Easy growing

The 5 best houseplants for the Tulsa home.

BY ELIZABETH MCCULLOUGH

Whether your home needs fresh energy or a pop of color, house plants can add beauty and life to your space. But their advantages don’t stop at interior design. Experts have widely researched the benefits of houseplants and found they can lower your blood pressure, improve your mental health, increase your productivity and may even improve your home’s air quality.

So, whether you’re looking for a fun design piece or more peace in your space — here are the top five houseplants for a Tulsa home, according to Haley Parmenter at Cohlmia’s.

Chlorophytum Comosum

This houseplant is nicknamed “spider plant” for the slender, arching leaves. Off-shoots, aka “Baby Spiders,” can be cut from the mother plant and repotted to propagate. Plant parents can enjoy watching the spider plant’s quick growth. They can thrive in shadier spots and need water once a week because their thin leaves may dry out. Spider plants are non-toxic to pets. However, your cat may find them irresistible due to the spider plant’s mildly hallucinogenic effects.

Peperomia Caperata

This colorful, bush-style plant only takes up a small space, making it perfect for a minimalist home’s end tables and bookshelves. It needs bright, direct light — and will lose its color without enough — but should be pulled away from cold windows in winter. Plant caregivers should thoroughly saturate the soil with water, so it is moist but not soggy, and then let it dry in-between waterings.

Hoya Lacunosa

This drought-tolerant plant is perfect for those with busy schedules — just thoroughly saturate the soil and then let dry in-between waterings. Hoya lacunosa needs bright, direct light and an east- or south-facing window is preferable. When mature, Hoya lacunosa will produce umbels of fragrant white flowers. They are commonly kept in hanging baskets so their glossy leaves and curled vines can cascade as they grow.

Sansevieria Sayri

Commonly called “snake plants,” these houseplants are highly adaptable — able to thrive in bright, direct light and low-light rooms. Snake plants require infrequent watering. Water thoroughly and then let dry out, which usually takes two to four weeks. If chronically underwatered, they can be watered by letting the root ball soak for four to eight hours.

Monstera Deliciosa

Some plants never go out of style for a reason, and Monstera deliciosa is one of them. Caring for one is simple: place your Monstera where it receives bright, indirect light and water when the top of the soil becomes dry. During the winter months keep the soil just moist, not soggy, and place its aerial roots in a cup of water on extra dry days. The Monstera’s striking leaves are perfect for the modern home.