10 Most Popular Indoor Plants of 2020 and How to Care for Them – Advice from Interior Landscape designers in Pune

LEENA JHA HOMIFY LEENA JHA HOMIFY
Interioforest Plantscaping Solutions Tropical style garden
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Urban living provides limited access to nature and green surroundings. However, indoor plants can help to remedy the situation quite effectively. Pune-based interior landscape designers of Interioforest Plantscaping Solutions are green crusaders who refer to themselves as 'Plantscapers'. They provide dreamy solutions for bringing nature into urban homes whether with indoor plants in planters, terrace and balcony gardens or green walls in residential and commercial buildings. From conceptualising indoor gardens to maintenance services, they provide complete solutions for beautifying the interiors and bringing freshness and vibrance to the environment. Apart from improving the aesthetics, indoor plants can purify and enhance the air quality inside the home. If you are wondering what indoor plants are suitable for your home, the founder of the Interioforest has handpicked the 10 most popular indoor plants that you can bring home to experience their benefits.

1. Snake Plant

Declared by NASA as the best indoor plant for purifying and keeping the indoor air quality fresh and pure, the Snake plant has gained immense popularity among urban dwellers. The long, swordlike grey-green mottled leaves of the plants make a stunning statement in any room. It doesn't require much maintenance and grows well in pots with well-drained sandy soil. It is a low-maintenance plant as it requires only occasional watering and does well in the sun and the shade.

2. Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant

An indoor plant that is a favourite among plant lovers, the fiddle leaf fig plant, is preferred for its large dark green decorative leaves that remain in an upright position for long. It's a slow-growing plant when grown in a planter. It requires care and nourishment in the form of organic manure and fertiliser. The plant can grow in full sun, semi-shade, or shade and requires regular watering, although it can survive even with less water. It is another of the NASA-recommended plants for improving indoor air quality.

3. String of Pearls

This delicate succulent gets its name from its small leaves that hang down from a wiry stem, resembling a strand of pearls. Like any succulent plant, the string of pearls have fleshy leaves and require watering only when the soil feels dry. In summer, water the plant once every 7-10 days and every 3-4 weeks in winter. This plant thrives in any indoor corner or outdoor balcony, which gets a few hours of bright sunlight. Ideally, the pot with the string of pearls plant should be hung in a dedicated corner as it is a delicate plant, and moving it may damage its beautiful strands.

4. The Cactus

The thorny Cactus looks elegant, and there are several varieties to choose from, but avoid growing it indoors if you have children or pets at home. It is a low-maintenance plant that requires very little water and does better in a pot of sandy soil mixed with nutrients. However, Cactus needs a minimum of 4 hours of bright sunlight to flourish.

5. String of Hearts

String of Hearts is another beautiful succulent that grows in pots as a hanging or weeping vine. It adds glamour to the interior decor of the house with its presence. Though the plant loves heat and requires regular watering and care to thrive, it grows well in a bright corner of the house away from direct sunlight. 

6. Peacock Plant

The peacock plant is an easy-to-grow plant, and its beautifully coloured leaves can liven up the interior decor of any room of the house. The plant thrives in an indoor space with bright filtered light or a few hours of direct sunlight daily. However, it's advisable to keep it away from the air conditioner as it does not like the cold. The plant requires regular watering and can survive even in wet conditions.

7. Prayer Plant

The prayer plant has broad-oval leaves with brown patches on the upper surface that turn bright green with age. Its purplish lower surface makes the Prayer plant an attractive indoor plant for decorating a shady or partially shaded corner of the house. When kept away from direct sunlight, it thrives in well-drained soil as excess water or moisture can rot the beautiful plant.

8. Chinese Money Plant

Also known as the Pancake plant and Missionary plant, the Chinese Money plant gained popularity as an indoor plant mainly because of its quality of being fast-growing, quick to propagate, and is a low maintenance plant. However, it should be planted in a well-draining pot with sandy soil, which is fertilised lightly once a month to provide nutrition. The thick succulent-like leaves of the plant require bright light. It thrives in partial or full shade and cannot tolerate direct sunlight, so place it in a shaded corner.

9. Bird of Paradise

The pretty flower of the Bird of Paradise plant looks beautiful in a planter or as a cut flower in a vase. As the name suggests, the flowers resemble a tropical bird in flight. The bright orange and blue colours make it eye-catching. The plant belongs to the same family as banana and has broad evergreen leaves. The long stalk grows from the middle of the foliage and blooms at the tip. The blooms are long-lasting, and as the plant ages, the number of flowers as well as the duration of flowering increase. The Bird of Paradise grows well in loamy soil, with plenty of water, tropical climate, and it requires sunlight. The plant can be grown indoors in large pots in the east or west-facing parts of the home, where there is abundant sunlight. However, the young plants should be kept in the shade and protected from direct sunlight as it can burn the leaves.

10. Aloe Plant

The medicinal use of the Aloe leaves for burns, colds, health drinks, and beauty treatments have made it quite a popular plant to grow at home. With large fleshy leaves with harmless spines at the margin, these plants are suitable for being grown in large pots with sandy soil and good drainage to ensure healthier leaves. The plant sees more robust growth in tropical conditions. However, it can also grow well in places with hot temperatures with low humidity. Average watering is sufficient for its growth, and it can survive with less water too. The plant needs at least 2-3 hours of direct sunlight and should be kept in a partially shaded part of the balcony garden.

Check out these ideas for Simple balcony garden designs.

Which of these indoor plants is your favourite?

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