Houseplant
A houseplant, also known as a pot plant, potted plant, or indoor plant, is an ornamental plant cultivated indoors for aesthetic or practical purposes. These plants are commonly found in homes, offices, and various indoor spaces, where they contribute to the ambiance by adding natural beauty and improving air quality. Most houseplants are tropical or semi-tropical species, as they thrive in the warm, humid conditions often found indoors. Many of them are epiphytes, succulents, or cacti, which are particularly well-suited to indoor environments due to their low maintenance requirements.
Care
Houseplants have care requirements that differ from plants grown outdoors. Moisture, light, soil mixture, temperature, ventilation, humidity, fertilizers, and potting are all important factors. Each plant species has different care requirements, and care requirements can vary based on the specific pot, location in a particular home and potting mix used. However, all potted plants should have drainage holes to prevent root rot. One way to ensure drainage without a saucer below the pot to catch drippings is by using a "cache pot", which is essentially a larger pot intended to catch excess water, with an interior pot, often made of plastic, as the inner sleeve holding the soil.Most houseplants are species that have adapted to survive in a temperature range between year-round, as those adapted for temperate environments require winter temperatures outside of normal indoor conditions. Within that limitation, there are houseplants which are native to many different types of habitats, from tropical rainforests to succulents and cacti native to deserts. Many houseplants are either epiphytes or live in seasonally dry ecosystems that help them adapt to the dry indoor air and inconsistent watering many houseplants are subject to. Often, houseplants from tropical areas are understory plants, and because they grow in shady conditions naturally, they are often able to thrive in lower-light conditions.
Selected houseplants are typically of healthy origin, with tidy leaves and upright stems. Houseplants which survive in conditions similar to a homeowner's living space will have a higher probability of survival. Tropical houseplants which grow under high thresholds of heat, for instance, will grow sun leaves which contain fewer chloroplasts. Plants which grow in the shade will grow shade leaves, containing more chloroplasts. Horticulturists at Texas A&M University recommend acclimatization, a gradual process in which plants with too much or too little light or heat exposure are balanced accordingly to prevent overexposure. The brightness and strength of the light source under which a plant lives, including how long it spends under that light source, is vital to its survival. Other factors, like humidity and ventilation, must be kept under regular levels to prevent plant failure and susceptibility to disease.
Houseplants are typically grown in specialized soilless mixtures called potting compost, potting mix, or potting soil. Most potting mixes contain a combination of peat or coir and vermiculite or perlite.
Keeping plants consistently too wet leads to the roots sitting in water, which often leads to root rot. Root rot is the most common cause of death for houseplants but keeping houseplants too dry can also be detrimental.
Plants require nitrate, phosphate, and potassium to survive, as well as micronutrients including boron, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, molybdenum, and chlorine. Houseplants do not have access to these nutrients unless they are fertilized regularly.
House plants are generally planted in pots that have drainage holes, to reduce the likelihood of over-watering and standing water. Pots are typically broken down into two groups: porous and non-porous. Porous pots provide better aeration as air passes laterally through the sides of the pot. Non-porous pots such as glazed or plastic pots tend to hold moisture longer and restrict airflow.
Houseplants experience a range of pests. Fungus gnats, spider mites, mealybugs, thrips and scale are common pests.
With the right care, succulents avoid pests and diseases and achieve optimal growth. By picking the right succulent and taking care of its soil and watering needs, the houseplant lives long to serve its purpose.
Indoor environment
Houseplants positively influence the indoor environment by improving the microbiome, increasing beneficial bacteria, and reducing harmful fungi, which can enhance air quality and health. They also boost humidity levels through transpiration, helping to prevent dryness in the air and discomfort to the skin and respiratory system. Plants regulate temperature by providing natural cooling and reduce noise by absorbing sound, creating a more comfortable and peaceful indoor atmosphere. These benefits make houseplants valuable for both physical well being and overall indoor comfort.Alternative growing methods
Houseplants are also grown in a variety of media other than potting mix, often in a hydroponic or semi-hydroponic system. This may overlap with aquascaping. Materials like sand, gravel, brick, expanded clay aggregate and styrofoam may be employed.Some epiphytic plants may be grown mounted, either with their roots in potting mix and their stems attached to supports, or with their roots wrapped in sphagnum moss and attached to a vertical surface with wire. This can also overlap with the practice of kokedama.
