i would like to add some plants in my north-facing room and i was wondering which of the plants that would survive there are low maintence and bloom a lot. thanks in advance, alex
I'm assuming you mean indoor plants. You could give African Violets a try. Some people consider them tacky, but they're profuse bloomers and are suitable for a North-facing room. Also try Spathiphyllum, the peace lily, which is another fairly easy plant that blooms happily. One that I would highly recommend is a Hoya. Hoya carnosa is by far the most commonly available species (it's the "wax plant": http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Asclepiadaceae/Hoya_carnosa.html). Or try Ceropegia woodii, in the same family as Hoya. It's commonly called the "rosary vine" and flowers, even in partial shade. The flowers aren't huge or spectacular, but they're bizarre and fascinating . (I know they're selling these at Southlands now). You could get a Maranta (peacock plant). There are three generally available cultivars (dark green with pink veins, light green with dark splotches, and dark green with silver veins). They flower quite happily, little pink flowers. Also, try to get a hold of Oxalis regnelli 'triangularis', which is beautiful in its own right and has pink flowers (http://home.att.net/~tropicalgems/oxtri.jpg). These are also at Southlands now. hth (hope this helps)! kathleen
