Are you interested in keeping tropical houseplants? These visually eye-catching plants provide bright pops of color if you decide to grow them in your home.
Tropical plants are easy to grow inside if you handle them properly. We’ll go over the top tips for successfully keeping tropical houseplants to boost your confidence in your green thumb.
Tip #1: Pick the Right Tropical Houseplant
As we mentioned, many tropical houseplants grow very well inside homes. However, not all tropical plants have the same needs. Read over the needs of a tropical plant before selecting one to grow in your home. Consider:
- How much sun the plant needs
- How much water the plant needs
- Whether or not the plant is hazardous to animals
Some tropical plants are dangerous if consumed by cats or dogs. Additionally, some plants, like the dumb cane, contain a caustic sap that damages skin upon contact. Read up on every plant before making a purchase, so there are no unpleasant surprises.
Some examples of tropical plants that garden centers commonly sell include:
- Amazon’s elephant ear
- Anthurium
- Bird of paradise
- Ficus
- Peace lily
- Orchid
All of these plants have unique needs to consider before you make a purchase. Knowing what you’re getting will increase your odds of keeping a tropical houseplant alive.
Tip #2: Re-Pot Your Tropical Houseplant Immediately
Make sure that you re-pot your tropical houseplant after you bring it home from the nursery or store. Re-potting your plant comes with several benefits:
- Allows you to check the health of your plant
- Frees root-bound plants
- Encourages the plant to absorb more nutrients
- Gives the plant a chance to grow faster
It’s crucial to re-pot plants if their roots seem moldy, smelly, mushy, or dry. Make sure you re-pot your plant in a proper container. Select pots with drainage holes, as these reduce the chances of root rot or mold.
Re-pot using the correct soil type for your plant. Finally, make sure that you select a pot that is larger than the plant’s previous pot. This gives your new tropical houseplant the best chances to grow and thrive.
Tip #3: Care for Your Tropical Houseplant Consistently
Keeping a tropical houseplant requires you to provide consistent care to the plant. Plants grow better when they regularly receive the same style of care and steady amount of light.
However, plants do not all require the same kind of care. Some plants, like birds of paradise, require watering every day so that their soil always stays damp. Other plants, like the ficus, must allow the soil to dry before you water again.
Make sure you consider the needs of your plants and set up a schedule to ensure they get the water they need. Most tropical houseplants also require fertilizer of some kind. Apply this fertilizer regularly as recommended for the unique plant.
Tip #4: Consider the Humidity
Tropical houseplants are from, well, the tropics, a very humid and warm area. Many tropical houseplants adjust to the lower humidity of a house with little issue. However, exceptions occur.
Brown or yellow leaves can indicate insufficient humidity levels for your houseplant. Increase humidity while keeping tropical plants by:
- Running a humidifier near your plants
- Misting your plants regularly
- Covering your plants with a cloche
- Setting up a mini indoor greenhouse
Take these steps to boost humidity when caring for tropical houseplants. However, keep in mind that not all tropical houseplants require additional humidity.
Tip #5: Give Tropical Houseplants Enough Light
Tropical plants often grow well inside because many of them do not require high levels of light. Tropical plants grow naturally under a canopy in many cases, reducing their need for direct light. Plants like Amazon’s elephant leaf and the peace lily, for example, prefer indirect or dim light.
Putting a plant that wants very little light into a bright window can harm or even kill the plant.
However, do not automatically assume all tropical houseplants prefer indirect light. Bird of paradise plants require bright light and even a bit of direct sun to thrive. If your plants that look “leggy” and loses its color, it might want more sun.
Consider the unique needs of each plant you purchase and do your best to meet these needs. Read up on each plant you purchase to give yourself every advantage when keeping tropical houseplants.
Decorate Your Home by Keeping Tropical Houseplants
Interested in keeping tropical houseplants? Follow the above tips to increase your odds of having a thriving green thumb. Reach out to our team at Kristina Wolf’s House of Design through the contact form on our website for more tips about using tropical plants for accessorizing and interior design in your home.