Plants improve air quality! You’re most likely familiar with the process in which plants replace carbon dioxide with oxygen, but they also remove harmful air toxins. Think about how many chemicals are floating around from all your household cleaners, candles, paint, and more. A 1989 study from NASA reports that plants absorb trace amounts of toxins like Benzene and Formaldehyde through their roots and leaves. if you’re hoping to really take control of your air quality this year, an article from National Geographic suggests considering air purification machines or swapping to greener cleaners to make a bigger difference. Healthy air quality contributes to a healthy body and healthy mind. Plants improve focus, sleep, reduce stress levels, and increase productivity to crush those new years goals! They give you something to care for and admire.
A walk through your local greenhouse can inspire wellness. Right now, our greenhouse is FULL of adoptable plants! We welcome everyone to wander, take photographs, sketch, and follow the birdies! If you’re hoping to bring a new plant friend home but need some guidance, here are some suggestion to get you going!
So you’re new to plants…
Are you overwhelmed by what’s out there? Let’s start with a chill plant; something a little less diva to build your confidence. Some of my favourites are the leafy ones because I don’t have the worry about dying blooms. You can find some very neat shapes and colours in just the foliage! There are so many variations of Dracaena out there, and you can find big bushy ones, or tall skinny ones to fill space in your home. Its striped leaves come in different shades of green, yellow, and red. The tree Dracaena’s sometimes come braided giving you something a little different. Schefflera can get quite bushy, and each stem produces leaves that almost look like flowers! The Snake Plant displays a beautiful pattern of green stripes on each blade as it reaches to the ceiling. The ZZ Plant can hold A LOT of water. I don’t usually soak mine in the sink for a few weeks! In fact, all of these plants are quite forgiving when it comes to watering, especially those in the Cactus and Succulent families which can go quite a while without water.
Pet Safety…
Yes. Some plants are unfortunately not dog, cat, or horse friends (If that’s applicable). ASPCA has an easy to use online resource you can access while plant shopping to ensure your curious critters are kept safe. Some options pictured below include: African Violet, Spider Plant, Boston Fern, Basil, Sage, Lipstick Plant, Tillandsia (Air Plant), and the Phalaenopsis Orchid.
Purify your home… or work!
Get aaaaall the health benefits with these plants! Bring these low maintenance plants into your home and work spaces to increase productivity and overall health. Have you taken part in #MonsteraMonday on Instagram yet? Now you can! Monstera are super trendy, and pretty easy to care for. Plus, you can propagate them just by submerging their nodes in water! The Spider Plant is similar in that if they’re easy to care for, and if happy, they produce lots of “babies” that you can then cut and propagate to make more! Another trendy plant is the Fiddle Leaf Fig. You see this plant all the time in those interior design posts on Instagram. These plants display broad pear-shaped leaves. Pothos are trailing houseplants that actually do well in low light situations. You can have fun guiding them around the room or trailing down your desk. Gerbera Daisies are that sight of spring you crave this time of year. They come in eye catching colours like pink, yellow, orange, red, or even white to brighten up the room. The Orchid is similar in it’s beautiful blooms, but their colouring also hold a lot of meaning. For example, white orchids symbolize innocence and purity. The Peace Lily is a beautiful plant symbolizing peace and hope. It’s ‘hooded’ blooms are delicate and white. You can expect to receive blooms year round as long as it receives enough sunlight.
Low Light Lover…
All plants need some level of sunlight, but there are options that do well in low light. Shade loving Begonia’s normally fill Calgary gardens in the spring, but sometimes you’ll see its blooms in our houseplant department. Another blooming plant that will do fine in low light and bright light conditions is the Peace Lily. There are many foliage-centric plants that do well in low light. Trailing plants like Ivy and Pothos are great options if you want something either hanging from the ceiling or spilling down the side of a cabinet. The Monstera, or “Swiss Cheese” plant will do well in low light, and they come in many variations like Deliciosa, Tetrasperma (Mini Monstera), and Adansonii. If you want a little more colour variety in your foliage, some varieties of Chinese Evergreen, or Aglaonema, display beautiful patterns of red on its leaves. The Snake Plant and Dieffenbachia are two more plants that display neat patterns on their leaves. If you want to go soilless, Bamboo is a great option as you can normally find it just chilling in some water! Just make sure you swap out the water so it doesn’t go stale. Do you like tea? Quite often, you’ll find herbs at your local greenhouse, and Mint is a plant that’ll do quite well in low light conditions. When it grows, just clip off the leaves and make tea!
Let There Be Light!
If you have a bright place in your house. LUCKY! You have so many options! However, keep an eye on your leaves. You may need to move them if they start to develop burn spots. Dreaming of Hawaii? Bring Hawaii home with a showstopping Hibiscus because they LOVE sun. You can also bring this outside in the summer time for the bees! Another floral-centric plant is Jasmine. Have you smelt a Jasmine plant or had Jasmine tea? The scent is so fresh in your home, and it’s equally pleasant to look at with its small white flowers and many leaves. If you want to hang something from the ceiling, String of Pearls is a great option. It’s delicate, pretty, and its flowers are worth the wait. The Jade Plant is pretty easy to care for. This succulent likes to dry out between waterings so its very forgiving if you miss a few weeks. If you need some vibrant colours in your home, especially over the winter, then a Croton is perfect for you! Foliage-based, its leaves are a mix of green, red, yellow, orange. Absolutely beautiful.
There you have it! Some houseplant options to help bring you wellness into 2021. Did something inspire you?
Come by the greenhouse and we’ll help you find that special new plant in your life.
Happy World Houseplant Day!
Brandi