Houseplants are not only beautiful, they freshen the air inside your home and give your mood a boost, as well. There are all kinds of houseplants, but if you’re someone who prefers blooms to greenery, these plants are easy to grow and maintain. Plus, they’ll add a happy splash of color to any room in your home.
1. African Violet
The best feature of an African violet is its ability to bloom year-round. While these houseplants are small, they burst into showy blooms of purple, red or white. Better still, they’re non-toxic to pets. If you plant one in a small pot and place it in a location that gets six or more hours of sunlight a day, it should bloom happily. Use a west- or south-facing window and add a sheer curtain or window film to filter direct sun. It’s important to note, too, that these houseplants require at least 8 hours of darkness each day in order to bloom. Water your African violet from the roots up by setting the pot in a gravel-filled tray and pouring the water into the tray.
2. Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus is a succulent that makes a superior houseplant. Not only does it break out into lovely blooms in the very dead of winter, but it doesn’t mind a bit of neglect, either. Set this pretty plant near, but not touching, a window and water occasionally. That’s really all there is to growing a Christmas cactus, and if you do it well, you could see Easter blooms, too. This houseplant is non-toxic to pets and grows native to South America. In zones 10 through 12, it can be planted outside and brought in if the weather turns cold. In all other US growing zones, Christmas cactus will only thrive as a houseplant.
3. Peace Lily
The peace lily not only has a soothing name, but it blooms beautifully with minimal care. One word of caution, however: this plant is toxic to pets. If you have four-legged family members, keep your peace lily safely shut away in a room they can’t access.
Peace lilies can thrive indoors even in low light. They’re not choosy about when or how much you water them, as long as you remember occasionally. In return, they’ll reward you with shiny green leaves and delicate white or yellow flowers.
4. Geranium
Give a geranium a serene spot in a sunny window and watch it thrive. This beautiful variety makes a fine houseplant when you pot it up in loamy soil and water it only when the soil feels dry. This means a little neglect won’t hurt your geranium. In fact, it may encourage it to bloom even bigger. Geraniums smell wonderful, and they burst into brightly colored blooms to match most decorating schemes. A word of caution, geranium is not a pet-friendly plant.
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