Lately all I can do is moan and whine to Heffe, asking when it will be Summertime again. All I ever want to do in the wintertime is sit in soft pants, drink wine and eat ice cream.
So, needless to say I’m chomping at the bit here.
In previous years around springtime, Sarah has shared some guidance with you about how to get your spring landscaping in check and 9 perennials to plant, before summer takes over!
Recently, we’ve had a request from one of our friends to get into some indoor options. For those of you that don’t have lovely North Carolina size yards to work with, or for those of you that are getting wicked into the whole Jungalow scene that we are enjoying, we’ve amassed a go to list of plants we think you will love too.
I took a trip up to Rolling Greens, right by the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook (an incredible hillside hike adjacent to downtown Culver City) – and there I met with Dora & Alex, who walked me through their most popular plant offering for indoors. Here are your go-to plant options for bringing some life into your living room in the SoCal Spring.
Rubber Tree
A Ficus. The Ficus Burgundy also known as the rubber plant requires medium to bright light, preferably direct sunlight. It only needs to be watered when the soil becomes dry. If kept in bright light the rubber plant should be fertilized every two months, if kept in medium light, fertilize every four months.
Money Tree
Good for Feng Shui. The Legend The five leaves represent the five Feng Shui elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. This plant is supposed to bring good fortune and luck to the household or business. I have to tell you though, we had a Landscape Designer come out to our house to consult with us on a fence project and to hear his proposal for our challenging overgrown tropical mess of a yard. He took one look at our gigantic money tree and said it would be the first thing to go. He said that the plant is ubiquitous at low end multi-unti complexes because it grows fast. He gave it the side-eye, but we let him be the first to go and will happily hang on to our giant money tree for now.
Care: The money tree should be kept in bright to low light, with the soil kept evenly moist. Also, it should be fertilized regularly.
Fiddle Leaf Fig
Easily the most popular houseplant of late. Open any home decor magazine and your bound to see her tropical leaves on more than one spread. These plants tolerate a lot of bright light but do not care for direct sunlight. They’ll take plenty of water, but it’s wise to let the soil dry out between waterings.
Song Of India
Perfect for black thumbs, the Song of India is more tolerant than most plants to irregular watering and dry soil, and it can grow, albeit slowly, to an impressive size of 6-8 feet. This plant can tolerate most levels of sun. Bonus: This is an air purifying plant; it will rid the air of harmful toxins like formaldehyde.
Coleus
I’ve had a long love affair with this one. The coleus family always catch my eye at the nursery, there are so tactile and brilliantly colored, nature’s tie-dye! The coleus is easy to grow. It’s an easy option for indoors, requiring less water, little light and low maintenance – but warmer areas. Keep the soil moist, but well drained and remove the purple flower heads to maintain and prolong leaf size.
Philodendron
The philodendron is super easy to care for. It requires low to bright light. Soil should be kept moist, not soggy, and it should be fertilized regularly. This sculptural leaf doubles as art, adding extreme visual interest to any room.
Bird’s Nest Fern
Care The birds nest fern has beautiful bright green leaves that almost glow. This plant is easy to care for. It should be kept in a North/East facing window. The soil should be evenly moist at all times. This plant does not need to be fertilized.
String of Pearls
Fern
Care Assorted ferns should be placed in bright, indirect light. They need to be kept evenly moist, but not over- watered. They should be fertilized monthly.
