11 Best Plants for Condo Homes

Completing a condo garden has its fair share of challenges. Aside from making sure you have enough space to accommodate five pots or more, you also need to make sure your chosen plants can thrive in a corner that receives the right amount of sunlight. Once you’re ready to commit to maintaining your own green corner and you’ve carefully reviewed the elements you need to consider when starting a condo garden, it’s time to shop for your first batch of houseplants. Before you schedule a visit to the store, remember these:

• There are plants that are suited to the condo setting. Partial-shade plants need modern exposure to the sun and can thrive indoors.
• On average, indoor plants should be exposed to sunlight once every two weeks.
• If you see that the plants' leaves are turning yellow, it means that either the plant hasn’t acclimatized or it’s lacking certain nutrients. Consider placing it in a partially shaded area.

Complete your condo garden with these plants:

Boston fern

Locally known as Elechos, this lovely plant can spruce up the balcony. For an extra stylish touch, use a macramé hanging planter.

Bromeliad

Its structured look makes it an ideal centerpiece in the dining area.

Spathyphyllum

It has distinct dark green leaves and a white flower per cluster. Use it to liven up a tired living area.

Sansevieria

Everyone adores its flat, thick, and sword-like leaves. Since its growth is vertical, consider placing it against a blank wall to liven it up.

Rhapis Palm

It has an exposed body with a lush top. Use it to brighten up a dull corner.

Diffenbachia

Its broad, sometimes spotted leaves can be used as part of an elegant flower arrangement.

Agave

Be careful when shopping for this plant as it has thick leaves with a pointed end, which makes it not a good option if you have kids. While some can be smooth, some may have small teeth at the margins.

Anthurium

Its flowers are somewhat similar to that of Spathyphyllum’s. Place a pot on your center table as its heart-shaped leaves with one flower (red or white) per cluster will surely captivate guests.

Looking for something a little more enchanting? These trees/palms can be potted and placed indoors:

Yucca and Frangipani (kalachuchi)

These two can thrive and survive indoors if acclimatized properly.

Palms

Look for the common Palmera, MacArthur, or Fishtail.

Bonsai

Since bonsais differ from each other, ask the supplier how to care for a particular bonsai to make sure it will thrive.

This snippet originally appeared in the June 2006 issue of Real Living Magazine.