Try varieties of indoor greenery that thrive even when the lighting is low, writes
Populating your home with an array of lush, tropical plants has been a key trend in the botanical craze sweeping the interior design world in recent years and it’s not going away anytime soon. However, growing a blogger-esque ‘‘jungalow’’ is difficult if your home just doesn’t get enough light.
So if your home is moody and cosy rather than bright and airy, tailor your plant varieties to suit. These five often-forgotten species of plant are great for living indoors, either hanging or potted, and will thrive low to moderate light.
ZZ PLANT
Virtually indestructible, you may have seen a ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) in a foyer somewhere before and thought, ‘‘That must be fake.’’ No, it’s real, and if you usually kill all your plants, then this one is for you. Ideal for a bathroom, it can live fine in very low light, as it might receive from a small high up window or overhead incandescent light.
POTHOS
Otherwise known as Devil’s Ivy, pothos comes in a range of different patterns and colours. Its attractive spear shaped leaves and growing shape mean they look great spreading from a hanging basket.
It needs watering only once a week and needs to dry out in between drinks, making it great for people who are lazy gardeners.
MAIDENHAIR FERN
With its soft, frilly leaves, you can see where the maidenhair fern gets its name. They like humidity and soft, indirect light, making this plant great for your bathroom, or even your laundry.
BEGONIAS
The prehistoric-looking rex begonia is a plant that needs pretty much no direct light at all. Best of all, if you have a friend with a begonia that you like, take a cutting. They’re easy to propagate yourself.
ANTHURIUM
Anthuriums were the height of cool in the 80s and now they’re coming back around, thanks to use in contemporary floristry techniques. With their shocking pink, red or bright white sculptural flowers, they have a jungly sort of appeal. The plants can live in all levels of indirect light, simply growing slower where the light is less.