Houseplants deserve our thanks. In winter, when everything outdoors has died back or dropped leaves, houseplants are our only true friends.
Crassula ‘Green Pagoda’. There are at least 150 species of crassulas, and many are easy, low-maintenance houseplants.
Crassulas
Photograph by Incidencematrix via Flickr.
Photograph by Katie Newburn.
Nature has wired us to feel protective of babies, with their oversize, floppy heads. The big, round leaves of a fiddle-leaf fig tree make it the houseplant equivalent of a newborn—and a must-have accessory for Instagrammers.
Fiddle-Leaf Fig Trees
Cacti and succulents potted in Ikea’s aluminum Vardagen Loaf Pans; $4.99 each.
Ikea Insider: Get the Best Houseplants
Photograph by Matthew Williams.
Pelargoniums
Monstera
Photograph by Erin Boyle.
“It’s extremely common for monsteras to be confused with split-leaf philodendron, particularly in less mature plants,” writes Annie.
Photograph courtesy of Inner Gardens.
Vintage Planters
Kalanchoe preens in a handkerchief planter. See our tips at Ask the Expert: An Insider’s Guide to Vintage Planters from Stephen Block.
Photograph by Lukestehr via Flickr.
A potted parlor palm. Palms are masquerading as trees; they’re actually a strain of flowering plant that split off from other perennials thousands of years ago (back in dinosaur times).
Palms
Succulents
So many succulents, so little time. In our Succulents 101 guides, you’ll find tips to grow Echeverias, Aeoniums, String of Pearls, Christmas Cactus, and more.
Photograph by Mimi Giboin.