Gardening: Tropical Houseplants to Brighten Dark, Wintery Interiors

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After all the holiday decor has been boxed in, and its color and warmth has faded from our homes, one can often feel a bit of disappointment, especially during the month of January. But indoor tropical plants, with their fresh, vibrant green foliage, can bring a new sense of life to our living spaces that will fill that emotional void nicely.

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The challenge is to find plants that can tolerate the poor light quality, lack of humidity, and general less than ideal conditions in our homes at this time of year. We can add LED grow lights, turn down our heating systems a bit, and group all our plants near windows, or we can go for a smarter solution by selecting plants that adapt quite well to the realities of indoor winter environments. .

A number of low-light tolerant plants have become very popular for home decorating. The sansevieria family (called snake plants) is one of the best candidates. It is one of the hardiest houseplants out there, and with so many new varieties introduced over the past couple of years, they have become extremely popular.

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The tall, slender, strap-like leaves of S. trifasciata are about two inches wide and reach up to four feet in height. They come in a range of colors from dark green and green with gray speckled patterns to the much admired S. laurentii, a gray-green with creamy yellow stripes. These tall, stately varieties make superb architectural plants, especially when displayed in an equally elegant pot.

Shorter varieties of sansevieria, such as S. hahnii, have rosettes of broad, triangular leaves that can reach a foot in height, making them ideal tabletop specimens. The S. cylindrica series are the new popular varieties. Their rods are round and come in different thicknesses and heights. They too have a beautiful architectural form and look great when planted in a classic cylinder-shaped pot.

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Sansevieria masonianas (known as whale fin varieties) come in many colors, ranging from dark greens and variegated yellows to a pretty gray-green. Their thin, wide stems make them a unique specimen, but they can be a little harder to find. There are many other rare varieties, making sansevierias a highly sought after family of very versatile plants.

Philodendrons are the second hardiest family of plants. One of the oldest and best known varieties is Monstera deliciosa (the split-leaved philodendron). Its thick, broad, dark green leaves tolerate both low light and low humidity. This family offers incredible diversity with over 200 different species, and with the current huge demand for new varieties, many rarer species have become common.

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About half of all philodendrons have upright shapes and the other half have a trailing habit. Among the vertical varieties, there are truly outstanding ones in terms of household resilience. Philodendron selloum, (the lace tree philodendron) has a beautiful spreading habit. The more compact P. Shangri-La has smaller, lacy foliage and looks beautiful on a fern support.

Many varieties of philodendron vines are grown on stakes, making them look like uprights. Two of the most popular are P. hastatum (shade-leaved philodendron) and the Red Emerald variety. Philodendron birkin, with its pure white new growth, is beautiful. Equally magnificent is P. scandens oxycardium (better known as P. cordatum), one of the oldest and best-known viticultural philodendrons. Its small, thick green leaves look wonderful in hanging baskets or when staked on a cedar slab as a single vertical specimen. Undoubtedly, it is one of the toughest and longest lasting philodendrons.

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I also like the very popular pothos. These are some of the most dynamic and easy to grow indoor plants. Epipremnum aureum is the botanical family, and there are many newer varieties today. From soft green speckled Satin pothos to green and white speckled Marble and my personal favourite, pure gold Neon pothos. They all do well in our homes at this time of year, and like Philodendron cordatum they make both great hanging baskets, as well as pole specimens standing on trellises.

The dracaena family also features a number of varieties that have a beautiful architectural form and withstand the winter months well. An ancient one, Dracaena marginata, has stood the test of time. Its long, narrow, green leaves, edged with purplish-red margins, are virtually bulletproof. They tolerate low light, low humidity and seem to be very resistant to pests. They naturally grow tall and thin, but the most interesting shapes are the so-called cups; the main stem reduction technique creates a beautiful grouping of newly sprouted stems.

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There is also a tricolor dracaena which has golden, red and bronze stripes on its long, narrow leaves. Dracaena fragrans (often known as corn plant) has medium green leaves with a yellow stripe down the center. A silver-leaved variety with a white stripe, D. sanderiana is a good addition to this family. From all of these older varieties, newer versions have been bred that are much brighter in color, have fewer problems with leaf tip browning, and hold up well in our winter homes. Lemon Lime, Carmen and Sunshine are just a few of these new dracaena varieties.

Very few indoor palms thrive through winter, but if that’s the look you want, there are three slower growing varieties that are exceptional. Howea forsteriana (the kentia palm), Rhapis excelsa (the lady palm) and Caryota mitis (the fishtail palm) are some of the best.

Spathiphyllum (peace lilies), Aglaonema modestum (Chinese evergreens), and Syngonium podophyllum (arrowhead vines) are also good winter houseplants.

Our indoor growing conditions will improve in April, when our homes will have more light and less need for heat. Today, these superb houseplants will bring many health and beauty benefits to our indoor winter environments.

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