Plants Breath In Life Into Our Rooms

By Devaki

Monday, March 29, 2010, 12:07

Plants breath in life into our rooms. Keeping house plants is the best way to decorate out home. Both, indoor and outdoor plants are not only used as decorative items, but also grown for other benefits. The most important benefit of keeping house plants is that they purify the air.

Here are some common house plants and the conditions required for growth:

Tulsi

Tulsi plant is the most common plant among the Hindu houses. It is not only known for its medicinal qualities and also considered sacred by the Hindus.

Referred as the Queen of the Herbs, the list of benefits of the Tulsi plant is endless. This herb is used in India for more than five thousand years. It is useful in preventing cold, treating cough, infections and all types of skin problems. Eating one Tulsi leaf a day, is a common practice. It is one of the best anti-oxidants and boosts the immune system too.

The best season for growing Tulsi plant is from April to June. It is an outdoor plant and should be exposed to moderate sunlight. Not much special care is needed for this plant. Regular watering and sunlight is enough for it to grow.

Mother Fern

Mother fern, a tropical fern is an indoor plant which flourishes in the shady humid atmosphere. A Mother Fern plant can grow up to 2 feet in height. It required wet soil but not too much water. For this variety make sure to use a pot with a hole, so that all extra water can drain out, leaving a wet soil. The plant required humidity up to 35 per cent.

If cared well, Mother Fern grows well. When it outgrows the size of the pot, re-plant it in a bigger one and keep it in the corner of your drawing room, or near the staircase. It adds to the decor of the room.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a short stemmed, succulent variety of plant. It is an outdoor plant and needs bright sunlight to grow. It should be placed where it gets direct sunlight. It grows well in hot and dry climate. They prefer low humidity.

Aloe Vera is also called Desert Lillies and exist in more than 200 varieties. It has long spikes leaves that are thick skinned. Each strand of leaves contain a clear gel inside. You can split open the leaves and apply the gel on any skin related problem. It is known for its medicinal properties. It is very good for treating first degree burns.

The Aloe Vera gel is also used in many cosmetic products like skin lotions, moisturizers and burn gels. It contains vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and other healing properties.

The plant can be grown by planting one stem. The stem, in the right temperature and water supply will grow into a plant.

Chinese Evergreen

Chinese Evergreen plant (scientific name: Algaonema) is a popular ornamental house plant. It is one of the easiest house plant to grow. These plants can tolerate a wide range of light and water. It is highly resistant to pests too.

It is also known as the Silver Queen or Emerald Beauty that usually finds its place in the corner of your living room.

Though the Chinese Evergreen plant can tolerate a wide range of temperature (that is between 10 – 45 degree Celsius) indirect sunlight is preferred. It is the best choice for low light areas. The pot in which it is planted, should be kept moist but not soggy. Once planted it can survive for years.