Indoor Plants

Best Houseplants in India for Your Decor and Health

August 7, 2019
house plant

Undeniably, indoor plants are an ideal choice for adding a pop of colour and life to your living space. They release oxygen and purify the air around us. Popular for being highly effective stress busters, they create a soothing ambience which is perfect for unwinding after a hectic day. 

Several studies have indicated that several plants promote sleep, uplift your mood, and make you feel fresh and positive in the morning. Touching, smelling, and even potting them can relieve anxiety. 

After you have determined the amount of light the area where you plan to place the plant receives and other factors including the level of maintenance, you can go through this well-curated list of the best houseplants in India that are good for your health as well as the decor.

1. Peace lily 

Best Houseplants in India for Your Decor and Health

Peace lily or​ Spathiphyllum ​ sp.
Peace lily or​ Spathiphyllum ​ sp.

Admired for their pleasant appearance, ease of growth and air-cleansing qualities, peace lilies are the most sought-after indoor plants. Their big, broad and lush green leaves can give a modern touch to your home decor. The average life span of a peace lily is three to five years. This plant can thrive in a small pot and looks beautiful on a stool or a corner table. It can propagate quickly in medium to low light. 

However, it will not bloom, i.e. it will not develop flowers if it is not in the bright light. If you wish to have beautiful white peace lily flowers in your room, make sure you provide it with some bright light. 

Peace lilies are drought-resistant. Overwatering can kill them, so do not water them until the soil is completely dry. Moreover, they demand minimal care. Adding a balanced fertilizer once or twice a year is sufficient to keep them happy. 
2. Ferns 

Boston fern or ​ Nephrolepis exaltata
Boston fern or ​ Nephrolepis exaltata
Foxtail fern or A sparagus aethiopicus
Foxtail fern or A sparagus aethiopicus

It is not hard to fall in love with ferns! Two most common varieties of ferns available in India are Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) and Foxtail fern (Asparagus aethiopicus). The latter is unrelated to ferns. It is asparagus from Asparagaceae family. It called a fern owing to the way it grows. 

Both types prefer moist soil and bright light but not direct sunlight. Foxtail ferns can tolerate low light. So if you have a pot that does not receive much sunlight, you can pick a foxtail fern. A Boston fern would be suitable for an area that gets a decent amount of sunlight but not harsh rays. 

To be healthy, Boston ferns require reasonable care and a high level of humidity. It is best to place these plants in a bathroom or a kitchen with a window. Moreover, fertilizers should be added to Boston ferns a few times a year. 

3. Rubber plant 

Rubber plant or ​ Ficus elastica
Rubber plant or ​ Ficus elastica

Also known as a Ficus elastica, a splendid burgundy-coloured rubber plant adds not only a rich colour but also height to the spot it is placed. Like other indoor plants, it needs moist soil and bright light but indirect sunlight. It is highly suggested putting it near a window with sheer curtains. This provides an abundance of light, but not too much. 

Rubber plants care fussy about their water needs. During the growing season, the soil must be moist at all times. Overwatering can turn their leaves yellow and brown, which will eventually fall off. During the dormant season, you may water it once or twice a month. If you notice the leaves drooping, start watering it more until the leaves perk back up again. 

Also, if you don’t want your rubber plant to have just one stem but have more lateral growth, you can just cut the stem at the top and put it alongside. Little stems will start growing. 

The only issue with rubber plants is that they grow at a slow pace. If you have patience, go for them, but if you want plants that grow rapidly and spread widely, I suggest you go for peace lilies or ferns. 

4. Croton 

Croton or C odiaeum variegatum
Croton or C odiaeum variegatum

Who is not fond of the brightly-coloured croton plants? They work excellently with both traditional as well as modern decors. Several species of croton plants are available in India. Different species have different leaf colours. Their multicoloured leaves are wonderful for introducing colours to your room. 

The best part is that the croton plant develops flowers when you ensure optimum conditions. It requires moist soil and a brightly-lit space. To a certain degree, it is tolerant to darker environments (semi-shaded spots that do not receive bright sunlight). 

When planted in a well-lit area with indirect sunshine, it blooms, grows in size and has many leaves. Moreover, croton plants demand a soil that allows water to drain at a moderate rate without water pooling. 

Although most indoor plants require well-drained soil, croton plants, like ferns, are sensitive to water clogging. In such a condition, they might start dropping off their leaves. Hence, you must ensure to provide the right kind of soil – loamy soil. 

5. Money plant 

Money plant or pothos or ​ Epipremnum aureum
Money plant or pothos or ​ Epipremnum aureum

Prized for brightening spaces with their lush green foliage (leaves) and bringing fortune, money plants are the only ones, out of all these, that can thrive in water. All you have to do is take a stem cutting with nodes and put it in water. A stem cutting with a single node can develop roots, but I recommend them to put it in the soil for faster growth. Besides, it does not need much soil. 

Money plants ask for very less water as compared to other houseplants. Ensure that the soil has completely dried out before you water it again. 

Keeping a money plant in the sun will result in lightly-coloured leaves although the colour of the leaves is significantly dependent on the species it belongs to. In India, three to four species of money plants are commonly seen. All of which develop a yellow tint on exposure to the sun. 

Money plants climb and crawl readily and look great sitting on the top of a bookshelf, hanging from a staircase or spilling from high window ledges. 

These are the best houseplants in India for your decor and health. I hope this article helps you shortlist the right plants and bring some freshness home! 

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