Decorating with Plants

Air Plant

The perfect companion for the hands-off trendsetter

The Basics

Care Level

Easy

Light

Moderate to bright

Soil

Not required

Watering

See box, below

Fertilizer

Use every few months, only in spring and summer

Temperature

Average

SIZE

Tabletop

Tillandsias, or air plants, are members of the bromeliad family and include more than five hundred different species of epiphytes, plants that anchor onto other plants and outcrops, absorbing rainfall and nutrients with their leaves. This unique trait has enabled them to flourish across a spectrum of environments, from dense rain forests to stark sand dunes.

Hailing from the sun-soaked tree trunks of Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador, Tillandsia xerographica, pictured here, is (as the name suggests) one of the xerophytic air plants. Efficient at soaking up limited moisture and nutrients from the air, xerophytes' trichomes (the scales and hairs on the leaves) give the plants a white or silvery flocked appearance and help reflect the harsh rays of the sun. Its leaves wrap and twist as it grows, giving it a similar appearance to Tillandsia streptophylla but with greener, velvety leaves sprouting from a longer stem. Drier conditions and shadier locations will cause tighter coils to form. These air plants are perfect for display on windowsills and shelves where their silver ripples can cascade. See more air plants (including a much smaller T. xerographica) on Air Plants and A Clean and Clear Desktop.

Billbergia Bromeliad

A South American native shows off a festival of colors

The Basics

Care Level

Moderate

Light

Moderate to bright

Soil

Peat moss mix

Watering

Let dry between waterings; water less in winter; provide humidity

Fertilizer

Use monthly; skip in winter

Temperature

Cool to warm

SIZE

Tabletop

Bromeliads are a diverse family of tropical plants made up of more than three thousand species. They're a tribe of many forms and functions, from epiphytic specimens like air plants to terrestrial earth stars (see A Pop of Color). Pineapples are even a part of this gang!

Billbergia nutans, or queen's tears (pictured above), is native to Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina and is one of the easiest to care for in the clan. It should be watered directly in the center of its rosette. Be careful when handling—the plant's long, saw-toothed leaves stack to form rosettes up to 15 inches (38 cm) high, and it can deliver a prickly bite. Its main virtue is its arching flower stalk, which explodes in a whole carnival of colors.

If this vibrant display isn't enough to entice, bromeliads have one more quality that's sure to win you over: they are prolific at producing offsets, called pups. Replant pups when they reach a third of the size of the parent plant (waiting for them to grow to this size will allow roots to develop more successfully). Remove the entire plant from its planter and, using a sharp knife, cut the pups off as close to the parent plant as possible, retaining a good hunk of roots. Replant a group of pups in a small pot filled with peat moss mix, place in a bright area, and keep the soil evenly moist. Ideally, the pup will have roots when you remove it. If it doesn't, don't panic—roots will eventually form; in the meantime, support the plant with wooden sticks. (Resist the temptation to push the pup deeper into the potting medium, as this can rot the base of the plant; 1 inch/2.5 cm or less is plenty, with support.) Move to an area of moderate light once mature. Find other varieties of bromeliads.

Boston Fern

A mutant stowaway that has stood the test of time

The Basics

Care Level

Easy

Light

Moderate

Soil

Potting mix

Watering

Keep evenly moist; provide humidity

Fertilizer

Use monthly; skip in winter

Temperature

Average to cool

SIZE

Tabletop to floor

The best things sometimes happen by accident, and this fern is no exception. Descended from a mutation of a swordfern, the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata, also known as the Boston swordfern) was so named because it was reportedly discovered on a ship to Boston in 1890. Thanks to its showstopping frilly green fronds (which can reach an impressive 3 feet/1 m in length), it was soon a quintessential feature of Victorian parlors; it later became a bohemian mainstay, filling macramé planters throughout the 1960s, and it continues to hang elegantly from baskets, pedestals, and pots in homes today.

This fern's fast-growing nature means you can cultivate a statement piece relatively quickly. (Opt for dwarf varieties if space is an issue; otherwise, these specimens will soon be demanding expansive real estate.) With its thirst for humidity, the Boston fern often thrives when kept in a bathroom. If it doesn't receive enough moisture, it will soon drop a full frond's worth of leaflets, so it can be a messy houseguest if neglected. But don't worry—it is durable and bounces back relatively quickly once moisture levels are restored. For ways to increase humidity. See more ferns.

