Top 17 best indoor plants to decorate your home

House plants are those pot plants that can exist and grow under adverse conditions. The more popular and the best indoor plants are those which retain their health and good looks but grow at a slow rate.

Read more about 54 Best Annual Flowers List With Pictures

Handicaps in the House for the
Plants

• Temperature abnormally high or low in summer and winter, respectively
• Air not freely available as in open
• Sun and shade conditions unusual
• Light during night
• Cooking gasses etc.
• Dust

Best Indoor Plants and Outdoor

Cacti, succulents, foliage, etc. some plants are extremely hardy and suitable for outdoor purposes others grow better under shade conditions, they keep well indoor.

Potting mixture

For seed sowing

• 50% (by vol) lime free fine sand
• 50% (by vol) leaf manure
• Sun and shade conditions unusual
• To each bushel add
• 30 gm super phosphate
• 15 gm potassium nitrate
• pH of the mixture 5-6

For Potting plants

• 75 % leaf manure
• 25% lime free fine sand and soil
• Sun and shade conditions unusual
• To each bushel add
• 15 gm ammonium nitrate
• 30 gm potassium nitrate
• 60 gm super phosphate
• 15 gm trace elements
• pH 5-6

Fertilizer Application

Fertilizer

Supplies as

Effect

Use

Nitrogen (N)

Phosphorus (P)

Potassium (K)

Trace elements

Nitrates

Phosphate

Potash

Iron, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium

Manufacture of Chlorophyll, active leaf, and shoot growth

Healthy root Production and flower bud production

Healthy formation of leaves, flower, and fruit production

Essential processes such as photosynthesis and respiration

All Foliage house plants especially at the start of the growing season

All house plants specially grown for their flowers

All flowering house plants, bulbs, and plants grown for their berries

All house plants

Methods of Feeding

• Slow Release Spikes:  As they tend to produce “hot spots” of concentrated fertilizer, push the spike in at the edge of the potting mixture. Water helps dissolve the food.
• Foliar Sprays: Always dilute to the correct concentration before spraying over both sides of the foliage was a mist sprayer because they are readily absorbed.
• Liquid fertilizers: Add to the water you would give the plant at its normal watering time.
• Slow-release fertilizer pills: should be pushed deep into the potting mixture with the blunt end on pencil without damaging the roots.

Trimming-Pruning

• When house plants are used for decoration, it is important to keep them looking attractive.
• Keep the plants in trim by cutting off the old dead leaves, the yellow lower leaves, and any brown tips. Tips like trimming thin the shape of the leaf contour.
• Plants that become too tall, such as the climbing philodendrons, may be improved in appearance propagated at the same time.
  Cut the tops in spring and root as desired.

Washing, Drying and Cleaning

• Wash leaves to remove dust, dirt, and soot that clog the pores. Wipe gently with a damp cotton cloth.
• Put one hand under the leaf to support as you rub or you will break the stem or puncture the foliage.
• If you have a shower, turn it on gently and set plants underneath.

Polishing

• Most plants have a natural shine and should not need additional luster if kept clean.
• If a polish is to be used never use it on the underside of the leaves as it clogs the stomata underneath.

Watering

• Plants that are actively growing.
• Plants with delicate-looking, thing leaves, e.g., Caladium hortulanum hybrids (angel wings).
• Plants in very warm rooms, especially those near windows in summer.
• Plants with many large leaves that transpire a lot of water.
• Plants that have filled their pots with a mass of healthy roots.
• Plants that are grown in relatively small pots.
• Plants growing in dry air.
• Plants from bogs and marshy areas, e.g., Cyperus sp. (umbrella plants)
• Plants grown in free-draining potting mixes, including peat-based mixtures.
• Plants in clay pots.
• Plants with budding leaves and young flower blossoms.

Plants Needing Less Water

• Plants that are resting and those without buds or flowers.
• Plants with thick, leathery leaves, e.g., Ficus elastica (rubber plants).
• Plants in very warm rooms, especially those near windows in summer.
• Plants grown in cooler rooms, especially during winter.
• Plants that are succulent and therefore naturally adapted to store water for future use, e.g., cacti; the transpire much less than more leafy plants.
• Plants that have recently been re-potted and whose roots have not bedded penetrated through all of the mixtures.
• Plants that are given a high level of humidity, e.g., ferns, and those grown in a shady position or in botanical gardens and terraria.
• Plants were grown in water-retentive potting mixtures, including soil-based mixtures.
• Plants were grown in plastic and glazed clay pots.
• Plants that have thick, fleshy roots or water-storing sections on their roots.

Danger Signs of Watering

Too little water

• Leaves rapidly become wilted and limp.
• Leaf growth slows.
• Lower leaves become curled or yellow.
• Lower leaves fall prematurely.
• Leaf edges become brown and dried-out.
• Flowers fade and fall quickly.

Too much water

• Leaves develop soft, rotten patches.
• Leaf growth is poor.
• Leaves become curled or yellow, and their tips brown.
• Flowers become moldy.
• Young and old leaves fall at the same time.
• Root rot away.

List of Best Indoor Plants

Botanical name

 Acalypha wilkesiana

Temperature

 65-70F

Light

Bright indirect sun

Propagation

Stem cutting in summer

ACALYPHA

Botanical name

1. excelsa, A.heterophylla

Temperature

      65-70F

Light

Bright indirect sun

Propagation

Stem cutting in summer

ARAUCARIA

Botanical name

Aspidistra elatior

Temperature

 60F

Light

Bright indirect sun

Propagation

Divide plants in spring and summer

ASPIDISTRA

Botanical name

plumosus, A. srengeri

Temperature

 50 F

Light

Bright or Semi shade

Propagation

Divide plants at any time of year. Sow seed in spring

ASPARAGUS

Botanical name

B. recurvata

Temperature

65-70F

Light

Bright indirect sun

Propagation

Stem cutting in summer

BEAUCARNEA ( Pony Tail Plant)

Botanical name

C. hortulanum candidum

Temperature

70F

Light

Bright indirect sun

Propagation

Tubers in March

CALADIUM

Botanical name

C. cosmism variegatum

Temperature

50F

Light

Well lit away from direct sun

Propagation

Stem cutting in summer

CHLOROPHYTUM ( Spider Plant)

Botanical name

c. variegatum pictum

Temperature

60F

Light

Good light, east or west

The facing window sill is ideal.

Propagation

Stem cutting in spring.

Bottom heat for rooting.

COROTON ( Codiaeum)

Botanical name

 C. blumei

Temperature

50F Minimum

Light

Bright light, not summer noonday

Propagation

Stem cutting in spring or summer, seed in  February or March

COLEUS ( Flame Nettle)

Botanical name

C. alternifolius

Temperature

50oF or above

Light

Well lit or shade

Propagation

Divide plants at repotting

CYPERUS ( Umbrella Plant)

The Dracaena Group

CORDYLINE TYPES

Botanical name

C. terminalis

Botanical name

C. stricta

Botanical name

D. amoena

Temperature

60F

Light

Shade in summer, bright light in winter

Propagation

Top crown of plant cutting

Stem cutting, daughter plants at the base

DIEFFENBACHIA

Botanical name

E. japonicus

Temperature

cool temperature

Light

Shade in summer, bright light in winter

Propagation

Stem cutting in summer

EUONYMUS

Temperature

60_70F

Light

Not bright lovers, shade is needed

Propagation

Divide plants into 2-3 parts in spring if they produce ribozymes.

FERNS

Temperature

60_70F

Light

Not bright lovers, shade is needed

Propagation

Divide plants into 2-3 parts in spring if they produce ribozymes.

FICUS