The snake plant is Sanseveria trifasciata - easy care
Jade plant (Crassula argentia) is very popular. Starts small and can tolerate a fair bit of neglect but will attain 3' over time. Its a succulent that looks like a mini tree.
Various palms - Kentia, Bamboo, Fiji Fan
Dracaena - variegated and red forms - kinda boring
Pothos (elephant's ear) Vine - Very easy, grow up and over a framework or fibre poles, variegated green and yellow.
Hibiscus - needs bright light. Many different colours of flowers
Schefflera actinophylla (tall, broad spreading leaves) and arboricola (smaller, more compact, comes variegated too) Otherwise known as Umbrella tree or Queensland umbrella tree. No flowers
When you go to buy these plants, make sure you get them from a nursery where they have been acclimatized to indoor conditions, the difference in warmth, humidity and light levels will play havoc if a plant is not acclimatized.
The easiest way to kill an indoor plant is to overwater it. Rule of thumb is the top 1- 2" of potting soil should be slightly damp to dry, then the deeper layer just damp. Never WET. Most people who kill their indoor plants say, it was yellow or drooping so I watered it, without checking that it was actually sodden first!
Indoor plants need to be dusted to keep the leaves clean for maximum photosynthesis in lower light conditions and to keep the stoma from getting clogged. Its amazing how much dust and grime settles on your plants inside! It pays to take them outside once in a while and water them down all over with the garden hose sprayer if you can.
The potting soil should be changed every so often, as when you fertilize indoor plants you can get a buildup of salts in the soil because you're not getting the full leaching action you would outside. Look for that white crust on top that indicates salt buildup.
Have fun:biggrinbounce2:
