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Plump leaves, bright petals, and the ornamental pots they’re grown in: there’s so much to love about houseplants. A touch of flora can refresh any room of your home, offering it cleaner air, a peaceful ambience, and some lively natural scents. Better yet, if you’re mindful of the plants you choose, they can imbue your spaces with impactful touches of elegance. While just about any species will lend this effect, here are five particularly stylish ones that may do wonders for your interior design—and they’re surprisingly simple to maintain once you know their particular needs.
African violet
This plant native to East African rainforests is about as exotic and vibrant as it sounds. It produces sophisticated, muted-green leaves and fantastic purple blooms (though some varieties may instead have pink or white petals) and is known to live for decades with proper care, meaning it could become a lasting component of your home decor. It fares best when bound to a smaller pot, so it may work ideally as a decoration on a bedside or end table. And to ensure maximum appeal for its surroundings, set it in a space that features compatible colors such as gray, navy blue, or gold.
Place your African violet in a self-watering ceramic pot to keep the soil moist but the leaves dry, and change its water weekly. it in bright, indirect light (preferably in an east- or north-facing room) and feed it high-phosphorus fertilizer every two to four weeks in warmer months, and you’ll be rewarded with bright, colorful, and consistent blooms that will wow your guests all year long.
Anthurium
Liven any space with the tropical flair of this wonderful ornamental species, which also goes by the colorful names of flamingo flower and Hawaiian love plant. Its leaves appear waxy and broad, while its proud flowers may be white, red, purple, pink, or even bright orange. Such dramatic hues, along with its domelike growing pattern, make this an excellent centerpiece for a living room coffee table or kitchen island.
To care for your very own anthurium, pot it in organic, well-draining soil and set it somewhere that receives ample indirect light. Mist the plant with water several times per week, and keep its soil moist but not wet to suit its tropical needs. Additionally, fertilize it like an African violet to promote healthy growth and ensure that it continues to provide striking brilliance.
Olive tree
Tall, dramatic, and reminiscent of Mediterranean splendor, trees of the Olea europaea variety could be overtaking fiddle-leaf figs as the next must-have tall indoor plant. Despite their recent popularity in America, they have been beloved for millennia in their Mediterranean homeland for their staple fruit, dense canopies, and appropriately olive-green leaves. Grown indoors, an olive tree will flourish into an attractively broad silhouette that draws the eye upward from low-set bulk such as sofas, dining tables, and beds. Because they can grow up to ten feet tall, though, you’ll want to place yours in an airy space. (If you have lower ceilings, opt for the dwarf olive variety, which tops out at six feet.)
Your olive tree will crave abundant direct light, so be sure to set it near a window. For best results, plant it in spring in a well-draining terra-cotta pot using loam-based, peat-free compost, which you can find at a local nursery. Water it moderately without allowing the soil to dry out, and provide it liquid-based feed every two weeks in warm months. Late in summer, prune any dying or wayward branches to mold a more shapely figure.
Snake plant
A curious variety of West African succulent, this plant is easily recognized by its long, green, bladelike leaves that extend straight upward. Its handsome and almost sculptural shape makes for an excellent decorative feature, especially when set beside wide furniture like a sofa. Meanwhile, the dramatic patterning, which may include stripes, waves, or even brightly lined edges, will add a touch of eye-catching texture to its surroundings.
Snake plants are surprisingly robust, requiring about eight to ten hours of indirect sunlight per day, well-draining cactus soil, and only occasional watering—simply wait until the soil is dry to give it a drink (about once every two to three weeks). Just keep it away from any pets since it is toxic to them. You could also opt for an artificial version to be safe, but make sure to select a smaller variety; generally, the larger it is, the easier it will be for guests to detect that it’s made from fabric or plastic.
Vase of roses
If you lack a green thumb, you don’t have to resign yourself to faux plants—enjoy some bouquets of fresh flowers instead. These arrangements have never gone out of style, nor are they likely to. In fact, vases of blooms or leafy stems are often the secret to achieving that as-seen-in-magazines level of luxurious home design. And you can’t go wrong with roses; they’re classic, saturated with color, and practically synonymous with sophistication. Place a container of garden-sourced or store-bought snippings on your coffee table, bedroom vanity, or bathroom countertops to instantly elevate it to editorial elegance. For best results, select blooms that match with other accent decor in the room, looking to throw pillows, wall art, and rugs for inspiration.
To prolong your roses’ beauty as much as possible, choose a clean vase, fill it three quarters of the way with lukewarm water, and dissolve flower food in it. Then prune the flowers’ stems at a 45-degree angle and remove any leaves that may fall below the water line, add them to the vase, and place your arrangement in a cool spot that receives indirect light. For ongoing care, change the water every few days, adding more flower food and trimming the stems slightly each time. Do so, and you’ll infuse the space with upscale sophistication that simultaneously feels comforting, as if beckoning you to lounge nearby and take in the floral fragrance.
Download the Guide to Top Houseplants
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