I’m hoping someone may have some suggestions… We are looking for some houseplants to add more flavour to our new home, it is a custom farmhouse-style home with lots of Douglas fir and Western yew wood accents, and therefore large-leafed tropicals would look really out of context! We currently have some nice assorted fern/ivy/moss combinations and a Norfolk pine which suit it well. While I totally understand that our native plants (Coastal BC) do not work as houseplants, I’m hoping that there are other temperate-climate plants that will? A trip to our local nursuries was of no help (other than finding more ferns!), but I did see a neat Arbutus unedo in the covered outdoor section at one nursery and was wondering if anyone knew if it would survive indoors as it is more of a dry/warm climate-type? Thanks!
What about a Ficus benjamina. The regular one can get pretty big over time, but I have one that stays a bit smaller. It is a benjamina but has contorted branches so tends to grow out more than up. Go to the search area in the formum and enter contorty ficus. I was told it could be Ficus benjamina "zig zag" or possibly Wiandi, but not sure. I like having different house plants than the usual stuff, and this sure fits the bill. Crassula ovata or Jade plant in another easy one. Hoya carnosa is another one. They come with all green or varigated leaves. The usual flowers are a very pale pink but can be anything from pink to burgundy to several shades of yellow/orange. Google "Hoya" and have a look at all the choices. Just thought of another "different one" Elk or Stag horn fern. They are totally different than the usual Boston type fern. Have fun!!! barb
Thanks for the suggestions Barb! The Ficus is one that might fit in, but the stag horn sure catches my interest - I will have to look into it as it definitly looks like one that may fit in! I've never seen one before so hopefully I can track down a source for them locally. Cheers!
Yes Ron. It's funny how plants become popular for a while and then kinda fade out of mind. That's any easy one and quite pretty too. I'm sorry JK, I just don't think of the Pitt as being an indoor plant, big or dwarf. I plant it as about a 170 ft hedge when I lived in Santa Cruze. CA barb
@Barbara The OP may have different conditions but I have one growing indoors in an unheated room. The container restricts its growth thus keeping it small.
I just never would have thunk it! I guess it just depends on what your used to. I grew up half a mile S. of the main runway to Sea-Tac airport in 44, then moved to CA in the late 60's. That was another education. I thru out a common tradescantia under a bush and it continued to not only grow, but flower. Didn't know they did that. The first time I went to Disney world in FL and saw all my house plants out growing in the ground, it was a real eyeopener. Had a Hispanic Lady come to me in a MG clinic and say she had lived all over the Us, but loved the PNW. Because she saw all the same plants she had seen as a child in Patgonia. I told her she'd grown up in a southern temperate zone and was now living in a northern temperaate zone so be happy and plant lots! What we learn as we travel life's roads. ;))) barb
I know what you mean. Occasionally in these forums, people post pictures of what are houseplants in my area but take on quite a different form in a more hospitable outdoor environment.
Thanks for more great suggestions - these are definitely the kind of things I was looking for - but couldn't think up on my own! Tolmiea menziesii is native around here - it is pretty ubiquitous on the forest floor out in the valley - I never thought of it as a houseplant, but definitely worth a try ;-) I wasn't familliar with Pittosporum tobira and when I looked it up I saw that it is a "mock orange" we also have native "mock orange" Philadelphus lewisii and I wonder if it would grow indoors as well? But perhaps the Pittosporum tobira would give me the same look but be better adapted to indoor life? Other than having it in an unheated room what kind of light does it recieve and does it ever flower indoors? Is it commonly sold in nurseries in the Vancouver area? Cheers!
My room receives much light with a southern exposure. The plant produces flowers but sparingly, perhaps because I've neglected to move it up to a bigger container. The all green variety may be a better bloomer. Not sure if the plant is common but it is available at local nurseries.