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Houseplants make an apartment cozy in the first place, and they also make a significant contribution to healthy indoor air. Now not everyone has a “green thumb”. Fortunately, however, there are numerous robust and easy-care flowering and green plant species. We present the 22 most beautiful ones here.
flowering plants
Flowering plants, which set special accents with their colorful flowers, are particularly popular as indoor plants. Many flowering beauties such as blue Lieschen or slipper flower belong to the so-called seasonal or disposable flowers. They are no longer cared for after flowering because their lifespan is only limited to one year or they are very difficult to overwinter. So you can't go far wrong with these species. Other flowering plants bloom tirelessly, becoming more and more beautiful and larger from year to year.
Echeveria (Echeveria)
Echeveria laui
The small Echeveria are decorative, very easy to care for and robust indoor plants that require little space. There are around 100 different species, almost all of which have fleshy leaves arranged spirally in rosettes. The pretty flowers are colored bright orange-yellow or orange-red.
- Origin: Southern USA, Central and South America
- Toxicity: no
- Flowering time: depending on the species and variety in winter, spring or summer
- Location: full sun all year round
- Temperature: warm in summer, cool in winter at 5 to 10 °C
- Watering: little in summer, not at all in winter
- Fertilizer: give some cactus fertilizer weekly from March to August
- Propagation: by side rosettes or leaf cuttings
- Special features: grow best in cactus soil
Solid Leaf (Spathiphyllum)
The single leaf, also known as the leaf flag, is one of the most popular indoor plants for the home and office. The species prefers a bright spot, but is surprisingly adaptable in terms of light intensity - the plant also thrives very well in the shade.
- Origin: Colombia, Venezuela
- Toxicity: contains substances that irritate the skin and mucous membranes
- Flowering time: March to September
- Location: bright to semi-shady
- Temperature: warm all year round at 18 to 25 °C
- Watering: moderate, a little more during the summer months
- Fertilize: from March to August every 14 days, slightly dosed
- Increase: by division
- Special features: spray more frequently
Flamingo Flower (Anthurium)
The actual flower of the popular flamingo flower - also a very robust houseplant - is not the conspicuous red, pink or white colored bract, but the piston that protrudes there. The species Anthurium crystallinum has particularly beautifully marked leaves.
- Origin: Central and South America
- Toxicity: contains substances that irritate the mucous membranes
- Flowering time: all year round
- Location: needs a lot of light, but must not be in direct sun
- Temperature: warm all year round
- Watering: keep evenly moist
- Fertilize: weekly between March and September, slightly dosed
- Increase: by division
- Special features: spray regularly
Bottle Plant (Jatropha podagrica)
The bottle plant, also known as "Rhubarb from Guatemala", comes from regions with periods of drought and always has its water supply ready. It is therefore the right plant for those who often forget to water.
Source: Forest & Kim Starr, Starr-110215-1376-Jatropha podagrica-flowers and seeds forming-KiHana Nursery Kihei-Maui (24445541614), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0 US
- Origin: Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica
- Toxicity: yes, all parts of the plant are poisonous
- Flowering time: March to July, with good care all year round
- Location: full sun, needs a lot of light
- Temperature: warm all year round, not below 16 °C
- Watering: watering little
- Fertilize: once a week with cactus fertilizer (only in summer)
- Propagation: from fresh seeds
- Special features: loses its foliage in autumn, sprout again in spring
green plants
Because of their different growth forms, leaf sizes, structures and colors, green plants are wonderfully suited for decorating living spaces. Pendent species may flow down columns or pedestals, or hang from the ceiling. A special eye-catcher are plants that grow into stately indoor trees. The effect that green indoor plants have on us should also not be underestimated: green has a calming and relaxing effect.
Tip: Many types of houseplants can be cultivated in hydroponics and are therefore particularly easy to care for. This culture form is particularly recommended for office greening or for people who travel a lot and cannot water regularly.
Bow Hemp (Sansevieria)
Bow Hemp, Sansevieria trifasciata
Bow hemp was cultivated in Austria as early as 1770. It still enjoys great popularity today, which is certainly due to its incredible toughness. Sansevieria are almost indestructible and therefore wonderful robust houseplants.
- Origin: Tropical West Africa
- Toxicity: yes, contains saponins
- Location sunny to semi-shady
- Temperature: room temperature all year round
- Watering: water little, always allow to dry in between
- Fertilize: between March and August every two to three weeks, use flower or cactus fertilizer
- Propagation: leaf cuttings, division of side shoots
- Special features: air-purifying, therefore very suitable for the bedroom
Thick Leaf / Money Tree (Crassula)
Crassula ovata hobbit
Also known as the money or penny tree, there are two species of the succulent that are popularly cultivated as houseplants, Crassula arborescens and Crassula ovata. Both grow in multiple shoots to tree-like and form stately, gnarled specimens of more than one meter in height and circumference. With good care, the money tree can become very old and, rarely before ten years, sets small pink or white flowers.
