Are you looking for a green houseplant and have no idea what to look for? Rest assured, you are not the only one. Houseplants come in many shapes and sizes, so there is a plant to suit everyone's requirements.
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It starts with the location of your houseplant
To determine which types of houseplants are suitable for you, it is important to decide where you want to place the plant. Some plants do very well in a bright spot, while other houseplants like to be in a place with shade. We are all familiar with the cards inside a plant, showing sun, half-sun or shade. But what is meant by this? Therefore a little explanation below.
Sun:
Sun means a very bright spot where your houseplant is also exposed to direct sunlight. In general, this means a south-facing window, but it also includes southeastern and southwestern windows. We are then talking about windows without curtains and/or net curtains.
If it's high summer, we advise you to take plants away from the window or protect them. That way, you avoid burning the leaves.
Half sun:
Half sun and/or half shade refers to a window facing east, west or north. Your plant will still get a lot of light, possibly supplemented by some direct sunlight in the morning or evening.
A spot with half sun is different for everyone, as it depends on the amount of glass to the outside. At a penthouse, your plant might be 5 metres from the window and still have plenty of light, while the other has net curtains hanging and won't get further than 1 metre.
Shade:
Any place where there is no direct sunlight, you can put a shade plant there. By the way, shade plants do need a limited amount of daylight, because no houseplant can survive without daylight.
In general, you can say that almost all houseplants do fine in a place with partial sunlight, this applies to both sun and shade plants. Conversely, sun and shade plants cannot be swapped places.
The shape and size of your houseplant
Now that you know the location of your new plant, you can also start looking at the size of your plant. Do you want a slender plant on a moss stick or do you prefer a wide house palm that fills the space more? Look carefully at the available space you have.
Large houseplants
More and more people are daring to choose a large houseplant. This way, you create something that stands out, that people talk about, a real eye-catcher. Large houseplants are a real trend and if you place your new plant in a decorative planter box immediately after purchase, you will create a unique combination you can enjoy for years. If you don't have much experience with plants, make sure you choose an easy-to-care-for variety or read up on care beforehand. By the way, it is a misunderstanding to think that large houseplants are by definition expensive; there are plenty of affordable varieties to be found.
Flowering houseplants
Add colour to your home with flowering houseplants. How about an Anthurium with deep red flowers or a Spathiphyllum with snow-white flowers. Each one of them eye-catchers that make for a cosier indoor space. Of course, there are many more species of houseplants available with flowers, even some cactus species develop beautiful little flowers.
Air-purifying houseplants
Several studies have shown that several species of houseplants, have air-purifying properties. In a general sense, these plants are able to absorb and filter mainly volatiles through the leaves. The tests are done in laboratories, under ideal conditions. In practice, you won't notice much of this phenomenon unless you fill your entire living room with air-purifying houseplants. Of course, air-purifying plants with larger leaves do contribute more to a healthier indoor climate.
Easy houseplants
Increasingly, we choose to have more greenery in our homes and that is quite logical, because it makes everything just that little bit cosier. But convenience serves man and then you automatically end up with the easy houseplants, plants that can easily do without water and have some resilience, without immediately dropping their leaves.
In addition, easy plants are also ideal for people who regularly go on holiday for a week or don't want to spend time and energy looking after them. But even if you don't have a green thumb and are about to buy your first plants, these plants also offer a solution. By the way, there is a lot of choice, so don't be afraid that you can only choose from boring plants from grandmother's time.
Pet-friendly houseplants
Houseplants originate from nature and to protect themselves, they are often (slightly) poisonous. This mostly involves the plant juices, so as long as the plant is not damaged, there is nothing wrong. If you don't want to take any risks, choose pet-friendly houseplants.
If you have a dog or cat, you might want to choose a houseplant that is not poisonous. Should your four-legged friend gnaw on the leaves, he will not ingest toxic juices. Remarkably, by the way, most pets naturally know which houseplants to leave alone.
Now you can easily select your houseplant
Now that you know what to look for in order to find the right houseplant, it is time to get started. Use the filters at the top of this page to easily select the properties you want. That way, a selection of houseplants that suit your situation will automatically appear. Be surprised by the many possibilities and choose the plant you like and which fits your budget.
The best care for your houseplant
Now that you have found your plant, it is time to briefly go over its care. Every plant needs a little water, light and love.
Watering:
Be careful when watering, as a plant that is watered too often and/or too much will die. You can easily prevent this with an analogue moisture meter, especially if you don't have a green thumb, we recommend using one.
Nutrition:
Houseplants need nutrition apart from water. Only feed plants in spring and summer. In autumn, growth slows down and most houseplants go into a kind of hibernation, so there is no demand for nutrients.
Plant food comes in many varieties, such as solid, liquid, sticks, powder, etc. Which form you take doesn't really matter, but always read the packaging carefully to make sure it is suitable for your plant. Also, be careful with the amount you give, be careful and give a little less if in doubt. Too much nutrition is harmful to plants.
Other points of interest:
- Plants grow towards the light, so occasionally turn your plant a little. That way, you prevent your houseplant from growing crooked.
- Some plants like high humidity, so regularly spray the leaves with a plant sprayer. Especially in winter when the heating is on and the air in the house is therefore drier.
- Remove the dust from the leaves once in a while, as these are your plant's lungs. A houseplant with clean leaves catches light more easily and is less susceptible to diseases.
Want to know specifically how best to look after your houseplant? Then I recommend you take a look at our
care tips page.
Easily order your new houseplants online
Why go out when you can easily buy your new houseplant online? Whereas you used to go to the garden centre, today you buy the most beautiful plants easily online. Online, you simply have the largest choice and can have your new plants delivered to your home at your convenience. Whether you are looking for a large potted houseplant or an animal-friendly potted palm, you will find it all online. By the way, did you know that most plants are sent directly from the grower or are delivered fresh to order? This means you often buy the most beautiful plants online and everything fresh from the grower.
