The Main Issue With Colorful House Plants, And What You Can Do To Fix It

Add Colorful House Plants to Your Home

Give a splash of color to your home without relying on flowers. These houseplants with brightly colored leaves are easy to grow.

Similar to the philodendron snake plant or peace lily, pinstripe plants sport bands of color along the their elongated leaves. These tropical houseplants thrive in low lighting conditions.

Croton

The vibrant, varied markings of croton leaves provide visual interest to every room. This exotic houseplant is famous for its fiery colors however its array of shapes and sizes makes it stand out.

This exotic plant enjoys bright indirect sunlight and can be grown indoors or outdoors. The leaves that are narrow on this croton are sprinkled with green, red, purple, and yellow creating a rainbow of colors.

The croton is famous for shedding its leaf color when it is exposed to cold temperatures or drafts, so bring it inside during cold snaps. It is also susceptible to insect activity, so inspect often and spray with a horticultural insecticide when needed.

Fittonia

Fittonia is a striking plant with striking, deep green foliage and contrasts with white, pink or red veins. It can brighten up a dark area and looks particularly mesmerizing when placed in the planter.

It thrives in humid and warm temperatures, just like many tropical houseplants. Keep it in a cool room and away from cold windows and heaters that could dry out the air.

It should be replanted every year. When it starts to look straggly, prune the tips to encourage more bushy growth.

As with most tropical plants nerve plants need a weekly application of liquid fertilizer formulated for houseplants during the growth season.  common houseplant  is recommended to apply an optimum 5-5-5 fertilizer, diluted to half strength. It also thrives in humid environment, so mist the leaves or set up a humidity tray to ensure the humidity levels around it.

Calathea

Whichever you pick, the bright green pin-stripe calathea, or the peacock plant with its dark green, purple and silver brush marks, these exotic house plants look lovely as centerpieces for your table. Their large oval leaves make great floor plants when placed on low plant stands. Calatheas like humid air (between 50% and 80 percent humidity) however, they do not grow well in moist soil. They thrive in a potting mix comprising 2 parts coco coir, 1 part peat, and a bit of orchid bark.

Water calatheas weekly when their top inch of soil is dry to the touch. Using rainwater that is filtered rather than tap water will help prevent the buildup of salts and other chemicals in the water, which can cause damage to the plant. This is particularly important in winter when growth slows for plants. It's also a good time to feed your plant with a liquid fertilizer that is reduced to half strength.

Red-edge Dracaena

The Red-edge Dracaena will give your home a tropical feel. Often mislabeled as a palm, this plant is characterized by its slender stems or canes, with clumps of long thin green leaves trimmed in the dark red or yellow.

It is easy to grow and thrives indoors like all Dracaenas.  common houseplant  prefer bright indirect light however, they can also tolerate low lighting conditions. They thrive in well-drained potting soil, but they might require periodic fertilization. Common issues include root rot edges, tips that are brown or brown and insect infestation.

These plants are known for their ability to purify the air. According to NASA's Clean Air Study they are particularly good at getting rid of benzene (produced by cigarette smoke, synthetic materials and car exhaust) and formaldehyde, xylene and trichloroethylene from the atmosphere. It is also easy to propagate the plants from cuttings. This can be done anytime during the growing season. Simply dip them into rooting hormone, and then place them in a pot with damp soil.

Aluminum Plant

Pilea cadierei (commonly called aluminum plant or watermelon pilea) is a tropical houseplant that develops as an mounded mound of quilted green leaves with distinctive silver stripes. It's an extremely striking and easy-to-grow plant however it can be susceptible to infestations of spider mites.

It likes indirect light, warm temperatures and moderate humidity. The temperature should be in the range of 60-75 degrees F (16-23 degrees C).

It's a low-maintenance species that likes soil that is moist, however, the top quarter inch of the soil should dry before watering it again. In the active growing seasons of the spring and summer, water enough to keep the soil damp. In the dormancy season in winter and fall it is recommended to water less frequently. It is recommended to use liquid fertilizer every month during the growing season. Stem cuttings are a simple way to propagate vegetatively this plant. They can easily root in a mixture of loamy and peaty soil.