Cape Primrose

A graceful plant with endless blooms

The Basics

Care Level

Moderate

Light

Bright to moderate

Soil

Peat moss mix

Watering

Keep evenly moist to slightly dry; provide humidity

Fertilizer

Use every few weeks, only in spring and summer

Temperature

Cool to average

SIZE

Tabletop

Cape primroses (Streptocarpus hybrid) are found in wooded ravines in South Africa, where they lie lapping up dappled sunlight. With crinkled leaves and luminous floral sprays, they're a great choice for areas of your home in need of enlivening. Their year-round, trumpet-shaped flowers—in purples, pinks, whites, and lavenders—offer a cheery antidote to short winter days and a happy encouragement of long summer nights.

The deep green color of their gently curved, rather large wrinkly leaves is enhanced in low light (avoid direct light, which can scorch them). Occasionally pluck older leaves and snip faded flower stems to ensure that your primrose stays tidy throughout the year. While they're relatively easygoing, these plants have rather particular watering requirements. Avoid letting water touch the leaves, which can cause staining; instead, water below the leaf level, directly on the soil, or give a soak from below. Keep soil constantly, lightly moist in spring and summer. You can let it get less moist in winter, but it should never be completely dry. If you've got the heat on high during the winter, or you live in a hot, dry climate, add a gravel tray below your planter (see Humidity) not only to give the primrose's endless blooms a stage but also to maintain much-needed humidity. To try your hand at propagating the Cape primrose, simply cut a leaf and stick it back into the pot it came from. It will root—if you don't let it dry out!

Dracaena

A hard worker with style to spare

The Basics

Care Level

Easy

Light

Moderate to low

Soil

Potting mix

Watering

Keep evenly moist; water less in winter

Fertilizer

Use monthly; skip in winter

Temperature

Average

SIZE

Tabletop to floor

Dracaenas (also known as false palms, corn plants, or cane trees) are incredibly versatile—smaller specimens often adorn desks and tabletops, while larger plants add a pop of light in darker corners. An all-green version ('Janet Craig') is a common find, but there are so many more interesting varieties to choose from!

All of the plants pictured opposite are the same variety, Dracaena fragrans 'Lemon Lime'. Wonder why one grouping has long trunks and the other is more compact? Growers in Hawaii and other warm climates use a unique propagation method to create the different heights you see here: First, they remove the top section of a mature tall dracaena, cutting just below the leaf line and taking care to include nodes (the points where leaves or buds attach to the stem), as this is where the new plant will form roots. Then they place the new cutting in a mix of soil and perlite or put it in a vase of water, making sure the water covers the nodes but remains below the leaves. Once the cutting has rooted, the growers transplant the cutting to a grow pot to let it increase in size. This creates a planting like the one on the right. After the growers have removed the crown, there remains a bare trunk arising from the soil. New shoots will eventually form from the cut edge. In the case of the three-trunked dracaena planting pictured opposite (left), the growers planted three rooted trunks (each cut off at a different height) in one pot—it looks like it was grown together, but really it was planted that way. If you're an experimental gardener, try this at home. (I suggest rooting your cutting in water, as it's rewarding to watch the roots develop.) Keep curious pets away, as this exotic plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Fatshedera

Bring the outside in with this garden favorite

The Basics

Care Level

Easy

Light

Low to bright

Soil

Potting mix

Watering

Keep evenly moist in spring and summer; let dry slightly between waterings in fall and winter

Fertilizer

Use monthly, only in spring and summer

Temperature

Average

SIZE

Tabletop to floor

Originally discovered in 1910 tucked away in a garden in Nantes, France, fatshedera (× Fatshedera lizei) is something of a botanical anomaly. Whereas most hybrids are created between species in the same genus, this marvel inherited its offbeat features from cross-pollination between two genera in the Araliaceae family, the upright Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica) and the sprawling vines of English ivy (Hedera helix), making it a bigeneric hybrid. Finding itself somewhere between a climber and a shrub, this plant (tellingly called tree ivy) has a bit of an identity crisis.

Left to its own devices, it will grow in a drunken upright fashion before slouching over. However, given some attention with a pair of sharp clippers, it soon becomes extremely compliant and can quickly be trained into elegant columns and topiary. For a bushier appearance, clip straggly branches back before new growth appears in spring. Choose your desired height and cut the stems off at a 45-degree angle. Provide the ivy with a supporting trellis and it will reward you with a courteous espalier of star-shaped leaves (see an example).

