Flowering Houseplants

African violets

African Violet

Flowering plants inside the home are truly a special edition to any indoor setting, and the care of a flowering plant provides many rewards. It's not as hard as you may think, and the following is a suggestion for some plants that you may want to think about when looking for species to do the job.

African violets are a good bet, as unlike many species they do not have a dormant period of bloom. If the environmental conditions are satisfactory, you should get an all-year bloom from this plant, and if you are having trouble, it is probably because the lighting is insufficient, so try moving them to a better-lit area, or perhaps use florescent lighting.

If you are looking for they type of plants that will work well in hanging basket arrangements, it is hard to go past certain types of Episcia. Episcia are fibrous-rooted trailers perfect for the hanging basket arrangement. Types you may want to explore include the Cyznet, Acajou, Sinningia, Streptocarpus or Cape Primrose.

A spectacular flowering Bromeliad

Bromeliads are also another option (the most weel known bromeliad is the pineapple!). Types that you may want to look at are Aechmea and Billbergia, which reward one with colours cobinations of blue and pink which can last for weeks. Truly beautiful flowers adorn this plant.

Aphelandra

Aphelandra or Zebra Plant has shiny, deep-green leaves prominently veined white and a spectacular yellow inflorescence. Ths plant does better under filtered light, rather than exposure to direct sunlight.

As a rule, flowers that you buy at a florist should not be used as indoor plants (other than the limited time-span that a vase may provide), as these have been raised in very different conditions to the home environment, and hence perish quickly.