Five Fantastic Carefree Plants for Your Indoor Garden
by Laurelynn Martin
In today’s fast paced society plants bring that much needed sense of peace and connection to the natural world. But, it still takes time to care for these living beauties. Therefore, we are bringing you our best list of five carefree plants for indoor garden that will give you all the benefits of having plants in your life without disrupting your time management. In other words, you can have your cake and eat it too.
Tillandsia Ionantha Ball
The world of Tillandsias offers a wide range of carefree choices. However, we love the Tillandsia Ionantha Ball with its purple flowers that bloom in the springtime. Simply hang the greenish-silver leafed ball-shaped tillandsia in a partially sunlit window and when the leaves start to turn red, get ready for the flowers to emerge. Once the flowers die back the leaves will gradually return to green. Every year the ball grows larger as the ball produces more “pups” which adds to its shape. And, the great news is, you only have to drench it with water twice a week.
Coffee (Coffea arabica)
Another favorite carefree plant is Coffee (Coffea arabica). My coffee tree at home thrives in bright sunlight or partial light. Remember coffee can be shade grown and although I don’t think it makes a difference in the flavor of the beans, what it says to me is it can grow in any window and home environment. I love the shiny green leaves that keep coming while the fragrant flowers emerge and eventually give way to green beans that ripen into red cherries. Coffee is definitely under-rated as a houseplant. I would grow coffee for its fragrance alone. But truth be told, I love coffee and to grow your own coffee and harvest beans from your own tree is a thrill.
Geranium ‘Mrs. Cox’ (Pelargonium hybrid)
Geranium ‘Mrs. Cox’ (Pelargonium hybrid) is truly a show-stopper, being one of the most beautiful fancy-leaved geraniums of all time. Not only is it admired for its salmon-colored floral clusters, but its tri-color variegated foliage is what makes ‘Mrs. Cox’ truly special. I can’t tell you how many gardeners have told me they have always wanted to grow ‘Mrs. Cox’ but were afraid they would kill it because something that spectacular must be difficult to care for. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Like most geraniums, ‘Mrs. Cox’ is adaptable and in fact thrives in drier environments and is resistant to most pests. Simply grow in full sun and water when the soil is visually dry. The foliage is always impressive to look at and blooms appear from Spring through Fall.
Begonia ‘Connie Boswell’ (Begonia rhizomatous hybrid)
Speaking of easy-care plants, our list wouldn’t be complete without begonias. One particular begonia we love is Begonia ‘Connie Boswell’ (Begonia rhizomatous hybrid). The shape of its deeply lobed leaves makes a statement and its coloring adds more appeal. The silvery-green leaf with its lavender highlights along the leaf edges and center make this begonia stand out among all others. Plus, its majestic nature as an upright grower adds color to any east or west window. It has the ability to take a dry home environment, which is why begonias were the plant of choice in the Victorian era when partial sunlit, dry homes were the norm. To top it all off, get ready for a show of fragrant pale pink flowers that rise above the foliage in springtime.
Fire Lily ‘Good Hope’ (Clivia miniata hybrid)
Our list also needs to include clivias, pronounced (klahy-vee-uh or kliv-ee-uh), which have been grown at Logee’s for more than 50 years. There’s a reason why from generation to generation clivias are grown at Logee’s. Mainly because they are resilient, easy-to-grow and a beloved plant in the amaryllis family. Fire Lily ‘Good Hope’ (Clivia miniata hybrid) has large clusters of clear, yellow blooms and does bring that sense of hope because flowering often begins in February right when we think winter will never end. The blooms go through May and can be grown in partial sunlight, another easy-care feature. To grow clivias, give cool, dry conditions during the late fall and early winter “resting period” and soon you will have a cluster of blooms that remind you spring is on the way.
Thank you for visiting Logee’s. While you’re here, please be sure to explore our selection of fruiting, rare and tropical plants. And don’t forget to request your free Logee’s catalog, too!
You can learn more below about the carefree indoor plants mentioned mentioned in this article: