Indoor plants – Track2Training

Succulents are indoor plants which can grow with very little water. They are ornamental plants and are used to decorate spaces for their interesting shapes and colours. If you are in search of house plants which can thrive with little care succulents are for you. Over the last few years succulents have grown very popular. There are hundreds of unique varieties and one doesn’t need gardening skills to care for them, anyone can grow them. They have special water storing tissues which help them to grow even in very dry conditions which is not favorable for most other plants. So, they are ideal for growing in your living room. They are also very easy to find in nurseries and shops.

In botany, succulent are plants which are thick and fleshy to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word succulent comes from the Latin word sucus, meaning ‘juice’, or ‘sap’. These plants may store water in various structures, such as leaves and stems. The natural habitats of these water preserving plants are in areas where there is high temperatures and low rainfall, like deserts. Having the ability to thrive on limited water sources, such as mist and dew, succulents are equipped to survive in an ecosystem with scarce water sources. In horticulture, the term succulent regularly excludes cacti. However in botanical terminology, cacti fall under succulents.

Some easy to grow succulent varieties are –

Burro’s tail – It is a trailing succulent that looks good in a hanging basket or container so it can drape over. The stems can reach up to 3 feet long and have gray-green leaves which looks like the grains of rice. Although it rarely blooms, pink or red flowers might be visible at the end of the stems in summer.

Christmas Cactus – It has flat segmented stems like crab claws which gives it the nick name crab claw cactus. It also prefers a bit more moisture so you can water it whenever the top inch of soil in the container is dry. Keeping it in bright light near a window, can make it bloom in winter.

Hens and Chickens – It is a very common type of succulent and is characterised by flower like structures with round edges. They are actually two different plants which look very simmilar. They have star shaped flowers.

Aloevera – It has long slender leaves with sharp teeth like edges. It’s well known for its sap which is used to treat skin diseases and heal wounds. Aloevera is a easy to grow houseplant and is tough to kill.

Snake Plant – They have thick, stiff and pointed leaves which grow straight up to 3 feet long. Having a patterned marking makes it look like a snake and hence the name. It will multiply and grow leading to filling the whole pot. It might require you to divide it in different pots.

African Milk Tree – It is capable of growing upto nine feet tall in natural habitat, and it isn’t actually a tree. As a houseplant, this succulent reaches up to three feet tall, producing upright, triangular, branched stems bordered with short sharp thorns. The tips of the green stems have small leaves with a reddish tinge.

Zebra Haworthia – It has striking stripes and spiky foliage which makes it look like a rare and exotic plant, but it’s often available at plant shops and is very easy-going when it comes to taking care of. It will stay small within 5 inches.

We all know, how plants are helpful to us, why are they vital. With the rise in carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, the only way to tackle it is by, either reducing the emissions which seem implausible due to industrialization, or the other is by planting more trees, which comes with its problem of land use. But plants can also be planted indoors, which is a pretty efficient way to keep pollution outside the boundary walls of the home. Not only the pollution from outside but, several VOCs like formaldehyde from furnishings, carpets, paints, etc. With so many people coming to cities for better jobs, a better lifestyle, lands for trees have become sparse. Indoor plants don’t only help in relating pollution inside the house, but also helps to boost the members of the house emotionally and mentally. Plants promote mindfulness, calmness, serenity because plants tend to make you care for the moment instead of the rest of the world. Plants also remind us to keep moving, as different plants have different needs, and caring for them requires learning about their different peculiarities. Also, they provide “low expectation” companionship, reaching friends or family can’t be feasible all times so a partner whom you can talk whenever you like to, is not bad, they never sound judgy or tell whatever you are feeling is true or not. In totality, indoor plants can’t do any possible harm except for occupying some space of your room and some time, but it could be worth it. The positive outcomes vanquish the negatives by a large difference. Some of the indoor plants that everyone should try on are listed below.

Snake plant (Sansevieria)- Also known as the mother-in-law’s tongue, this gorgeous multi-hued leaved plant is a great health booster and can thrive in low light too and prefers drier conditions. It absorbs carbon dioxide and release oxygen even at night and is also helpful in absorbing toxins like formaldehyde and benzene.

Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema)- Its beautiful two-toned leaves are hard to miss and comes in different varieties. This beauty needs a warm and moist climate to prosper, and a moderate temperature year-round.

Lucky bamboo (Dracena Sanderiana)- Popular in Feng shui, can survive in soil or water alone and prefer a moderate amount of indirect sunlight. Good for decorative purposes but its leaves are slightly toxic, thus should be kept away from children and pets.

Monstera (Monstera deliciosa)- Also called the Swiss Cheese plant because of its glossy tropical holed leaves. Due to its enormous size, it requires slightly large spaces to thrive. But provided with moderate temperature and low light ensures content plant. The beauty comes with a cost as it is poisonous so it is advised to keep pets and youngsters away.

Arrowhead plant (Syngonium podophyllum)- The leaves change shape as they grow and thus provides with great varieties. The vines are often used for indoor hanging baskets but could be trained to grow on poles. Isn’t picky about light but of water, remember never to overwater else you would be left with an unhappy plant.

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)- They prefer to clean the air with high humidity and indirect sunlight, easy to grow and needs watering once a month.

Aloe Vera- The multitasker. While planted helps to clean the environment by absorbing toxins. Also, it’s leaves contain a gel full of vitamins, enzymes, Amino Acids that have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial properties.

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