|
|
| |
|
|
Indoor Plants
|
 |
|
|
Can anyone deny that the sight of lush green potted plants right
inside the house soothes tired eyes and calms the mind? The concept
of houseplants caught on in the seventeenth century. The person
responsible for bringing about this popularity was Sir Hugh Platt
from England, who was considered an authority on agriculture. He has
published a book – The Garden of Eden, in which he discusses how
plants may be grown indoors. The answers to many hitherto unanswered
questions prompted many people to take to gardening with great
enthusiasm, and now there is hardly a home that does not boast of a
plant within its precincts. There was a spurt in the number of
greenhouses and conservatories and a wide variety of plants became
available for people to choose from. |
|
| |
|
Plants chosen as houseplants are generally
chosen due to their lush foliage and colorful flowers. Indoor
plants have now become an essential part of the decor of any home.
Taking care of a houseplant
The right amount of light is needed for the healthy growth of a
plant. This is the reason that the plants recommended for growth as
houseplants are chosen for their low requirement of direct sunlight.
Depending upon the weather, the amount of sunlight that the plant is
exposed to can be varied using the plant’s healthy looks as a
guideline. The right amount of humidity in the air is needed for
plants to able to grow properly. One needs to worry about this only
when in cold weather artificial heating is used.
House plants need the right mixture of soil, sand and manure for
optimum growth. It is also advisable to grow plants in unglazed pots
that can ‘breathe’ and also to ensure proper drainage in the form of
small drainage holes. Over or under watering of a plant can hamper
its growth. In order to substitute what nature supplies to plants,
houseplants should be ‘fed’ nutrients at regular intervals.
A few common houseplants
Crotons
Croton, a favorite houseplant, belongs to the Spurge family
and is found in various forms like herbs, shrubs and trees. The
reason for their popularity is their colorful foliage. A variety of
croton cascarilla bark has been found to have medicinal uses
too. It is used widely as a digestive aid and as a tonic.
|
Arum
Arum, a family of plants that has a whopping 2000 species of
herbaceous flowering plants. These versatile plants are found
all over the world, and one variety even has an edible
underground stem. The flowers are usually found in clusters. A
few interesting members of this family are jack-in-the-pulpit
and skunk cabbage. Neither of them is a houseplant. Jack in the
pulpit is an edible variety commonly known as the Indian turnip.
And the skunk cabbage grows in swamps and emits a foul odor.
Daffodils
Daffodils and snowdrops, universal favorites, belong to the
family Amaryllis. This family encompasses 1200 species
many of which are very popular as ornamental houseplants. |
Arum |
| |
|
|
Hyacinths
Hyacinths are bulbous plants that are cultivated in many
temperate and tropical regions of the world. The leaves of this
plant are shaped like swords. The flowers are on long spikes and
are the reason for the popularity of this plant. The
horticultural varieties of hyacinth bear fragrant flowers in
various hues.
Devil’s walking stick
Ginseng, a family that has 700 species grows well in tropical
and temperate regions. The Chinese variety of Ginseng is
believed to have medicinal uses. An interesting member of this
family is known as the devil’s walking stick – a treelike shrub
with large spines. |
Hyacinth |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|