I would say with all the things happening in the world at the moment, we are all in need of a mood boost. It's been an over 40 days now that I have been in self-isolation, and after stopping the shop briefly and having to completely stop my other business. And in all honesty, I can stay thank F*** for my plants! lol
Like many of us that are flying through life, I suddenly had no alternative to slow down and through all this chaos and sorrow I found calmness again in my plants...These recent events reminded me actually, why I started collecting houseplant in the first place, and what a tremendous, healthy impact they have on my mental health especially at troubling times.
Your environment affects your health too, so adding more greenery to your home, especially with all this extra time we are having to spend indoors will only boost your mood. Houseplants are just the best for this!...they are quietly working their magic in the background which makes a huge difference to your mood, stress levels and even sleep!
Here are my personal favourite easy peasy houseplants that will lift your mood...
Hoya carnosa tricolour
First on my list, in not particularly ordered, is the very easy Hoya tricolour.
I love all hoya's but for me, this one stands out the most. Allot of planty peeps will grow hoya's for their sweet-smelling very attractive flowers, I personally just prefer the foliage especially on the tricolour as she looks fabulous all year round...
All hoyas have luxurious waxy foliage this is where the common name arises from "wax plant". The hoya tricolour has three main colours (tricolour) from green, creamy yellow and reddish/pink.
I have my Hoya tricolour on a windowsill west-facing and she gets about 9 hours of bright light. Like, allot of variegated plants the right light is an important factor in keeping the colour strong, they will also grow well in low light environments, but if you have a spare spot in your home that receives a good amount of light this is where I would place her, especially if you want her to bloom. Her watering needs are easy to I only water once the soil dries out, as she has thick waxy leave they will lock in the water for longer so perfect if you like me you get a little forgetful sometimes.
Origin: Native to Eastern Asia and Australia
Family: Apocynaceae also know as the commonly known as the dogbane family
Genus: Hoya
Species: H. carnosa
Toxicity: These are poisonous to pets so keep them up high away from pets and small hands
Philodendron Royal Queen 'new red'
If I could include the whole philodendron genus I would as I love them all! I decided to pick the Philodendron royal queen New Red. She a fairly new hybrid cultivar of a few different Philodendron species.
This queen is no diva she is so so easy and grows most elegantly. She also has a dark side so if you like dark houseplants this queen is for you. Her leaves are almost black, deep dark red in normal light, her twisty deep red stems creep upwards...
The Philodendron new red is a very low maintenance houseplant to attend to, water once the top 3inches of soil has dried out place her in a spot that gets medium light and she will be one happy Queen.
Family: Araceae
Genus: Philodendron
Species: P. royal queen new red
Toxicity: These are poisonous to pets so keep them up high away from pets and small hands
Aglomeana maria
I have chosen the Aglomeana maria as she was my first ever Aglomeana since then I was hooked of this species. These are spectacular to look at and soooo easy to grow, so perfect for beginners. The Aglomeana maria will thrive in low light conditions and will handle a little neglect and still look great. (The more brightly colourful Aglomeana will require more light.) I tend to let the soil dry out slightly with this Aglomeana epically in the winter months, now it's getting warmer I will go back and water about every two weeks. This works well for me but maybe slightly different in your household environment.
Origin: Tropics, subtropics of Asia and New Guinea
Family: Araceae
Genus: Philodendron
Species: P. royal queen new red
Toxicity: These are poisonous to pets so keep them up high away from pets and small hands
Epipremnum marble queen
Out of all the variegated plants out there I feel this one gets left forgotten about. Personally, I think the Epipremnum marble queen foliage is one one the nicest trailing variegated indoor plants you can have in your home without breaking your bank balance! Another easy Queen that will always look stunning. She will live quite happily in low light conditions like all Epipremnum, again water once the soil drys out and she will be a happy Queen.
Origin: Epipremnum can be found in tropical forests from China, the Himalayas, and south-east Asia to Australia and the western Pacific
Family: Araceae
Genus: Epipremnum
Species: E. marble Queen
Toxicity: These are poisonous to pets so keep them up high away from pets and small hands
Ceropegia woodii String of hearts
The string of heart is a hanging succulent and the final one on my mood-boosting houseplant list and what better way to finish. This charming houseplant is a delight to own. I would say they are easy as long as you don't overwater them they require excellent drainage and should be watered only when completely dry, and should never stand in the water they will root so fast, believe me. (I've accidentally killed a few buy overwatering)This string of hearts will appreciate bright, indirect sunlight, but she can do well in a low light setting too.
Origin: South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Ceropegia
Species: C. woodii
Toxicity: Yay these are pets safe and child friendly
Thank you for reading...oh and I excuse any spelling errors...I am delightfully dyslexic :)