I thought it might be a nice change of pace to move indoors this week and talk about some of the outstanding tropical plants that we can grow in our homes. As the rain pounds on the roof while I write this, a tropical destination does sound nice… perhaps with golf clubs in tow and my camera in hand to take a bazillion photos of all the cool plants I encounter… Sorry, got distracted there for a moment. As you consider which tropicals to cultivate indoors, keep in mind that many of them love to do one of two things; climb up a support of some kind (think the rainforests of Brazil), or be grown in a hanging planter, trailing gracefully with gravity. Some can even be trained onto a fun trellis or other custom structure as well – the perfect DIY project for any houseplant enthusiast, both beginner or experienced.
Many houseplants grow, and frankly look better, with support since they would rather go vertical while maturing versus just growing and flopping over in a pot. This can be accomplished with a number of options, and will hopefully allow you to show some of your style while doing so. Moss poles or Coir poles will add that rainforest-feel to any plant, allowing your specimen to grow up while also adding captivating height to your interior scape. Simple bamboo stakes in natural or green colors, of varying thicknesses and lengths, can also be easily utilized. Use your imagination here and show off your creativity – many DIY solutions can be dreamed up or, without a doubt, found online.
First and foremost, when attaching your indoor plant onto its new upright accessory, be gentle. I have found that something like ‘Kwik Grips’ is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. This is essentially a glorified Velcro strip - reusable, soft/gentle on plants, and very easy to loosen and tighten as plants mature. ‘Kwik Grips’ are far superior to anything metal, twist ties, twine, and especially old-fashioned plastic stretch tie. And if you ask this gardener, it just plain looks better too.
Another option for going vertical is trellises. There are some awfully cute, yet sturdy, options that can be used indoors. The scale is obviously much smaller than ones for outdoors, especially with young plants, but the principles remain the same. Supports like these could be wood, plastic, or metal, and again, use your imagination to show some DIY style. Maybe a fancy little scrolled fan trellis, or a simple cedar mini ladder or even a cone or obelisk shaped support, the options are endless. It is your indoor world, so have some fun and you do you, there is no wrong answer!
There are a number of houseplants that will thrive with standing support, and many others that enjoy trailing or hanging down. Here are some of the top suggestions from our Sunnyside houseplant queens to contemplate adding to your very own indoor tropical jungle…
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum): An excellent choice for beginners, these love growing up or hanging gracefully from elevated baskets. ‘Neon’ is a lovely flavor with intense, pure, bright lime foliage. ‘Marble Queen’ presents striking green leaves splashed with white. If you like yellow as I do, go with ‘Golden’ Pothos as these have bright yellow splashes on green.
Epipremnum pinnatum: Technically Pothos when it comes down to it, but most houseplant enthusiasts recognize them as being different. They are super easy and fun to train, while some varieties also look sharp in baskets. ‘Aurea’ offers gold on green variegation, while ‘Albo’ sports heavy white splashes on green and variegation.
Philodendron: Depending on the specific variety, many work nicely growing vertically while others will catch your eye in baskets or crawling. ‘Splendid’ lives up to its name with large velvety foliage starting reddish-gold and maturing to a deep green. ‘Brasil' shines with orangey stems and limey-yellow foliage tones. ‘Painted Lady’ is simply striking, with coral stems and variegated foliage that includes hues of golds, apricots, and greens. There are many more excellent varieties available for you to discover as well.
Scindapsus pictus: These versatile beauties can climb or hang, it is totally up to you! ‘Silvery Anne’ has lovely silver and green foliage and is quite showy. ‘Platinum’ is a popular choice, with shiny almost satin-like creamy silver leaves.
Monstera: These indoor gems love going vertical and will truly appreciate something to climb on. There are a bunch of great choices with these, both for color and also unique textures. ‘Mint’ has split leaves with deep green, lime green and white streaked coloring. ‘Dubia’ sports silver-green almost iridescent foliage, clinging tightly to a support structure like shingles on a roof. ‘Swiss Cheese’ is the classic cut foliage Monstera with fun texture and holes everywhere (making it look like Swiss cheese).
Senecio macroglossus (Wax Ivy): Another versatile grower that looks equally nice in a hanging basket or going vertical on a trellis. A very showy plant with great variegated foliage (yellow and green) and an interesting twisted texture. These South African natives also bloom on occasion with little creamy daisy-like flowers.
Parthenocissus striata (Cissus or Sugar Vine): These make lovely hanging basket specimens or trellised specimens. Its foliage is different than other houseplants, making it stand out as unique – think almost like a strawberry. They are easy to grow, vigorous and are very pet friendly, as a bonus.
Hoya: The hundreds of species of Hoya available (and flavors of each) offers any indoor enthusiast, beginning or experienced, something to catch their eye. These are super fun to train on just about anything in the house, including hoops, trellises and poles. Many look sharp in baskets as well. Explore your options with these, and pay attention to the flowers as they are available in many colors.
I would encourage you to stop into your local garden center or houseplant shop and gaze upon all of the choices. Let your creativity run wild. Plants of all kinds are fun to play around with, and with indoor tropicals it can be done this time of year in your nice, warm, dry home. Speak with a houseplant expert and allow them to steer you towards success, making your vision a reality. There are so many unique indoor plants to try, for both beginners and experts alike! I promise that you will have fun while training both old and new specimens to go vertical. Not only will your indoor beauties thank you for the support, they will also thrive and look more attractive. I say that it is not officially “hoarding” when it comes to plants since one can never have too many in the house.
Remember, leaves up and roots down…
