Notes

20 Questions You Should Have To Ask About Colorful House Plants Before Purchasing It
Add Colorful House Plants to Your Home

Add some color to your home without having to rely solely on flowers. These house plants with brightly colored leaves are easy to cultivate.

As a cousin to the philodendron snake plant or peace lily pinstripe plants display bands of color along the long, elongated leaves. These tropical houseplants thrive in low lighting conditions.

Croton

The vibrant, diverse markings on the croton leaf can add visual interest to any room. This exotic house plant is known for its fiery colors, but the variety in sizes and shapes makes it a standout on its own.

This exotic plant can be grown indoors or outdoors. The narrow leaves of this croton are speckled with red, green, purple, and yellow, creating a rainbow of colors.

Bring it inside during cold snaps. This croton is prone to lose its color when exposed to cool temperatures or drafts. It is also prone to pest activity so be sure to check it often and spray with a horticultural insecticide as required.

Fittonia

Fittonia is an eye-catching plant that has dramatic deep green foliage, striking white, pink or red veining. It is able to brighten up an otherwise dark area and is particularly stunning in the Terrarium.

Like many tropical house plants that thrive in warm temperatures and high humidity. Place it in a warm space, away from drafty windows and any heating devices that could dry the air.

It needs to be repotted every year. Trim the tips when it appears to be straggly. This will encourage growth that is more bushy.

In the spring and summer, nerve plants also require a weekly application of liquid fertilizer designed for houseplants. A balanced fertilizer 5-5-5 diluted to half strength is effective. It is also a great choice for a humid environment, so mist the leaves or introduce a humidity tray to ensure the high humidity around it.

Calathea

These exotic house plants make beautiful centerpieces for tables, no matter if you go with the calathea that has its bright green pinstripes, or the peacock that has dark purple, dark green and silver brush marks. Their large oval leaves make great floor plants when placed on low plant stands. Calatheas thrive in moist air (between 50-80% humidity) however, they do not thrive in moist soil. They thrive in a potting mix consisting of 2 parts coco coir, one part peat and a little orchid bark.

The water calatheas every week when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Using rainwater that has been filtered instead of tap water will prevent the buildup of salts and other chemical compounds in the water which could cause damage to the plant. This is especially important during the winter when growth slows for plants. It's also a good time to feed your plant with liquid houseplant fertilizer, dilute to half strength.

Red-edge Dracaena

Red-edge Dracaena offers striking tropical looks to your home. Sometimes misidentified as a palm this plant has slender stems or canes that are adorned with clumps of long thin green leaves, trimmed in yellow or dark red.

Like all dracaenas it thrives as an indoor houseplant and is easy to grow. They prefer indirect, bright light but can tolerate lower lighting conditions. They prefer a well draining potting mix, but may require fertilization on occasion. Root rot, brown tips or margins, and insect infestation are common problems.

The plants are well-known for their ability to purify the air. According to NASA's Clean Air Study, they are especially good at removing benzene from the air (produced by smoking cigarettes, synthetic materials, and car exhaust), as well as xylene and formaldehyde. It is also easy to propagate them from cuttings. This can be done at any time during the growing season. Simply dip them in rooting hormone, and then place them in a pot with water-soaked soil.

Aluminum Plant

Pilea cadierei, also known as an aluminum plant or pila watermelon is a tropical indoor plant that creates a mound of green leaves that have silver stripes. It's a beautiful and easy to grow however it can be susceptible to infestations of spider mites.

It likes warm, indirect light and moderate humidity. The temperature should be between 60-75 degF (16-23 degC).

It's a low maintenance plant that prefers moist soil however, the top quarter inch of soil should dry out before watering it again. In the growing season of active growth, spring and summer water enough to keep the soil damp. In the dormancy time of winter and autumn the soil is less watered. It is a good idea to apply liquid fertilizer each month during the growing season. Stem cuttings are an easy way to propagate vegetatively this plant. The roots are easily placed are cultivated in a mix of loamy soil and peaty.