Waffle Plant

Hemigraphis Alternata, also referred to as a purple waffle plant, has metallic green-purple foliage with the unique surface of a puckered. It is a great indoor plant to grow in a hanging basket or a Terrarium. It can be grown outdoors, but is less tolerant of cold temperatures than other house plants.

In its equatorial rainforest habitat, Hemigraphis alternata thrives with bright indirect light and high humidity. To recreate the environment, you can mist your Hemigraphis alternata frequently using distilled water spray or place it on a tray containing filtered water to increase the humidity.

You can prune Hemigraphis alternata when it becomes gangly to encourage bushy growth, or to add aesthetic appeal. Apply an insecticide, or a mixture of warm Neem oil and water to kill mealybugs if it is prone. Hemigraphis Alternata can be propagated by stem tip cuttings ranging from 4 to 6 inches taken in the spring and summer.

Rex Begonia

Begonias are hardy plants that thrive indoors, particularly ones with a showy leaf. Rex begonias have distinctive veining and ruffling, along with splotching and streaking, with a mix of white, greens, silver, reds, and pinks.

These colorful plants require regular watering. Water the plant when the top inch of the soil is dry. Avoid water pools that can cause root rot.

To add a light texture to your soil mix 50% standard potting dirt with 25 percent peatmoss, orchids bark or coco coir. This mix also assists the begonia retain moisture. If you are having issues with mildew, reduce the amount of water your begonia receives and then move it into an area that is brighter to get rid of the mold. There may be mealy bugs on your begonia. Soaking a cotton ball in alcohol can help remove them.

Alocasia

Alocasia 'Black Velvet' has striking, green-black leaves with prominent veins that resemble scales. The leaf's undersides are a whitish or purple tint and add a dramatic contrast to the foliage. This jewel-type variety is well suited to growing indoors year-round or outdoors in warm climate zones 4 to 8a in the summer months.

This tropical beauty thrives in light that is bright and indirect, which keeps the leaves from burning. A bright, sunny window is ideal, but many varieties can take filtered light, or even shaded with dappled.

The soil should be moist to the surface, but not soggy.  low light houseplants -purpose fertilizer is appropriate once a month, but avoid feeding during winter, when the plant is entering dormancy. Be on the lookout for mushy or brown roots that could indicate a nutrient deficiency. Root rot is a common occurrence in alocasia and can be fatal to the plant.

Bromeliad

Bromeliads add the color of rooms where many house plants may struggle. They're tropical by nature and thrive best when a humid and moist environment is created. They can be easily cultivated with a regular routine and their vibrant colors are able to brighten up otherwise dull spaces.

They produce large, vibrant "flowers," called bracts which are actually leaves that attract pollinators. The actual flowers of the plant are hidden in the bracts and only appear after the flower has been fertilized.

As  low light houseplants  grows, it creates offshoots that resemble miniature versions. These pups can be propagated to create new bromeliads. Watering is the same as for the parent. Avoid using hard tap water to water your plants. It can cause the leaves to become streaked. Instead using rainwater or water that has been filtered. This is especially important for bromeliads that are in the pot.

Hedgehog

The hedgehog is a small mammal of the Animalia class. This nocturnal animal has cool quills that aren't harmful. They have distant ancestry with shrews, pigs, and shrews. They are one of the oldest mammals that still exist on earth.

In the wild, they are omnivorous, consuming toads and frogs, and also mushrooms, grass roots and fruits. When scared the hedgehog will roll itself into a ball of spiny hairs. Only the strongest predators are able to pry the ball open.

If you find a hedgehog that is rooted in the ground, you can put it back in its nest or cover the area with natural materials. If you must take it away from its habitat put it in a large container far from your bedroom. Make sure you provide as much protection as you can. They must be kept in a warm, 73-80° environment.