s t n la p e s u o H 9 NOURISH
that Make a Kitchen Statement
by Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener, Watters Garden Center
W
hen it comes to the kitchen, growing plants indoors has some practical applications. The right plants purify inside air, add splashes of color and provide fresh produce. These nine houseplants are the ideal place to start in your kitchen: African Violets, Saintpaulia, are the perfect houseplant substitute for those who enjoy cut flowers in the kitchen! Happy African Violets flower nearly year-round and come in a multitude of artistic colors. These compact houseplants want bright, indirect light and frequent watering. Herbs growing in the kitchen may seem like an obvious choice, but cooking with homegrown herbs is the best. They need a bright kitchen with lots of windows or bright lights for lush, full herbs to thrive. Easy herbs to grow indoors include cilantro, chives, mint, oregano, parsley and thyme. Philodendron look great in hanging baskets. Similar to pothos, they are considered relatively drought-tolerant and
can grow in any room. A foliage plant that comes in a wide variety of shapes and colors. Its most notable trait is the ability to purify indoor air. Pothos, Epipremnum aureum, are indeed some of the easiest houseplants to care for. They adapt well to any condition and are considered droughttolerant. Perfect for smaller kitchens with limited counter space, this plant is ideal as a hanging plant. Rubber tree, Ficus elastica, is a significant statement plant adaptable to any room with a window in it. They are easily controlled with mild pruning. Choose from several different varieties to match your tree to the design of your kitchen. Snake plant, Sansevieria, is also known as Mother-in-Laws Tongues. They come in various colors, shapes and sizes and can grow in any room with a window. Spider plant, Chlorophytum, are among the easiest houseplants to care for. They make excellent hanging plants, and when happy flower and send offshoots prolifically.
6 2 PRESCOTT HEALTHY LIVING | NOVEMBER 2021
They prefer and bright room without exposure to direct sunlight. Succulents, when you have a sunny kitchen windowsill, are a fabulous option. “Succulent” describes plants that store water in various parts of their leaves or stems. This makes them superefficient water users with low maintenance needs.
Varieties include aloe vera, cactus, crassula, echeveria, haworthia, kalanchoe and sedums. ZZ Plant, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, is also known as the Zanzibar Gem. As hardy as any cactus that thrives in low-to-verybright conditions, these slow-growing plants are started by rhizomes and hardly need to be watered.