Waffle Plant

Hemigraphis Alternata, also referred to as a purple waffle plant, has metallic green-purple leaves with an unusual puckered surface. It grows well indoors in a hanging basket or a Terrarium. It can also be grown outside, but it is less tolerant to cold temperatures than many other house plants.

Hemigraphis alternateta thrives in bright indirect sunlight with high humidity, much like it does in its natural equatorial rain forest. To mimic this environment you can mist your Hemigraphis alternata frequently using distilled water spray or place it on a tray containing filtered water to increase the humidity.


Hemigraphis Alternata can be cut back when it becomes gangly. This encourages growth that is bushy and increase the visual appeal. If it is prone to mealybugs, apply an insecticide or mix of warm water and neem oil in order to kill the pests. You can propagate Hemigraphis alternata by cutting 4 to 6 inches stem tips taken in the spring and summer.

Rex Begonia

Begonias thrive in the indoors and are a great choice for those with showy foliage. Rex begonias have distinctive veining and ruffling, with streaks and splotches with the form of a mix of white, greens, silver, reds, and pinks.

These beautiful plants require regular watering. Water the plant whenever the soil's top inch feels dry to the touch, avoiding the accumulation of water that could lead to root rot.

To add a light texture to your soil, mix 50% standard potting dirt with 25 percent peatmoss, orchids bark or coco coir. This mixture will also help the begonia retain water. If you find yourself struggling with powdery mildew, slightly reduce the amount of water your begonia receives and relocate it to a brighter place to rid it of the mold. You may also see mealy bugs on your begonia. Soaking a cotton ball in alcohol can to eliminate these.

Alocasia

Alocasia 'Black Velvet' has large, green-black leaves that have prominent veins that appear to be scales. The leaf's undersides exhibit a whitish or purple tint and add a dramatic contrast to the foliage. This jewel-type variety is well suited to growing indoors year-round or outdoors in warmer climate zones 4-8a in the summer months.

This tropical beauty thrives in bright indirect light that keeps the leaves from burning. A bright sunny window is ideal, but many varieties will be tolerant of filtered light or shaded with dappled.

The soil should be moist to touch, but not soggy. Every month, a light all-purpose fertilizer is suggested. Avoid feeding the plant in winter when it is entering dormancy. Look for popular house plants that are brown or mushy which could indicate a nutrient shortage. Root rot is common with Alocasia and can be fatal for the plant.

Bromeliad

Bromeliads can add colour to rooms that are otherwise devoid of color. They are tropical and thrive in humid conditions. They can be easily cultivated by following a regular schedule and their vibrant colors can bring life to dull spaces.

Bracts are large, vibrant leaves that are used to attract pollinators. The real flowers of the plant are hidden in bracts and only appear after the flower has been fertilized.

As they grow, the plant produces offshoots that look like miniature versions of the mother plant. These babies can be propagated into new bromeliads. They need the same care as the parent, including watering. Avoid using tap water that is hard to water your plants. It could cause the leaves to turn streaked. Use rainwater or filtered whenever you can. This is essential for bromeliads in pots.

Hedgehog

The hedgehog is the smallest member of the mammalia group, Animalia. The nocturnal animal is cool with quills that do not cause any harm. They are among the oldest mammals on earth and have a distant ancestry with Shrews and pigs.

In the wild, they are omnivorous, eating frogs and toads as well as grass roots, mushrooms, and fruits. If they are scared or afraid the hedgehog will roll itself into a ball that spins and only predators with the most forceful claws are able to break it open.

If you see a hedgehog lying on the ground, you can put it back into its nest or cover the area with natural material. If you must take the hedgehog out of its natural habitat, put it in a large container away from your bedroom, and provide as much shelter as you can. They should be kept in a place that is warm (73-80 degrees).

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