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Foliage Houseplants Profile

Why is it that we love to see plants growing inside our homes, as well as out in our gardens? Foliage houseplants bring a sense of vibrancy and life to indoor spaces; just looking at a lovingly tended houseplant can raise a smile. It may also be the way, through their great variety of colour, shape, form and texture, they compliment and enhance interior design, bringing out the very best in a room.

It is also commonly believed that houseplants are able to reduce air pollutants, with research from NASA scientists suggesting they can remove toxicants from the air. Even more reason to love them in your home.

Foliage houseplants are those grown for their striking leaf colour and shape, as opposed to their flowers. There is a huge diversity to choose from, including more compact varieties to large, feature plants that transform a space.

In this article we highlight four of our favourites, but there are many other options of wonderful varieties to suit your home.

Ficus

Ficus is a large genus of plants, which include trees, shrubs and vines. A popular ornamental houseplant variety is Ficus elastica, also known as the rubber plant, which has broad shiny attractive leaves and is easy to care for, provided it is not overwatered.

Calathea

A number of plants from the Calathea genus can grow indoors and have outstanding and unusual foliage. Calathea Zebrina pictured above or Calathea rufibarba below, for example, has wavy leaves with purple undersides that have a soft velvety feel. Calatheas like low light conditions with minimal direct sun, so ideal to brighten up a dull corner of the room.

Begonia

Not only do Begonia have lovely flowers but some also have outstanding foliage and work well in baskets and borders during summer. Ideal for an East or West facing window sill.

Dracaena

Dracaena is another genus that contains reasonably easy-to-care-for houseplants. Some species of dracaena can grow to 2 metres tall, making them a standout feature as part of interior décor. They tolerate poor light and should even survive if you (occasionally) forget to water them.

Indoor Plant Pots for Foliage Houseplants

We have a large selection of indoor plant pots to pop your new houseplant in to cover all sizes from a vessel to sit on your desk to a specimen in your sitting room.

So whether it’s a few new foliage plants to bring some greenery into your home, a large specimen to bring life to a corner or vibrant shrubs to create your own jungle, our plant experts are available in every stare to help you pick the houseplants best for your location.