Choosing the best plant for your home in Australia

Indoor plants bring life to any home interior. However, identifying which plant is best for your home takes a lot of careful planning — do not purchase a plant solely by its looks! You need to consider its placement, the type of care you could provide, your room conditions, and whether you have children or pets at home. 

It’s important to get the environmental conditions such as lighting, temperature and humidity just right so that your indoor plants stay happy and healthy. Australia’s warm weather and subtropical climate conditions are ideal for a range of indoor plants. This gives you plenty of options for indoor plants that are proven to flourish in Australia.

Did you know that, technically, there is no such thing as an indoor plant? Plants naturally need water, fresh air, and sunshine to thrive. An ‘indoor plant’ merely means that the plant can handle the stress of surviving under a roof. Most indoor plants are usually subtropical climate plants that are used to low to medium light conditions and changing temperatures.

If you need a few tips and don’t know where to start, this guide will help you identify the various components to consider before finally deciding on a plant for your home.

 

Lighting

Many indoor plants can survive in low to medium sunlight. Yet, you need to consider the light available in the specific room that you intend to place your plant in since they might not be suited to the light available in that area. For rooms with low light, look for shade-tolerant plants that are usually marked with large, luscious, dark green leaves such as the monstera deliciosa, peace lily, or rhapis excelsa palm. Meanwhile, the prayer plant and the zebra plant are among those that can survive in rooms with medium light.

 

Temperature

Most indoor plants can survive in room temperatures during the spring and summer seasons. The onset of the colder months is when it gets challenging as you will have to deal with cold drafts, rooms with no heating, sudden temperature drops at night, and fluctuating temperatures with heating being constantly switched on and off. Still, it would be wise to check how plants react to temperature changes before you take one home.

 

Maintenance

Plant-lovers and interior designers alike love low maintenance houseplants. There are quite a few selections of indoor plants available in Sydney that are easy to maintain and grow. These plants can tolerate low to medium lighting conditions fairly well. There are even a few low maintenance plants, such as the pothos, that prefer less — flourishing better under indirect sunlight and with less water.

Cacti and succulents are extremely resilient and low maintenance thanks to their capability to survive without water for long periods of time. If you are often away for days or even weeks at a time, these could just be the best plants for your home.

 

Children and pets

Some indoor plants are mildly toxic to the skin and may cause irritation, so it would be prudent to do your research on plant toxicity and carefully consider where to place your plant — especially if you have curious children playing around the house. 

Some plants may only be mildly toxic to pets. However, there are some that can make your pet seriously ill. Remember to check if the plant you are eyeing is toxic to pets before purchasing it. If a plant may be toxic to pets, make sure you place it high enough off the ground so it is out of reach from animals and children, or avoid it entirely and opt for a non-toxic alternative. 

 

Personal style

Of course, you also must consider your interior design. Any type of indoor plant can complement minimalist interiors with clean lines. With that said, textural foliage does jazz up a minimalist space the best. Soft, romantic plants perfectly complement antique chic interiors, but if your home has that tropical look, uniquely shaped foliage will work wonders.

Did you know that indoor plants can help you relax? They help filter out dust, bacteria, allergens, and other toxins from the air. If you intend to make the most out of this benefit, plants such as the monstera, pothos, and peace lily are known for their purifying properties and relaxing benefits.

 

Spring Colours is a plant nursery located in Sydney’s Dural neighbourhood. With over 30 years of experience in garden landscaping and delivering high-quality plants to plant lovers at great prices, we are committed to making the world a greener place and adding new life to your home and garden.

Contact us to find out about our wholesale service delivery or visit our store in Dural to browse our collection of plants!