Best Houseplants For Beginners
The plantation is quite an engaging and refreshing hobby. But You have to be quite vigilant about the light and water requirements of different plants. Not giving proper attention to your plant might result in its death.
Deep research and work are required to know the requirements of your plant and then fulfilling them. It might be a tricky task for beginners especially when they don’t have guidance.
This article will surely help those who want to do plantations and cannot find the right kind of plants for starters. A list of houseplants will be given along with their requirements which will help you decide on which one you want.
Madagascar dragon
The Madagascar dragon plant is very popular among beginners as they are very easy to keep. The proper kind of care can help them live up to 10 years. The shape and structure of this plant are one of a kind. Thick, lush, dark green leaves with a red outer edge give a great pop to your living space.
The Madagascar dragon plant is called Dracaena marginata in scientific language. This plant grows up to 8 feet tall if given proper care.
The plant wants its soil to be moist but overwatering should be avoided at all costs. Root rot is reported with overwatering. Direct sunlight is also not good for its optimal growth as it will burn and leave marks on the plant.
You can keep this plant in indirect, diffused light and water only when the soil is dry. Beginners need to pay attention to pruning otherwise the Madagascar dragon plant leaves will grow in all different directions and the plant will not look nice enough. The leaves will be shed on their own from the bottom of the plant. If you see any leaves getting brown you should softly pluck them.
Madagascar dragon plant is toxic to both cats and dogs in ingestion of large quantities. If you have pets at home you should be very vigilant or you need to avoid this plant. It has health benefits as well as purifies the air of formaldehyde, toluene, and benzene.
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is a climbing variety and is also known as mini monstera. Its leaves have holes in them and they climb on any support provided to them. They surely add to the beauty of any space and their easy-care nature makes them the perfect choice for beginners.
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is a member of the Araceae family and is native to Malaysia and Southern Thailand.
The plant is easy to take care of. It requires bright and direct light for its optimal growth. But overexposure can burn its leaves and they will get a brown and yellow tinge. If you don’t have a proper window for the light you can also use a bright LED light.
The upper layers of soil must be dry to water your Rhaphidophora tetrasperma plant. They require moderate humidity and warm temperatures. If you live in an area where the weather is cold and dry you should get a humidifier installed. Fertilizers can be used approximately once a month but over-fertilization should be avoided as it can lead to root rot.
Spider plant
The spider plant is one of the best choices for someone who is just starting with planting. It requires little to no effort for maintenance and looks quite aesthetic. It is known as chlorophytum comosum in scientific language and as ribbon plant in common language.
The leaves of the plant give it quite a characteristic look which is lush, creamy white and green, and sword-like. Spider plant is self-propagating and this is also great quality for beginners.
Spider plants can very well survive in low light conditions. You do not need to specify a place for this plant. Any corner of your home will be enough for this plant given that indirect light reaches there.
It requires watering twice a week and watering more than this will cause wilting of the plant and root rot. The soil should be kept moist. Fertilizer is not necessarily needed but you can use any fertilizer if you feel the need to do so.
Peperomia
Peperomia is a well-known ornamental plant that is famous for its drought-tolerant leaves. Its quite an attractive plant and comes in marbled red, lilac, green, and grey shades. All the species of this plant are quite different from each other in shape, color, and structure.
Peperomia belongs to the massive Piperaceae family and it has about 1500 species in total. They are native to Central America and Northern South America.
The plant should be potted in well-draining soil and should be fertilized during the growing season. It should be kept in mind that this plant needs to be kept in bright, indirect light. Any exposure to direct sunlight will adversely affect the plant and it can result in the withering or burning of its leaves.
The upper layer of the soil should be checked before watering. If the upper layer is not completely dry you do not need to water your plant. The Peperomia plant does not require a lot of maintenance but looks very attractive on tables and stands.
Fiddle leaf fig
Fiddle leaf fig is used by the interior design industry as it’s one of the easiest plants to take care of and it does not get messy. It has a tall, column-like structure and therefore is a good choice for tight corners. The leaves on this plant are dark green and waxy.
Fiddle leaf fig is known as Ficus lyrata in scientific language and it is native to Western Africa. It is a member of the family Moraceae and is mainly found in rainforests.
It is a very low-maintenance plant and beginners will surely love to have this. You only need to water this once a week or once every ten days. This is because it’s a rainforest plant and it is used to getting large boluses of water and having dry spells in between the boluses.
Although this plant is a bit fussy about temperature changes. They do not like change and you will have to note that. Fiddle fig leaf requires a humid environment for its proper growth and development. If your area is not humid or is dry you should try misting your fiddle fig plant more often in the day.