Indoor plants improve one’s mood, environment, and overall health. The omnipresent ficus (also known as weeping fig) and its larger-leaf cousins, the fiddleleaf fig and the rubber tree, have kept office workers company for decades, and for good reason. Plants are essential for a healthy workplace, and these are long-lived, low-maintenance choices that thrive in artificial light.
Bright Light Superstars
South-facing windows that get a minimum of five hours of direct sunlight (six to eight are better) are the holy grail for indoor plants. This is something to keep in mind when choosing a home, office space, or apartment.Few plants help beat back stress or the winter blues as well as glamorous, fragrant citrus trees do. There are several smaller or dwarf varieties that, if nurtured, will even bear fruit. These include cardamom orange, Otaheite orange (a lemon/tangerine cross), tangerines, Satsuma oranges, Meyer and Ponderosa lemons, citron, and kumquats.
The plants must be hand-pollinated due to a lack of beneficial insects indoors. If possible, place them outside during the summer, but make sure to move the planter into full sun slowly. Ideally, keep nighttime temperatures above 60 degrees F.
The giant leaves of dwarf bananas bring smiles to faces and fruit to the table. These fast growers require full sun, temperatures between 75 and 95 degrees F, regular watering, and biweekly fertilizing. Another head turner, bird of paradise, requires a minimum of six hours of direct sun daily in order to display its birdlike flowers, as do hibiscus and potted roses.
At the other end of the maintenance spectrum, ponytail palms need watering only every one to two weeks and can grow from desktop size to 10 feet indoors. Yucca grows and flowers best in bright sun but can survive a variety of light conditions, while the eye-catching money tree—often sold dramatically braided—requires a minimum of six hours of sun.
Cacti and succulents add a western desert ambience to a room. There are a wide variety of shapes and sizes to choose from. They have few pests or diseases and they thrive on neglect. In fact, the one thing not to do is overwater them. Jade plants and kalanchoe, which have thick leaves and beautiful flowers, also do well in winter’s dry indoor air.
East or West Window Faves
The moth orchid, the most common variety grown in homes, prefers an eastern or western exposure (or a shaded southern exposure) in order to give the best blooms. African violets feel the same and can give near-constant blooms if they are happy with their location, as will Anthuriums (also known as laceleaf or flamingo flower).
Unfussy and eye-catching, philodendrons, from the upright and non-climbing lacy tree and xanadu to the vining types, including the colorful pink princess, require around six hours of medium sun, as bright sun can hurt their leaves.
Calathea, with its colorful foliage, and the similar-looking prayer plant (also known as maranta), which has foliage that bleaches in the sun and fades in dim light, will thrive in moderate conditions. Peperomia is a hearty plant and a good choice for beginners, while pilea (also known as the Chinese money plant) is gaining in popularity, in particular because it has “babies” that can be shared or used to expand the indoor garden.
Low-Light Tolerant
One of the toughest plants on the planet, snake plants (also nicknamed “mother-in-law’s tongue”) have two forms: long, straight upright leaves (the “tongues”) or dwarf rosettes that grow only a few inches tall. Leaves are green or feature vibrant yellow edging.Bromeliads are another surprisingly resilient yet glamorous grower. The key is to replicate the forest understory, with bright yet diffused to downright low lighting found in their native jungles. They are watered via their center “cup.”
Devil’s ivy, or pothos (a cousin of the vining philodendron), is a vigorous vine that’s green in low light but yellow in brighter conditions. Peace lilies, with their elegant white flowers, need more watering than typical houseplants and will “wilt” to signal they’re thirsty, while ZZ plants should only be watered when the soil has dried out. There’s something for every plant owner’s attention span.