- Origin: South Africa
- Toxicity: no
- Location: bright to full sun, avoid midday sun
- Temperature: warm in summer, as cool as possible in winter at around 10 °C
- Watering: moderate in summer, keep almost dry in winter
- Fertilize: once a month in summer with cactus fertilizer
- Propagation: very easy with top cuttings
- Special features: needs a stable and heavy pot
Dragon Tree (Dracaena)
Dracaena deremensis is very easy to care for.
Dragon trees are uncomplicated and robust houseplants that also do well with shade. There are a variety of different species, but they do not differ in terms of location preferences and care.
- Origin: Africa and Madagascar, Asia (mainly Southeast Asian islands), Canary Islands
- Toxicity: slightly toxic, especially for cats, dogs and rodents, contains saponins that irritate the mucous membranes
- Location: light to semi-shady, but not in full sun
- Temperature: room temperature all year round
- Watering: keep slightly moist evenly
- Fertilizing: fertilize every two weeks between March and August
- Propagation: by stem pieces, head or partial cuttings
- Special features: dragon trees do not tolerate leaf spray
Ivy (Epipremnum pinnatum)
As far as care is concerned, the ivy proves to be extremely frugal as a houseplant.
With its long shoots, the ivy is ideal as a hanging traffic light plant, but can also be used for lush greening of room dividers or walls. The plant is as decorative as it is undemanding.
- Origin: Solomon Islands (Pacific)
- Toxicity: yes, like all arum plants
- Location: light, semi-shade or shade - is undemanding in this regard
- Temperature: room temperature all year round
- Watering: keep evenly moist
- Fertilize: weekly between March and August
- Propagation: head and partial cuttings (root in a glass of water)
- Special features: very suitable for espaliers, good plant for hydroponics
Elephant foot (Beaucarnea recurvata)
The elephant's foot is easy to identify: it forms a wide thickening at the base of the trunk, in which the plant stores water for dry periods and which gives it a bizarre appearance. The agave plant needs a lot of light, but only little water.
- Origin: Mexico
- Toxicity: slightly toxic, contains saponins that irritate the mucous membranes
- Location: bright to full sun
- Temperature: breezy, not below 10 °C in winter
- Watering: moderate, keep almost dry in winter
- Fertilize: every four weeks from May to October
- Propagation: by side shoots
- Special features: it is better to water too little than too much!
Monstera deliciosa
Beautifully cut leaves and impressive growth have made the window leaf one of the most popular robust houseplants. With good care, this creeper forms up to five meter long shoots and numerous aerial roots. Therefore, it also needs a framework or epiphyte stem to hold on to.
- Origin: Mexico
- Toxicity: yes, like all arum plants
- Location: bright but not sunny
- Temperature: room temperature all year round, preferably high humidity
- Watering: keep moderately moist all year round
- Fertilize: from March to August every 14 days, low dosage
- Propagation: by head cuttings or mosses
- Special features: also thrives very well in the shade
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The spider plant is very easy to care for and quickly surrounded by a crowd of children. It thrives anywhere. The original form has green leaves, but the variants with striped leaves are better known.
- Origin: South Africa
- Toxicity: no
- Location: sunny, bright or semi-shady
- Temperature: room temperature all year round
- Watering: keep slightly moist all year round
- Fertilize: weekly between March and August
- Reproduce: at any time through Kindel
- Special features: very well suited as a hanging traffic light plant
Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
The popular rubber tree is one of the most uncomplicated houseplants and is closely related to the Ficus benjamina, the birch fig. Many other ficus plants also make a robust interior decoration as a houseplant, including the climbing ficus Ficus pumila. This in turn is very suitable as a hanging traffic light plant.
- Origin: tropics and subtropics
- Toxicity: slightly toxic
- Location: very bright but not sunny
- Temperature: room temperature all year round
- Watering: moderate, very little in winter
- Fertilize: every 14 days in summer
- Propagation: by cuttings or mosses
- Special features: spray more often
Cobtail (Aglaonema)
The trademark of the piston thread is the silver markings on the leaves. The attractive houseplants grow up to 50 centimeters high stems with broad oval leaves, can flower and produce red berries after flowering.
- Origin: Southeast Asia
- Toxicity: yes, like all arum plants
- Location: partial shade to shade, gets along very well with little light
- Temperature: warm all year round, not below 16 °C
- Watering: water moderately in summer, less in winter
- Fertilize: from March to August every 14 days, low dosage
- Propagation: by division or cuttings
- Special features: do not spray
Yucca (Yucca elephantipes)
Yucca elephantipes has been popular as houseplants for a long time, with a bulbous, thickened stem at the base and rather loose tufts of dark green, sword-shaped leaves that are up to 100 centimeters long.
- Origin: Central and South America
- Toxicity: yes, highly toxic especially for pets
- Location: very bright and sunny
- Temperature: warm in summer, cool in winter at around 10 °C, all year round
- Room temperature is tolerated
- Watering: moderate, little in winter
- Fertilize: every three weeks from March to August
- Propagation: through stem pieces or side shoots
- Special features: Yuccas that have become too tall can be shortened at any point
Cobbler palm (Aspidistra elatior)
The cobbler palm is the epitome of all easy-care and robust indoor plants. The lily plant grows and thrives everywhere, and it can also cope with the little light that stairwells, hallways or business premises offer.
