The Best Plants to Keep in Your Home
Plants are incredibly therapeutic. They have proven to have many benefits for our health. Being amongst nature helps to reduce our stress levels and makes us happier. Placing plants in your home will have similar effects. Plants add a calming element to your home, which reciprocates to your own mental health. This is because plants remind us of the great outdoors. As humans, we’re not meant to be cooped up indoors all day. We relish more when we are surrounded by greenery. That is why we can never have too many plants in our homes. Another added benefit is that plants improve air quality! In Malta, you can easily feel that the air quality isn’t good enough due to all the construction around us. Plants will help to ease that burden as they add more oxygen in the air. You’re bound to feel fresher in a room full of plants. Increase the positivity around you - a home full of plants will make you happier and healthier! Here’s a list of fabulous plants that are perfect for your home. There are lots to choose from!
Prayer Plant
The actual name of the Prayer plant is Maranta. It derived its nickname because it tends to fold its leaves in ‘prayer’. The Prayer plant has striking leaves. Richly engraved veins amongst a deep green background. There are different types of prayer plants. The most common has distinct red veins. Prayer plants are not necessarily easy to grow, but their outstanding beauty makes it worth it. They fit in well in the Maltese climate because they love warm and moist conditions. Never set your prayer plant in direct sunlight though! Your prayer plant will also require some fertilizer from time to time to keep it growing strong. As Prayer plants love moisture, it’s best to spritz the leaves with water to keep them hydrated. Due to their intricate design, prayer plants will leave you and guests in awe.
Snake Plant
As you can imagine, snake plants get their name due to their long, elongated leaves. The leaves’ design also replicates the scales of a snake. Snake plants are a medium-sized plant, standing at 8 to 12 inches tall. They’re perfect to place on a cabinet or chest of drawers. These plants are one of the easiest to look after. They’re incredibly tolerable and can survive a couple of weeks of neglect if you’re the forgetful type. The Snake plant prefers to be placed in indirect sunlight and watered every few weeks (less so in the Winter). The Snake plant is so versatile that NASA’s research has shown that they remove toxins from the air! They would make an incredible first plant to keep. Once you get the hang of keeping one alive, the rest will come easy.
Dracaena
Now, who wouldn’t want to keep a plant whose name sounds like it’s come out straight from Game of Thrones? There is a range of different type of Dracaena, ranging from big to small! If you’re looking for a larger plant, then this would be the ideal one to place in a corner as it remains quite slim. The Dracaena has a lean, tall stem with foliage bustling from the tip. It looks rather exotic! These plants are relatively simple to take care of. They require filtered light but only need to be watered regularly. The Dracaena plant requires frequent fertilisation, especially during the Summer months. This would also make a great first plant to keep, especially if you’re looking for something larger. The Dracaena plants are loved by many due to their simple, but elegant tree-like formation.
Aloe Vera
The aloe vera plant is great if you’re looking for a small plant to place idyllically on a shelf. The aloe vera plant is a succulent that is very easy to take care of. This plant likes to be placed in a bright spot and does not require frequent watering. The Aloe Vera plants also offer great health benefits! You’ve probably seen loads of products boasting to have aloe vera properties. The aloe vera plant produces a clear gel that can be used as a home remedy. The gel it produces is soothing and can help heal burns. Aside from that, aloe vera gel has amazing skincare benefits as it helps to reduce redness. This multi-purpose plant is surely versatile!
Chinese Money Plant
The scientific name for the plant is actually Pilea Peperomioides. It earned its nickname as the leaves look like coins! The Chinese money plant is nothing short but pretty and elegant. This is an ideal plant if you’re looking for something simpler but still eye-catching. These plants are particularly popular in Scandinavia where they first became prominent in the Western world. This plant is a bit trickier to look after as it requires constant attention. Ensure the soil is mostly dry between watering and place your new plant in indirect sunlight. Maybe, if you’re lucky, this plant will give you good fortune!
Ivy
Ivy is a great plant if you’re looking for something different. Ivy tends to grow long as the leaves project downwards. The best place to set your ivy is in a hanging basket. Ivy looks especially elegant as its leaves droop down. If you have a tall cabinet, you can increase its awe by placing a potted ivy on top as its leaves hang down the side. Ivy isn’t too difficult to take care of. It requires plenty of light to encourage the leaves to grow. Ivy plants need little watering as they prefer to be kept slightly on the dry side. Ivy is a flawless plant if you’re looking for something to complement your home furnishings.
Spider Plant
No surprises as to where this plant gets its name from. Its leaves spark up before they start to droop down. The scientific name of this plant is Chlorophytum comosum. It is one of the easier house plants to take care of. The spider plant is very tolerable so there isn’t much that can go wrong in its care. This is another great plant to own if you’ve never kept plants before. Spider plants prefer bright, indirect light. They will need regular watering but ensure the soil is neither too moist nor too dry. There is no need to worry if you spot the tips of the leaves browning. This is normal and causes no harm to the plant.
Cacti
The humble cactus is probably the most reliable plant to keep. They’ve become increasingly popular over the years. Cacti not only look intriguing but they’re incredibly easy to take care of. There is almost nothing that can go wrong (unless you’re that one person that overwaters their cactus!). Cacti come in a range of different shapes, sizes and styles. You’ll have no problem finding them at your local plant nursery. Cacti make the perfect plants to place intricately as a decoration. Cacti don’t require much attention, just slight watering here and there. They need more watering in the Summer and hardly any during Winter. The cactus is an ideal plant if you’re looking to add some greenery to your home, but don’t want to deal with the fuss of taking care of a plant.
This post only shows a handful of all the plants available out there to take care of. Visit your local nursery where you will see a huge variety. Your local nursery worker will be more than happy to help. When purchasing your new plant, ask them for some helpful hints and tips. Don’t forget to take note of the name of your plant so you can do further research at home. Plants will make any home look more inviting and comfortable. Once you’re settled into your new property, buy a few plants to make your place instantly feel more like home. Every day, you’ll arrive back home to a stress-free environment. Buying a new property can be very stressful. Get in touch with one of our sales specialists at Zanzi Homes today to make the process smoother.