Birthday
HydrangeasThis article was prepared with the support of UFL flower delivery. Houseplants are loosely divided into flowering plants and foliage plants. Foliage plants are prized for their leaves: plain green or variegated, patterned or velvety, feathery or sword-shaped. Many flower rarely or inconspicuously, but they look striking all year, cope better with low light and usually live longer than flowering plants.
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What makes foliage plants special
- Colour. From dark green to silver, purple and pink, with stripes, spots and veins. Variegated forms usually need more light.
- Leaf shape. Entire, divided, lobed or linear, with wavy or toothed edges.
- Size. From tiny peperomias and pileas to ceiling-high ficus and monstera.
- Growth habit. Shrubs, small trees, palms, climbers, trailing and ground-cover plants.
Choosing by light
15 popular foliage plants
| Plant | Light | Watering | Cats and dogs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeping fig, rubber plant | bright indirect | moderate | sap is irritant |
| Monstera | bright indirect | moderate | toxic |
| ZZ plant | shade to partial shade | sparing | toxic |
| Snake plant | any | sparing | toxic |
| Cast-iron plant | shade | moderate | safe |
| Prayer plant, calathea | partial shade | frequent, soft water | safe |
| Spider plant | partial shade to bright | moderate | safe |
| Boston fern | partial shade | frequent, humid air | safe |
| Peperomia, pilea | partial shade | moderate | safe |
| Cordyline | bright indirect | moderate, humid air | toxic |
| Oyster plant (Tradescantia spathacea) | bright indirect | moderate | sap is irritant |
| Croton | sun | moderate | toxic |
| Bay laurel | sun | moderate | toxic |
| Jade plant (money tree) | sun | sparing | toxic |
| Norfolk Island pine | bright, cool winter | moderate | best kept out of reach |
Four plants worth knowing
Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
The "indoor Christmas tree" from Norfolk Island, one of the few conifers that grows well indoors. It likes bright light and a cool winter (10–15 °C) and hates dry heat from radiators. At the holidays you can decorate it with light ornaments instead of a cut tree.
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Cordyline
Native to tropical Asia and Oceania, with variegated sword-shaped leaves in green, pink and purple. It needs warmth (not below 16 °C), humid air and protection from draughts. It is often confused with dracaena, but cordyline leaves have stalks and its roots are white.
Bay laurel
A Mediterranean tree that reaches 1.5–2 m in a tub. It takes clipping well and can be shaped into balls, pyramids and standards. Put it on the balcony in summer and keep it somewhere bright and cool (5–12 °C) in winter. Its leaves are the familiar bay leaves.
Oyster plant (Tradescantia spathacea)
A rosette of stiff leaves, green on top and purple underneath. Small white flowers appear at the leaf bases inside boat-shaped bracts. It is undemanding, but the sap can irritate skin.
General care tips
- Give variegated forms more light and dark green ones less.
- Water when the top of the compost is dry, and less often in winter.
- Wipe dust off large leaves with a damp cloth every 2 weeks.
- Feed with a foliage plant fertiliser from March to September.
- Turn the pot every 1–2 weeks so the plant grows evenly.
Discover more in our articles on snake plant types, Swedish ivy and carnivorous plants. If you have allergies, see our guide to allergenic houseplants.
FAQ
Which foliage plant is the easiest?
ZZ plant, snake plant and cast-iron plant, which tolerate shade and infrequent watering.
Which plants are safe for cats?
Spider plant, prayer plant, calathea, Boston fern, peperomia, pilea and cast-iron plant.
Choose a green friend among our houseplants with delivery in Kyiv from UFL.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