Cultural history
Early history
The history of houseplants is intertwined with the history of container gardening in general. Ancient Egyptians grew ornamental and fruiting plants in decorative containers, where blue and white lotus floral arrangements gave rise to more luxuriant bouquets during the New Kingdom. Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut grew frankincense in her temple in 1478 BC. Ancient Greeks and the Romans cultivated laurel trees in earthenware vessels. Roman villas were perfumed with the blossom of citrus trees. In ancient China, potted plants were shown at garden exhibitions over 2,500 years ago, and they were seen as a symbol of wealth. In around 600 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar constructed a botanical garden for his wife, Queen Amytis, filling it with fragrant flowers.In the medieval era, gillyflowers were displayed in containers.
Early modern era
During the Renaissance, plant collectors and affluent merchants from Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium imported plants from Asia Minor and the East Indies. Creeping groundsel was introduced in Malta and the rest of Europe in the 15th century as an ornamental plant.In the 17th century, fascination with exotic plants grew among the aristocracy of France and England. Inventor and writer Sir Hugh Platt published Garden of Eden in 1660, a book that directed indoor plant growing methods. Wealthy British households purchased imported fruit trees, especially citrus trees, to grow in specialized orangeries. Less wealthy people would also grow plants, especially flowers, indoors. Orange trees became less fashionable as international commerce in oranges became more widespread. Succulents, such as aloes, were also cultivated.
18th century
In the early 18th century, windows in London became wider and brighter, expanding the opportunities for the lower classes to grow plants indoors.The expansion of European colonialism brought Europeans into contact with a wide variety of new plants, especially tropical plants more suited to growing as houseplants. Explorers and botanists brought over 5,000 species to Europe from South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Forcing plants to bloom out of season, especially bulbs, grew in popularity during the 18th century. The decorative pot or cachepot specifically for growing houseplants was developed in this era as ceramic manufacturing took off.
Plant breeding developed in the late 17th and 18th centuries. These innovations were drawn and presented in the botanical gardens and in private court collections. At the end of the 18th century, flower tables became part of the salons. Furthermore, nurseries were flourishing in the 18th century, which stocked thousands of plants, including citrus, jasmines, mignonette, bays, myrtles, agaves and aloes.
19th century
The Victorian era saw the first use of houseplants by the middle class, who perceived them as a symbol of social status and moral value. Some foliage plants which tolerated the typical gloomy and snug environment inside a Victorian house became popular. The quintessential Victorian plants were palms, the cast iron plant, and ferns. Ferns were grown in Wardian cases, an early type of terrarium. Geraniums were often placed on window ledges and in drawing rooms and were the most affordable houseplant for the average Briton.In 1818, orchids were introduced to Europe when they were used as packing material for the shipment of other rare plants. German ivy was introduced in the United States sometime in the 19th century as a houseplant.
Other typical Victorian houseplants included mop-head chrysanthemums and yuccas.
At the end of the 19th century, the range already included begonias, cineraria, clivia, cyclamen and flamingo flowers, but also leafy ornamental plants such as silver fir, ornamental asparagus, lilium, snake plant, and rubber tree.
20th century
In the early 20th century, there was a turn against houseplants as they were seen as dated relics of the cluttered Victorian era. When there were houseplants, the more architecturally shaped cacti and succulents were the most common. In the 1920s, commercial houseplant production began in California, focused on the Kentia palm and the pothos, later expanding to include Philodendron and Araucaria species in the 1940s.During World War II, houseplants became more common in offices, which began to more closely resemble the domestic environment as more women entered the workforce.
By 1960, Florida produced more than 55% of American houseplants, and has since remained the main producer of houseplants for the American market. Philodendrons, rubber plants and geraniums were mainstays of the postwar era. Many plants entered the United States and the United Kingdom through the influence of Scandinavian design, which featured plants. Tropical plants like bromeliads, birds of paradise, and philodendrons were popular accents in tiki-themed spaces. The postwar years also saw a broader commercialization of houseplants. In the 1960s, plant care labels were introduced, and garden centers became ubiquitous in the 1970s.
A lush display of houseplants fit into the environmentalist and hippie movements in the 1970s; a large indoor garden is characteristic of 1970s design. Leafy plants were popular, particularly ferns and spider plants, often in macramé hanging planters. Monstera deliciosa, ferns, aloes and snake plants were also popular. Terrariums and bottle gardens began to appear as well.
In the 1980s, houseplants were often limited to large, lush statement pieces, particularly in bathrooms. The rise of shopping malls with large skylights created a new place for plants to be grown. In the 1990s, moth orchids became trendy. The 1990s also brought a wave of interest in artificial plants.