Indoor: Shade Seekers

Tropical plants with their bold, velvety colors and playful leaf shapes are truly happiness-inducing. They make great house plants for rooms with indirect sunlight and with just a few things to keep in mind, they can flourish.

The tropics are hot, humid and locals avoid the midday sun.

• Keep tropical plants away from both cold and hot drafts.

• Check soil every 3 days in the summer and weekly in the winter. When the top inch is dry, give them a drink.

• They love a good misting. Invest in a spray bottle and give them a spritz when you can – they will love you! I have a little bottle that came with a travel bottle set that works great. Make sure the water isn’t too cold.

• Direct sunlight will fade and/or burn leaves of tropical plants. Go with a place that is bright with filtered light. What is filtered light? Morning, eastern exposure is more delicate than afternoon sun and is considered filtered. Light that streams through tree leaves is another form of filtered light. In rooms with southern or western exposure, just keep plants away from direct rays.

• Humidity is great for tropical leaves and flowers; not so much for roots. It is essential that containers have proper drainage. Additionally, soil should be loose and loamy, never clay-like.

Better Together.

I have noticed that my tropical plants like to be together. I have them in separate pots but grouped together. When I mist, the top leaves drip on the middle leaves and the middle leaves to the bottom. A lesson in water conservation.

Hypoestes Phyllostachya

from Madagascar

These colorful, good mood plants are also called Polka Dot or Freckle Face plants. Their colors remain bright when they are kept in dimly lit places or in the shadow of another plant. They do tend to get “leggy” which means their stems grow tall with few leaves. Pruning when this happens will keep them full and wide.

Hypoestes Phyllostachya are non-toxic and safe for pets.

Alocasia Polly

from the Philippines

These plants are often called African Mask or Elephant’s Ear plants and if planted in a large planter, they will indeed grow leaves the size of elephant ears. Misting is their thing and when they are hydrated with filtered light, they will consistently grow new leaves. They will lose speed and leaves in winter and that is normal.

Alocasia are toxic and not pet safe.

Calathea Medallion

from Brazil

Today, this is my favorite plant. I absolutely love the purple flutes that open to become emerald green medallion-shaped leaves. These plants turn their faces to the sun and I have caught them in action twice. Watering this plant is tricky because it can neither be too wet nor too dry. This plant benefits the most from being in a grouping that provides indirect moisture.

Calathea are non-toxic and safe for pets.

Images by the author.