Indoor Foliage

FOLIAGE HOUSEPLANTS FLOWERS OF ANY KIND ARE A WONDER OF NATURE, BUT DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE BENEFITS OF GROWING HOUSEPLANTS THAT ARE PRIZED PRIMARILY FOR THEIR LEAVES. THESE ARE CALLED "FOLIAGE" PLANTS. LET'S LOOK AT FIVE FOLIAGE PLANTS THAT ARE ESPECIALLY EASY TO GROW IN HOMES AND OFFICES. ALL FIVE ARE EASY TO FIND IN GARDEN CENTERS AND GREENHOUSES. SCHEFFLERAS SCHEFFLERAS ARE LUSH TROPICAL PLANTS OFTEN GROWN IN LARGE CONTAINERS INDOORS IN PUBLIC PLACES. LUCKILY, SMALLER SCHEFFLERAS CAN MAKE A STRIKING STATEMENT IN OUR HOMES AND OFFICES. SCHEFFELERAS' NEEDS ARE PRETTY BASIC. LIKE MOST TROPICAL HOUSEPLANTS, THEY DO WELL IN TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 65* TO 80* F. MOST HOUSEPLANTS, INCLUDING SCHEFFLERAS, CAN BE DAMAGED BY EVEN BRIEF EXPOSURE TO DRAFTS, WARM OR COLD. THAT INCLUDES DRAFTS FROM HEAT OR AIR CONDITIONING VENTS, RADIATORS OR OPEN WINDOWS OR DOORS. RUBBER PLANTS RUBBER PLANTS ARE EASY TO GROW AND DO WELL IN A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS. THEY ADAPT QUICKLY TO MOST HOME OR OFFICE ENVIRONMENTS, BUT PREFER SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES. ALL TROPICAL PLANTS NEED ADEQUATE MOISTURE, BUT SOIL THAT STAYS TOO WET FOR TOO LONG CAN CAUSE ROOT ROT. TO AVOID SOGGY SOIL, ALWAYS USE POTS OR CONTAINERS THAT HAVE GOOD DRAINAGE ANY EXCESS WATER THAT ACCUMULATES IN A SAUCER SHOULD BE POURED OUT. THE LEAVES ON RUBBER PLANTS SHOULD BE CLEANED FREQUENTLY WITH A DAMP CLOTH TO REMOVE DUST THAT IS BOTH UNATTRACTIVE AND UNHEALTHY FOR THE PLANT. A SMALL AMOUNT OF HAND SOAP ADDED TO THE CLEANING WATER WILL HELP REMOVE WATER STAINS. COMMERCIAL LEAF-SHINE PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUR FAVORITE GARDEN CENTER OR NURSERY. CROTONS CROTONS ARE NATIVE TO INDONESIA, WHERE THEY GROW INTO UPRIGHT SHRUBS. SMALLER PLANTS IN OUR HOMES AND OFFICES MAKE STRIKING ACCENTS WITH THEIR BOLD, SPECKLED LEAVES OF SCARLET, ORANGE AND YELLOW. CROTONS PREFER WARMER TEMPERATURES AND HIGHER HUMIDITY, RANGING FROM 40% TO 80%. PLACING THEM ON A PEBBLE TRAY WITH WATER BELOW THE BOTTOM OF THE POT CAN BE VERY HELPFUL. BRIGHT LIGHT WILL HELP THE FOLIAGE STAY BOLD AND COLORFUL. JADE PLANTS JADE PLANTS ARE SLOW-GROWING, BUT GIVEN GOOD CARE , THEY CAN EVENTUALLY GROW TO BE FIVE FEET TALL. THEIR THICK, FLESHY LEAVES THRIVE IN BRIGHT LIGHT AND WARM TEMPERATURES... 65 TO 75* IN THE DAYTIME AND NEVER COOLER THAN 50* AT NIGHT. JADE PLANTS GROWN NEAR WINDOWS DURING THE WINTER SHOULD BE PROTECTED FROM COLD TEMPERATURES BY CLOSING WINDOWSHADES OR MOVING THE PLANTS AWAY FROM THE CHILL. KEEP THE JADE PLANT'S SOIL EVENLY MOIST, BUT NEVER SOGGY. WATER THE PLANT THOROUGHLY, THEN LET IT BEGIN TO DRY OUT A BIT BEFORE WATERING IT AGAIN. TOO LITTLE WATER FOR A JADE PLANT CAN CAUSE DWARFING, LEAF SPOTS AND LEAF DROP, EVEN DEATH. ANY PLANT THAT REQUIRES WATERING MORE THAN ONCE A DAY SHOULD BE RE-POTTED INTO A SLIGHTLY LARGER CONTAINER. SPIDER PLANTS SPIDER PLANTS LOOK GREAT IN HANGING BASKETS. THEY THRIVE ON BRIGHT, INDIRECT LIGHT. DIRECT SUNLIGHT CAN BURN THE LEAVES. SPIDER PLANTS SHOULD BE WATERED THOROUGHLY WHEN THE TOP LAYER OF SOIL BEGINS TO DRY OUT. SPIDER PLANTS RESPOND WELL TO A COMPLETE, WATER-SOLUABLE FERTILIZER. FOR PLANTS GROWING IN BRIGHT LIGHT, FERTILIZE AT THE RECOMMENDED RATE ONCE EVERY TWO MONTHS. FOR PLANTS IN MEDIUM LIGHT, FEED ONCE EVERY THREE MONTHS. SPIDER PLANTS' LEAVES MAY SHOW SIGNS OF TIP BURN IF TOO MUCH FERTILIZER IS USED, OR IF THE PLANT GETS TOO DRY. WELL-CARED FOR SPIDER PLANTS WILL OFTEN SEND OUT SHOOTS WITH "BABY" SPIDER PLANTS AT THE END OF THE NEW STEM. THESE CAN BE CUT OFF AND ROOTED IN WATER. HOUSEPLANTS SHOULD BE WATERED UNTIL THE EXCESS WATER COMES OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE POT. THIS WILL HELP LEACH AWAY SALTS THAT CAN DAMAGE THE PLANT. REMOVE THE DRAINAGE WATER FROM THE SAUCER FOR BEST RESULTS.