Six Totally Awesome Houseplants

This time of year, the only plants you can grow are houseplants. They steadfastly keep you company in your home all year long. Some popular, dependable varieties of houseplants have been around for decades and are easy to care for.
But with new varieties of indoor plants being introduced every year, we can enjoy new colors and shapes to the indoor landscape.
Here are six totally awesome houseplants—some are new, some are established exotic species new to us, and all of them would look great in your home.

Philodendron ‘Prince of Orange’
Philodendrons are popular houseplants that thrive indoors in almost all settings. The pleasant green foliage is a welcome addition to any room. Philodendron ‘Prince of Orange’ offers the same easy-care dependability, with the bonus of colorful leaves. The new leaves unfurl in vivid orange and slowly change to pale green as they mature. Unlike the traditional Philodendron, this variety is not vining. The stiff, dark stems hold the leaves upright.

It will reach up to 24 inches tall, so it can be used on a counter or tabletop—or even on the floor.

Grow this plant in bright, filtered light in a pot with well-drained soil. Philodendrons act as excellent air purifiers, removing toxins from the air. If you haven’t had success with houseplants before, a Philodendron ‘Prince of Orange’ is a good choice. Available from www.logees.com.
Rattlesnake Plant
One of the very best ornamental houseplants, Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea lancifolia) has long, medium-green leaves with decorative dark green spots—but turn the leaves over to see their purple undersides! Rattlesnake Plant is a beautiful accent for the home, and in the warmer seasons it makes a great patio plant, growing up to 30 inches tall.

The key to keeping a Rattlesnake Plant happy is to keep the soil evenly moist, but not waterlogged. It likes bright light and early morning sun, but full afternoon sun is too much for it.
Tropical Pitcher Plant
Pitcher Plants are carnivorous plants that, in their native environments, attract insects into cup-shaped or tube-shaped “pitchers.” Insects get trapped in the pitchers and are consumed by the plant. Some Pitcher Plant species grow wild in North America.

‘Lady Luck’ is a Tropical Pitcher Plant that has been bred for its abundance of bright red pitchers. A cross between Nepenthes ventricosa and Nepenthes ampullaria, ‘Lady Luck’ has rich burgundy-red pitchers that hang from the plant. Grow ‘Lady Luck’ in a hanging basket in a sunroom or on a sunny windowsill.
Crispy Wave Fern
Everyone loves ferns, and there are many species of ferns that make great houseplants. But for something a little different, try a Crispy Wave Fern (Asplenium nidus). This plant is known for its heavily ruffled, attractive green foliage. Crispy Wave has an upward growth habit, making it a good choice for tight spaces like bathroom counters or kitchen windowsills.

Its wavy leaves arise from a central rosette, giving the plant a “bird’s nest” appearance. A trendy fern that’s resilient in most home environments, it enjoys soil that is kept evenly watered. This plant is one of the best air-cleaning plants, so put it in a room where you spend some time. Available from www.logees.com.
Angel’s Trumpet ‘Angel’s Coral Sunset’
Angel’s Trumpets (Brugmansia hybrids) are woody trees or shrubs that get their name from the large trumpet-shaped flowers that hang from the plant. Angel’s Coral Sunset is a new hybrid that produces 12-inch-long flowers with an intoxicating fragrance that can fill the night air. The trumpet-shaped, flower-within-a-flower blossoms are coral and soft orange—much like a tropical sunset. As the flowers age, the entire bloom changes to solid coral.

This upright grower can reach 4-6 feet tall, so it needs a large container and plenty of space. This is a great plant for moving out onto a patio in the summer season. It loves to grow in full sun.
Alocasia ‘Frydek’
Here’s a dependable potted plant that is welcome in any home. Alocasia ‘Frydek’ has broad, velvety greenish-black leaves with striking white veins. This easy-care plant is a real beauty in kitchens and throughout the house. The young leaves start out as bright lime green, and the pale leaf stems have a purplish jagged banding which adds even more intrigue to this eye-catching species.

Alocasia ‘Frydek’ is a strong grower that thrives throughout the year. It will grow to a mature size of 2-3 feet tall, and like many tropical plants it does best in rooms where the temperature doesn’t drop below 60° F. In partial sun or bright light, and your plant will be happy and healthy.