Indoor Ornamentals: Tips On Growing Ornamentals As Houseplants

Lots of plants that we grow outside as ornamentals are actually warm weather perennials that can be grown year-round indoors. As long as these plants receive plenty of sunlight, they can be kept as houseplants all year or just moved inside when the weather gets colder. Keep reading to learn more about ornamental plants you can grow indoors.

Indoor Ornamentals

Growing outdoor ornamentals as houseplants is often easy, as long as you pick a plant that thrives at room temperature and doesn’t need too much light. Some popular low-maintenance ornamental plants you can grow indoors are:

• Asparagus fern– Asparagus fern grows quickly, making deep green foliage dotted with delicate flowers and bright red berries. It works very well in a container.
• Geranium– Geraniums will bloom all through the winter, as long as they’re in a bright window.
• Caladium– Caladium, also called elephant ear, grows well indoors and will remain colorful all winter in indirect sunlight.
• Ivy– Ivy does very well in the shade and can be planted to drape over the edge of a pot, creating a nice cascade effect from a tall shelf or table.

Some indoor ornamental plants require a little more care, however.

• Begonias can be brought inside, but they need some maintenance. They like high humidity, but they also like their soil to dry out between waterings. To achieve this, line your plant’s saucer with pebbles-- this will keep the pot’s runoff water from evaporating as quickly. Also, mist the plant between waterings to keep it moist.
• Hot pepper plants can be grown as interesting houseplant ornamentals. As summer winds down, dig up your plant and put it in a pot. The pot will need bright direct sunlight, possibly from a grow light. You’ll also need to watch the leaves for aphids, which can get out of hand.

Basically, as long as you can provide the plants with whatever they need to thrive, you should be able to grow nearly any type of ornamental garden plant indoors.