The ability of this plant to grow in the shade makes it a prime candidate for rooms that are otherwise devoid of plant life. Because tree ivy lacks the aerial roots of traditional ivy, you can safely use it to screen and conceal undesirable objects without running the risk of damaging your walls. Pictured here is the 'Angyo Star' fatshedera (× Fatshedera lizei 'Angyo Star'), a standout for its unusual creamy-edged, waxy leaves.

Ficus 'Alii'

There's a new fig in town

The Basics

Care Level

Easy

Light

Moderate to bright

Soil

Potting mix

Watering

Let dry slightly between waterings; provide humidity

Fertilizer

Use monthly; skip in winter

Temperature

Average

SIZE

Tabletop to floor

Similar to its beloved cousin Ficus lyrata but newer to the scene, 'Alii' ficus (F. maclellandii 'Alii') is sure to become a design-magazine darling, brightening rooms with its tropical flair. Known also as 'Alii' fig, saber ficus, and banana-leaf ficus, this remarkable plant doesn't exist in the wild—it is a cultivar developed in Hawaii (Ali'i indicates royalty in the Hawaiian language). It's a name befitting a plant that holds itself with both form and splendor.

This regal fig is available in a range of sizes, reaching up to 7 feet (2.1 m) or more indoors. Use smaller plants to decorate work areas or a large tree to make a statement in an open space. As it grows (ever so slowly), help it take on a symmetrical topiary-like form by removing lower leaves and nurturing its lollipop-esque shape by rotating the plant each week so that all sides receive an even dose of light. Keep new growth healthy by feeding the plant with fertilizer, spring through fall, at half strength. It will also begin to unveil a smooth gray bark. Multiple trunks are sometimes braided for added panache; in the case of the ficus shown opposite, a single trunk was manipulated to create a corkscrew-like form. This is achieved by twisting the young supple trunk around a form and letting it mature. When it is time to be sold, the form is removed, revealing a self-supporting spiraled trunk. Weeping branches hold rich green glossy leaves and—unlike their prodigal relation the weeping fig (F. benjamina)—they're a welcome addition to any room as they won't go scattering their assets around if moved or deprived of enough light. As with any true royal, 'Alii' ficus is always paparazzi-ready and instantly makes guests feel welcome.

Hippeastrum

A bright bloomer for the holidays and beyond

The Basics

Care Level

Moderate

Light

Moderate to bright

Soil

Potting mix

Watering

Keep slightly moist

Fertilizer

Use monthly

Temperature

Varies by growth stage (see right)

SIZE

Tabletop

Though commonly called an amaryllis, this indoor flower is actually a hybrid of hippeastrum. It bursts with color each winter and rivals the poinsettia for most-recognized holiday bloom. That said, it can actually flower well past the winter season—it all depends on when you plant it. Sold as dormant bulbs, budding stems, or flowering plants, hippeastrums and their red, pink, white, orange, and even striped blooms can brighten a dreary day in a flash.

If you buy the bulbs ready to burst with color, stage them in a decorative cachepot (see Potting Your Plant) and keep them in bright to moderate light. If you choose to plant your own bulbs, plan accordingly: blooming takes, on average, six to eight weeks. For New Year's showstoppers, start planting in November. If you crave June blooms, plant your bulbs in April. Choose a weighty pot to hold the load of the bloom and bury the bulb in potting mix pointy side up, with its "neck" and "shoulders" above the soil surfaces; its sides like it cozy, just 2 inches (5 cm) from the edge of the pot. Place in a well-lit, warm spot and water sparingly until leaves appear. Once it is in flower, keep it out of direct sun and in a bit cooler temperature to prolong the blooming period, and keep the soil lightly moist.

Once the flowers fade, the bulbs need time to rejuvenate. Keep the plant watered and in a bright spot even after its blooms have faded (cut back the shriveled flower stalk to 2 inches/5 cm above the bulb). In spring, place the plant outdoors in a spot with dappled shade. When early fall rolls around, the plant will enter a dormant period for eight to ten weeks. During this time, move it to a cool place and reduce watering. Approximately two months before your desired bloom time, repeat the bulb-planting steps above. Note: The beauty of this plant is matched by its toxicity—keep bulbs away from young children and pets.

Hoya

A rambling vine with many guises

The Basics

Care Level

Easy

Light

Bright

Soil

Potting mix

Watering

Keep evenly moist (just shy of dry in winter); provide humidity when not in bloom

Fertilizer

Use monthly; skip in winter

Temperature

Average to warm

SIZE

Tabletop