Indoor Foliage Plants
Episode: #4 14/04/07
Presenter: Melissa King
Melissa visits Ball Australia, who are plant producers and seed distributors for some of your favourite plants. When it comes to indoor decorating there is a lot more than the standard leafy green options so Melissa introduces you to the best plants for colourful, modern indoor displays.
Caladiums are one plant everyone should know about. Also called Angels Wings or Elephant Ears (Caladium bicolour cv.) they boast show stopping foliage in tones of pink, green, white and red – so they are a real feature. They are sub tropical plants, so they love a warm spot indoors and have the most luxuriant foliage. Angels Wings varieties grow to about 30-60cm in height, so are perfect for a decorative pot. There are different types with varying shades of foliage colour like Impressions (Caladium bicolour ‘Impressions’) which is washed with pretty pink tones or the vibrant and compact Little Red Mews (Caladium bicolour ‘Little Red Mews’)
Another great one for foliage interest is called Plectranthus ‘Emerald Lace’ (Plectranthus oertendahlii ‘Emerald Lace’) for its showy variegated foliage. It also has the bonus of pretty whiteish-pink flowers in spring and autumn. It has a lovely compact habit to about 30 cm, so it is an ideal indoor plant, but is also great on patios and balconies and it wonderful on its own or combined with other plants
If you want to make a strong statement the Firecracker Flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis ‘Fireglow’) is a top choice. The foliage is sexy in its own right, glossy green and ruffled. From spring to autumn it displays fiery deep orange blooms, which pack a real punch. It grows well indoors or in a courtyard and is very heat resistant, so a great modern plant.
Begonia Rex (Begonia Hybrid Cultivar ‘Rex Cultorum Group’) is a group of old favourites that just keeps getting better. They have the most beautiful array of foliage colours so they are superb for brightening shady spots or as a decorative houseplant. These varieties have been bred not to go dormant under short winter days. There is a whole host of varieties with varying leaf colours.
As far as foliage plants go, there is one plant that has made a real impact and is as good in a light spot indoors as it is out. It is called Silver Dichondra (Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’) and it is not hard to see why. It has wonderful silver foliage and a cascading habit so it tumbles out of hanging baskets and pots. The stems can grow to over a metre long and are incredibly drought and heat tolerant. It looks sensational on its own or in a mixed container.
Don’t forget to bring your flowering impatiens indoors for a few weeks of vibrant colour, they are perfect table centrepiece. Ole Double Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana cv. ‘Ole’) are a great choice with large, double rose like flowers which appear from spring until autumn. Melissa is also a big fan of Celebrette (Impatiens New Guinea Hybrid Group ‘Celebrette’), an early flowering New Guinea impatiens, which flourishes in hot and cool climates.
Presenter: Melissa King
Melissa visits Ball Australia, who are plant producers and seed distributors for some of your favourite plants. When it comes to indoor decorating there is a lot more than the standard leafy green options so Melissa introduces you to the best plants for colourful, modern indoor displays.
Caladiums are one plant everyone should know about. Also called Angels Wings or Elephant Ears (Caladium bicolour cv.) they boast show stopping foliage in tones of pink, green, white and red – so they are a real feature. They are sub tropical plants, so they love a warm spot indoors and have the most luxuriant foliage. Angels Wings varieties grow to about 30-60cm in height, so are perfect for a decorative pot. There are different types with varying shades of foliage colour like Impressions (Caladium bicolour ‘Impressions’) which is washed with pretty pink tones or the vibrant and compact Little Red Mews (Caladium bicolour ‘Little Red Mews’)
Another great one for foliage interest is called Plectranthus ‘Emerald Lace’ (Plectranthus oertendahlii ‘Emerald Lace’) for its showy variegated foliage. It also has the bonus of pretty whiteish-pink flowers in spring and autumn. It has a lovely compact habit to about 30 cm, so it is an ideal indoor plant, but is also great on patios and balconies and it wonderful on its own or combined with other plants
If you want to make a strong statement the Firecracker Flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis ‘Fireglow’) is a top choice. The foliage is sexy in its own right, glossy green and ruffled. From spring to autumn it displays fiery deep orange blooms, which pack a real punch. It grows well indoors or in a courtyard and is very heat resistant, so a great modern plant.
Begonia Rex (Begonia Hybrid Cultivar ‘Rex Cultorum Group’) is a group of old favourites that just keeps getting better. They have the most beautiful array of foliage colours so they are superb for brightening shady spots or as a decorative houseplant. These varieties have been bred not to go dormant under short winter days. There is a whole host of varieties with varying leaf colours.
As far as foliage plants go, there is one plant that has made a real impact and is as good in a light spot indoors as it is out. It is called Silver Dichondra (Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’) and it is not hard to see why. It has wonderful silver foliage and a cascading habit so it tumbles out of hanging baskets and pots. The stems can grow to over a metre long and are incredibly drought and heat tolerant. It looks sensational on its own or in a mixed container.
Don’t forget to bring your flowering impatiens indoors for a few weeks of vibrant colour, they are perfect table centrepiece. Ole Double Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana cv. ‘Ole’) are a great choice with large, double rose like flowers which appear from spring until autumn. Melissa is also a big fan of Celebrette (Impatiens New Guinea Hybrid Group ‘Celebrette’), an early flowering New Guinea impatiens, which flourishes in hot and cool climates.
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