause root rot.

 

FICUS LYRATA- LIVING PRIVACY SCREENS

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The giant, textured, deeply veined leaves of the Ficus lyrata or “Fiddlehead Fig” makes a bold statement in any room.

Place a large specimen Ficus lyrata in front of your bedroom window and it becomes a verdant, living privacy screen.

Another design strategy is to use a couple of large Fiddlehead figs to divide a large room into smaller spaces.

A plant dolly is a must have so you can move your large plants when necessary to reconfigure the room in an instant.

 

A healthy Ficus lyrata has a dense canopy of leaves from top to bottom though sometimes they are sold in a tree form with foliage above a small trunk.

Similar to the Cordyline, the Ficus lyrata should only be watered as the soil dries out.

Fertilize with a complete and balanced solution during the active growing season, once a month.

 

KENTIA PALM: LIVING AIR FILTER

 

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A NASA study revealed that ALL plants function as natural air filters and purifiers.

The large Kentia palm serves double duty as a decorative tree, and air cleaner, especially when it’s spotted in the bedroom so it can absorb off gasses such as formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and benzene.

The Kentia releases oxygen into the air and absorbs these toxic gasses through its leaves, roots, and soil.

When looking for a Kentia palm, make sure you don’t confuse it with the Majestic palm which is inferior to the Kentia as a houseplant.

Majestic palms need more sunlight than can be supplied indoors.

Kentia’s thrive near a window that receives morning light and are a slow growing plant to 20 feet!

Make sure not to overwater this tough plant, rather, water it when the soil feels dry.

 

LARGE INDOOR PLANT MUST HAVES

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I never replant my houseplants when I bring them home from the garden center.

I keep them in their containers and use a plastic saucer underneath them to catch the excess water.

Repotting is a rare occasion and happens every few years as the plants grow slowly indoors.

Have a plant dolly handy for moving your large plants.

Use a banana peel to shine your houseplant leaves, making sure to wipe off the sweet residue as you buff it gently to a nice shine.

 

Always ask your garden center pro if the plants you are considering buying were grown for indoor or outdoor use.

Enjoy your big bold houseplants~

Shirley

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