Indoor plants really give your own four walls that homely flair. However, not every plant is suitable for every apartment.
Houseplants create a homely atmosphere, both visually and by improving the indoor climate. But not every type of plant fits in every apartment - just because of the conditions. Which plants like to be sunny, which tolerate shade and which don't like a lot of water - the following is a selection with a candidate for every apartment.
Indoor palms - exoticism in your own four walls
Summer, sun, dreams of the South Seas - these fantasies can also be indulged in from the sofa when palm trees create the right atmosphere in the living room. According to this page, however, a few important points should be considered:
➔ The matching types:
While mountain palm and flower palm remain rather small, golden fruit palm and Chinese cannabis palm can spread their leaf fans to a considerable size. The European dwarf palm and the fishtail palm impress with their particularly beautiful, feathery leaves. Botanically speaking, the well-known yucca palm is not actually a palm tree, but with its exotic appearance it fits perfectly into a living room palm garden.
➔ Temperature and Location:
Most palm trees like a temperature between 15-22 degrees and cannot tolerate it if the room cools down significantly at night. Exceptions are the Chinese hemp palm, which comes from the Himalayan region and is used to cold, and the European dwarf palm. If the palm is too dark, it slows down its growth considerably. Palm trees need at least a light intensity of 1000 lux, even twice that for growth. If in doubt, palm lovers should therefore install additional lighting, which can consist of standard neon tubes. The humidity also plays a decisive role in the thriving of the palm trees - it must not be too low; the fishtail palm, for example, needs up to 50 percent.
➔ Care:
Palm trees need a lot of water - waterlogging in the pots must be avoided at all costs. When the top layer of soil has dried, it is refilled. fertilizedPalm trees are best treated with a long-term fertilizer once a year, otherwise one milliliter of liquid fertilizer is added to the irrigation water every 14 days. When older palm fronds die off, they should be removed to prevent pests from breeding.
Orchids - flower butterflies on the windowsill
In particular, the robust species Phalaenopsis is currently available in almost every supermarket. This orchid has a particularly large number of colorful flowers and is therefore a good gift and accessory for the windowsill at home. The following should be observed when caring for them:
A he althy plant:
He althy orchids have firm, dark green leaves with no holes or brown spots. The leaves should not look wrinkled or limp, then the plant will suffer from a lack of moisture. The color of the roots also gives an indication of the condition of the plant: ideally they are light green to dark green - white or brown roots indicate diseased orchids.
Location:
The Palaenopsis likes a semi-shady location and cannot cope with strong light and great heat.
Casting:
The most common mistake in keeping orchids is probably watering the plants too much. It is sufficient to water them once or twice a week, with the excess water draining off immediately. The plants love rainwater - if you can collect clean rainwater, you should let it benefit the beautiful windowsill dwellers. Highly calcareous water must be filtered before giving it to the orchids, and the temperature of the irrigation water should be at room temperature.
Fertilize:
You can do your Phalaenopsis good with a special orchid fertilizer - but used sparingly. The dormant phase of the plant should be observed and the fertilizer should only be used when a new shoot forms. Otherwise it can happen that the plant is overwhelmed.
Repot:
Orchids can use a new pot every two years. The right bark substrate and careful handling of the sensitive plants are important. If dead plant parts are removed, this should always be done with a knife - scissors would squeeze the plant cells too hard.
Houseplants for dark locations
Every apartment also has corners that don't get much light. Which plants do well in these locations? Here is a small overview:
- TheCobbler's Palm:
Native to China, the butcher or cobbler's palm can survive in the darkest of corners. Ideally, it lives in a semi-shady location; in direct sunlight, their leaves literally burn. The palm tree does not tolerate waterlogging and in winter a temperature between 10 and 12 degrees is good for it. - Sanseveria:
The Sanseveria is also known under the names bow hemp, bayonet plant or mother-in-law's tongue. It is very undemanding and only needs water every two to three weeks - perfect for anyone who is busy. - Solid:
The solid likes high humidity and doesn't need much light. It is therefore the ideal greenery for a dark bathroom. Under good conditions, the plant even develops decorative white inflorescences. - Dragon tree and philodendron imperial:
Both the dragon tree and the big tree friend, as the philodendron imperial is also called, are evergreen and are even suitable for the most shady places in the apartment - the hallway or the cloakroom. - Efeutute:
A traffic light plant like the ivy plant is suitable for dark and narrow corners in the kitchen. Tendrils that hang too long can be easily trimmed without the plant taking offense.
Conclusion
Any apartment can be beautified with the right greenery - but you can't choose just any plant for it. In particular, the lighting conditions must match the needs of the plant, otherwise even the most lovingly cared for plant roommate will die. In second place are the need for water and the “green thumb” of the plant owner. People who tend to overflow their plants over a longer period of time due to their own stress will be happier with plants that forgive this or are even happy not to be overwatered - orchids, for example. On the other hand, if you are a professional at caring for, fertilizing and repotting plants, you can dare to use more demanding indoor plants and let your own four walls shine in a very special shine.