Illustration by Juliette Borda
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Inner Beauty
By Michael Boodro, November-December 2003
Choose the right houseplants this winter—or they’ll be kicking up daisies come spring
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On my first visit to Los Angeles many years ago, I finally realized that not
all plants are meant to live indoors. The sickly jade plant that I had nursed
diligently for 10 years (and whose rubbery leaves inevitably fell off every few
weeks) had relatives there the size of Volkswagens. There was no way, I knew,
that my north-facing window right over the radiator could ever replicate the
humid, sprinkler-fed subtropical climate of Hollywood. Like anyone who has
watched leaves drop daily from even the most lush ficus tree (and that's
virtually anyone without a climate-controlled greenhouse), I despaired of
growing plants indoors.
But the secret to indoor plants turns out to be not so different from
success in the garden—picking the right plant for the right spot. If that spot
is in an overheated apartment with scant light, your options naturally are
going to be limited. You're probably going to have to give up your dream of
a lush indoor jungle and of lying on your sofa surrounded by rare flowering
plants like some Henri Rousseau vision.
During the winter, especially, we look to plants for cheer and encouragement, signs that nature goes on and spring will return.
In fact, when light is scarce, forget flowers altogether, unless you're
willing to put up with the finicky demands of African violets and orchids.
Think foliage instead—multicolored coleus or the new hybrid Rex begonias, whose
leaves are more vivid than most blossoms but don't require tons of direct
sunlight. Or go for plants with big, bold leaves like alocasia or the
strappy-leaved clivia. Group them together to create an indoor microclimate
that allows you to minimize (i.e., hide) any plants that are dormant or past
their peak. If possible, place your pots on trays of pebbles; you can then add
water to the trays to increase the area's moisture without rotting the
plants' roots.
If you do have lots of light, it's a different story. You can have some
flowers, but stick with the classic amaryllis, night-blooming jasmine, or
variegated-leaved cyclamens. Or try abutilons, the flowering maples that are
actually part of the hibiscus family but have the advantage of attractive
leaves when not in flower. You can also buy potted daffodils or tulips. But
think of these as strictly seasonal items, and once they have flowered either
hide them away or simply toss them. (Okay, you can plant the daffodil bulbs
outside come spring, but tulips that have already been forced to bloom out of
season aren't likely to bloom again. And amaryllis, even if you stick them
in the dark for a few months, are hit or miss.)
Discarding living (or even semi-living) things is a difficult step for any
plant lover, but sometimes admitting defeat is the wisest course. Enjoy your
indoor plants as long as they are green and abundant and give you pleasure, but
only that long. During the winter, especially, we look to plants for cheer and
encouragement, signs that nature goes on and spring will return. Once a
houseplant is past its prime, throw it into the compost pile, where it can be
reconstituted as fertilizer to feed a truly happy outdoor plant in the future.
You can always reuse the pot.
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