- Origin: China and Japan
- Toxicity: no
- Location: bright to shady, never sunny
- Temperature: fresh and cool all year round, but not below 10 °C
- Watering: keep moderately moist, almost dry in winter
- Fertilize: every two weeks between March and August
- Propagation: by dividing the rhizome
- Special features: tolerates warmer temperatures and dry room air
Ray's Aralia (Schefflera)
Schefflera arboricola, radiate aralie, scheffleria
The Schefflera's eagerness to grow shows that it grows as a shrub or tree in its homeland. The hand-shaped arrangement of the leaves is characteristic of this attractive houseplant.
- Origin: Taiwan, Northeast Australia, New Guinea
- Toxicity: contains substances that irritate the skin and mucous membranes
- Location: bright to semi-shady
- Temperature: as cool as possible, in winter at 12 to 16 °C (but also tolerated
- room temperature very good)
- Watering: always keep slightly moist
- Fertilize: every 14 days from March to August
- Propagation: head or partial cuttings, moss
- Special features: grows well on the moss stick
Spurge (Euphorbia)
The large spurge family also includes cactus-like, leafless succulents. They are bizarre, undemanding houseplants, many of which look confusingly similar to cacti.
Rolling Spurge, Euphorbia myrsinites
- Origin: Africa
- Toxicity: Toxic to humans and animals, beware of the milky sap
- Location: bright to full sun
- Temperature: warm in summer, 15 to 18 °C in winter
- Watering: Little all year round, only water directly on the ground
- Fertilize: between April and September with a low dose of cactus fertilizer
- Propagation: by cut off parts of plants or cuttings
- Special features: very suitable for hydroponics, otherwise cultivate in cactus soil
cacti
There are also numerous very robust indoor plants among the cacti. The prickly fellows not only look pretty and are ideal for building a collection, they also tolerate many care mistakes - with the exception of too much moisture. In summer you can water the plants heavily, it is important that no waterlogging remains in the pot and only water again when the substrate is completely dry. The cacti presented here thrive on a bright and warm windowsill and are easy to make bloom.
Tip: Most cacti take a winter break. Therefore, reduce watering from October, stop fertilizing and, if possible, keep the plants cool at around 10 °C. In this case, you no longer need to water them. If they are a little warmer, an occasional sip of water is appropriate.
Golden Globe Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)
The hedgehog or gold ball cactus grows up to one and a half meters high in its Mexican homeland. The golden yellow thorns are characteristic. The flowers, which are also bright yellow, only appear when they are older, at the earliest when they are about 60 centimeters in diameter.
Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis hybrids)
The Easter cactus is a robust and floriferous houseplant that produces a profusion of bright pink to purple flowers in spring. The cactus species grows as an epiphyte in its native habitat and develops long, drooping leaf limbs with age.
- Origin: Brazil
- Flowering time: March to May
- Location: bright to semi-shady
- Temperature: warm, between November and January for eight weeks hibernation at approx. 10 °C (promotes flowering)
- Watering: keep slightly moist, water only a little during the dormant period
- Fertilize: occasionally give cactus fertilizer in summer
- Propagation: rooted by shoots, like cuttings in growth substrate
Rebutia
The different species of this easy-care and vigorous genus find space on every window sill - the cacti grow up to a maximum of eight centimeters high and just as wide. However, they sprout very profusely and soon form small groups. Fine thorns envelop the cactus body. The colorful flowers, up to two inches in size, often appear so numerous that they cover the entire cactus. These types are particularly recommended:
Rebutia marsoneri, Source: Peter A. Mansfeld, Rebutia marsoneri pm, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
- Rebutia marsoneri (yellow flowering)
- R. violaciflora (purple flowers)
- R. senilis and varieties (yellow and red flowers)
Wart cactus (Mammillaria)
Mammillaria geminispina
The German name wart cactus indicates that all mammilaria have ribs dissolved in warts.Depending on the species, the cacti are flat-spherical, spherical, slender and thick-pillared and have different spines. Almost all of them sprout strongly and form cushions. There are species that are up to 50 centimeters tall and tiny species that are only a few centimeters high. They usually bloom in spring.
Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera hybrids)
Charming hybrid strains with white, pink, red, crimson, and violet flowers are commercially available. With a bit of luck you can also catch one of the newly bred yellow varieties such as 'Gold Charm'. In winter, the Christmas cactus brings color to the office.
- Origin: Brazil
- Flowering period: December to January, occasionally to March
- Location: light to semi-shady, little direct sun
- Watering: keep moderately moist in summer, water less from August
- Fertilize: every 14 days between March and August
- Propagation: by leaf cuttings
- Special features: leave them in one place if possible, otherwise they will quickly lose their flower buds