13 TOP INDOOR PLANTS

Here’s how to breathe life into your indoors, with choices that suit your environment – and style!

1

CYCLAMEN brightens up winter. Put in a cool, draught-free spot with morning sun. Water when mix is almost dry, then stand pot in water for 30 minutes.

2

DRACAENA adds spike and drama to a well-lit corner. Let mix become dry to the touch between waterings – perhaps monthly. A soggy mix can become fatal.

3

CALATHEA with its crazy leaf designs is tropical, so adores humidity and moisture, but check the mix to 5cm before you water. If dry, give it a soak in a tub.

4

MOTH ORCHIDS are epiphytes, so don’t need water in the wild. But indoors is different, so water mix each 2-4 weeks and mist surrounding air to keep them humid.

5

ZANZIBAR GEM is drought-tolerant. Water when mix dries out completely – about every two weeks. But it can survive for months without water.

6

MAIDENHAIR FERN loves moisture, preferably in the air. Keep it out of strong light, keep the air around it moist by misting and water mix weekly.

7

MONSTERA is like Goldilocks – not too dry, not too moist. It’s an understorey tropical plant, so water is less crucial than shade. Check down to 5cm. If it’s dry, water.

8

PEPEROMIA thrives on humidity, indirect light and low to medium amounts of water. Err on the side of underwatering to prevent root rot.

9

SUCCULENTS are a lazy gardener’s pal, but neglect is death. Water when mix is dry, because indoors they can’t catch the early morning dew they’d get outdoors.

10

DEVIL’S IVY is really an indoor saint because it grows in multiple conditions. Light is a factor. If high, water needs are also high, and vice versa. Check mix to 5cm. If dry, water.

11

ANTHURIUM is tropical and thrives in high humidity, but its water needs are light because it’s prone to root rot. Allow the mix to dry out, then give it a soak in a tub.

12

AGLAONEMA comes in a wonderful range of colours and pa erns. Keep the mix moist, although you can let it almost dry out in between waterings since it’s prone to fungus gnats.

13

FIDDLE LEAF FIG is the go-to plant for indoors at the moment, but it can succumb to over-watering. It comes from rainforests so needs lots of water, but also good drainage so water doesn’t linger about its roots. Water weekly but don’t let it sit in too much of it.