INSTAGRAM CAPTURES HOUSEPLANT LOVE
Choosing and caring for easy indoor greenery
Artificial flowers and plants have improved in appearance and take away the fuss of indoor gardening, but there’s nothing like a live green plant to add warmth and authenticity to a room.
Anyone with a bit of light and willingness to water occasionally can find an indoor plant that suits their style.
Instagram recently marked Houseplant Appreciation Day by gathering figures on the plants that its members posted with hashtags as general as #houseplant or more specific — #cactusofinstagram, #hoyalover, #monsteramonday or #fiddleleaffigfriday.
By far the most popular plants on Instagram — driven by photoworthy scenes, of course — are cactuses, with nearly 24 million hashtags. Hoya — a tropical plant — comes in a distant second with a little over 2 million and Monstera follows with 1.6 million.
With an increased focus on personal health — and health in our homes — Instagram also notes varieties that turn up regularly on searches for plants with air-purifying qualities: snake plant, Chinese evergreen and spider plant get the most attention.
Here’s what you need to know about caring for these popular plants.
1. Cactus
The Cactus King on the north side of Houston is known for its vast offerings of cactus plants. Its website offers great advice on caring for them.
While there are hundreds of types of cactuses, and their care can vary, look for an information tag when you purchase a plant and follow its care instructions.
Generally speaking, cactuses should be allowed to dry out completely between watering, and every third watering should include fertilization with a mix that contains equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, say Cactus King experts. Use a water-soluble fertilizer for smaller plants; granules are OK for larger plants.
Miraclegro.com suggests watering lightly, until the soil is “as damp as a wrung-out sponge.”
If you’re re-potting a new cactus plant, keep it in bright shade until it has rooted, and then give it plenty of sun. Use a soil mixture with 50 percent Perlite or a mix of well-draining soil in a pot that is 1½ times as wide as the plant’s root ball or stem.
Do not confuse cactuses with succulents, which like more water. And don’t mist cactuses because that can cause browning.
Some varieties can be harmful to pets, so check specific types on the ASPCA’s toxic plant list at aaspca.org. One of the safest plants for pets is the popular Christmas cactus, which is widely available and affordable, and is actually a succulent.
2. Hoya cactus
Sweet, heart-shaped hoyas are tropical succulents native to Asia and Australia, and there are more than 300 species in the category, so their needs can vary. They have succulentlike leaves and form waxy flower clusters called “umbels.”
Plants with thicker leaves require less water; thinner leaves get thirstier, so choose a plant based on how consistent you think you will be at caring for it.
Gardeningknowhow.com suggests placing a potted hoya in bright or indirect sunlight for best blooming and in temperatures of 60 to 80 degrees. If your plant doesn’t bloom, it needs more sunlight.
It will be fine with one or two waterings per month; water deeply when soil is dry and then allow the pot to drain. Don’t let the soil get bone dry or wet and soggy. Use water-soluble houseplant fertilizer during its growing season.
The heart-shaped hoya is sometimes called the Sweetheart hoya or Valentine plant, so here’s your first gift idea of the season. It’s also safe for pets.
3. Monstera
This plant’s heart-shaped leaves develop holes as they age, giving it the nickname “Swiss Cheese Plant.” The tropical perennial is native to Central America and South America and is easy to grow indoors, according to thespruce.com.
It wants bright filtered light or indirect sunlight, so a sunny windowsill or a corner near a window is a perfect spot. And it loves to climb, so add a stake or trellis that it can cling to.
Use a peat-based potting soil and water when the soil feels nearly dry. To test dryness, do the knuckle test: Stick your finger in the soil up to your knuckle to see how wet or dry it is.
Monstera loves humidity, so it’s an ideal plant for a bathroom. Keep it away from cats and dogs, as it can make them sick if they chew or eat it.
4. Snake plant
This die-hard plant is also called mother-in-law’s tongue — let’s not ask why — or sansevieria. They’re great for helping keep indoor air clean and are easy to care for. They’re also widely available.
Apartmenttherapy.com recommends choosing a plant with dark green leaves and keeping it in a pot made of porous material, such as terracotta, with a freedraining soil mix or even a soilless potting mixture. Keep your plant in indirect light and water only after soil has completely dried. An all-purpose plant food during the growing season is recommended.
The ASPCA — which has a toxic plant list — says that it can be toxic to cats and dogs, and chewing or eating it can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
5. Chinese evergreen
The beautiful variegated leaves of this plant make it a great addition to home décor. Its varieties come in array of colors, including silver, pink and red as well as different shades of green.
Chinese evergreens prefer light, well-draining soil, so the same soil you use for a cactus works for this plant, too, according to the Houseplant Resource Center. Lighter-colored varieties want indirect sunlight; darker ones lower light. Keep them out of direct sunlight. This plant even adapts to fluorescent light, so it works as a plant for workplace offices.
Use tap water that has been left out overnight so that harmful substances, such as chlorine, can evaporate. Add water slowly until it starts to drain from the bottom of the pot, and don’t let it dry out between watering.
If its leaves start to brown, that means it wants more humidity, so a day or two in your bathroom — for steam from the shower — can take care of the problem.
This plant can be harmful to cats, dogs and horses.
6. Spider plant
This plant is touted for its air-purifying ability — in large quantities, however — and its easy care. Use a soil-based, welldraining potting mix and even moisture. They’ll take bright to moderate indirect light, but keep them out of hot sunlight, per the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
If you get tired of them indoors, they’ll look beautiful on a covered porch on a stand or in a hanging basket.
Its “pups” or offshoots can be clipped off and replanted to start new plants. It’s safe for actual pups — and cats — too, according to aspca.org.