Favorite type of houseplant?

I had to vote Other, for any houseplants that could be described as "unusual". Like Tacca, which I am currently attempting to germinate from seed.

Edited to add: Unusual for me might even include growing a vegetable indoors, so not just those that would be considered tropicals or like tropicals.

This message was edited Jan 9, 2006 10:27 AM

Historically, I've had decent luck (relatively speaking) with AVs. (I even had a dream about a streptocarpus last night - strange, huh?)

But I admit I'm a serial houseplant killer. My modus operandi is to neglect the poor things until they wither up and turn brown. I should voted for "silk or plastic" since those are the houseplants most likely to succeed under my care. Summer is the worst time for me and houseplants, since I spend most of my time thinking about and caring for my outdoor plants.

But to my credit, I've managed to somehow keep alive a Norfolk Island Pine, some type of little palm, a Christmas Cactus, and a mixed-foliage planter all alive for 2 or 3 years now. That's definitely a new track record for me!

Hey, that reminds me....need to go water those poor things...

I too voted "Other", but only because my answer would have to be "all of the above". I currently have, & like, amaryllis, orchids, palms, tropical foliage plants, cactus, & succulents (I think cactus & succulents could have been combined into one voting choice); but have also had ferns, forced bulbs, & dwarf fruit trees in the past & enjoyed those as well.

My sincere apologies for overlooking Orchids - I *knew* there was a major category of indoor plant I was overlooking!

Actually Terry, I just considered "Orchids" as part of the flowering plant category. I don't know of anyone who grows them for any other reason - lol!!!

I like anything flowering in my kitchen window.

I had to vote "Other" since I grow both cacti and succulents as houseplants. Anything else I manage to kill or the darned spider mites attack. Pretty much anything that falls under "houseplant" lives in the greenhouse now, or it will meet a quick death.

I said flowering but I grow mostly orchids...they are flowering (at least some do!) but as Terry mentioned, he overlooked that group:) (how could you!)

Favorite type of houseplant? I have to say "other" since there is no "whatever I can't kill" category. ; )

Rhonda

Mea culpa, Todd...

I had to vote silk. I hate houseplants because I kill them all. They are so frustrating to me. I have so little light its unbelievable. :-(

Well I voted for flowering, because Orchids do, well sometimes, because thats what I have most of, but I also grow citrus trees from seed and have a fern!! I could have done with an all of the above tag really, though I also kill quite a few. LOL

I voted Other, because my houseplants primarily tend to be those plants that I drag into the house for the winter. I just can't bear to let my Rex Begonias croak......and a little ivy with them always looks nice. This year I even brought in some ornamental annual grasses that I had in mixed planters, and they are still alive as well.

I voted silk or plastic, although I only have a few of those. I apparently don't enjoy and take care of my houseplants as well. I do like crotons and have a rubber tree that is 10 years old. I just don't play with them and give them the attention like their outdoor cousins.
Al

This is an interesting survey. I don't know why, but I am offended by silk plants.
I moved my Gardneing outdoors because 400 tropical plants in my bedroom was just not working any more...

I think I was obliged to vote "Flowering Plants," as I would be lynched in the African Violet forum.
K. James

I like anything that I dont kill....but my favorites have to be spiders (because no matter how much you ignore them, they still live) and I love love love the burro's tail that my grandma gave to me...although I tend to struggle to keep it thriving.....If I dont over water it, usually it does pretty good. I will try anything once, but havent found any "nitch" yet....I do know that I love houseplants!

I have an eclectic collection of plants, african violets, orchids, cactus amarillys, few arum that are ready to bloom come to think of it I dont have many folliage plants only one fern that I had for 15 years, and an asparagus fern that I had for about 5 years and that keeps on getting trimmed it is al the way to the floor....

I voted other because I have such a great variety. Clivia (4), ivy, succulents, cacti, Christmas cactus, palm, schefflera, etc.

Susan
=^..^=

I voted flowering although I'm not sure it's really accurate. Most of what I have is orchids that were in bloom or close to it when I bought them but then they never bloom again (but I keep them anyway!)

I voted other because I keep trying different ones. LOVE the gardenias that I have now killed off. Love the orchids that are presently blooming their heads off, love the succulents, cactus, AV's and foliage plants but the best of all are my good realistic silk plants and flowers because they don't require me to remember to water or get spider mites or scale.

I woted Tropical foliage plants since I think hoyas would go in that category. Collected these beauties for more than 10 years now and can't seem to get enough of them!

Christina

My main interest indoors is tropical bonsai. However, I also have ibies and spiders and pothos and donkey tails and more. Also I have a basement full of plnats being wintered over and new babies from cuttings. It's a %^%^ addiction. However, I can think of worse!

I had to vote other,I`ve been know to kill silk/plastic plants.
My family knows if it comes inside its gone.lol

I voted other. Most of my 100+ indoor plants are strictly foliage, but more than 1/3 of them are hoyas, which, if looked after properly will bloom their little hearts out year round. Also, bromeliads bloom in fall, several "holiday" cactii bloom on and off all year round, and several orchid cacti I'm anxiously awaiting blooms on. Even my regular dozen cacti will bloom on occasion. So, maybe, kind of all of the above - well, not plastic or silk ... I'm with James, silk and plastic plants offend me for some reason - maybe because if I had any I'd forget they were silk and water them with the rest of my horde....lol.

Christine

I love too many plants, but my favorites are cacti, other succulents, caudiciforms, and orchids. Of course I also like other plants that produce bright, gay colors or have fragrant leaves/flowers. And then there are....

Trent

Whatever it is it must smell good!

I voted tropical because of their foliage and they just seem to be easy for me, but I have some plants of every kind. I grow pineapple and avacado from fruit, too, as well as orange and grapefruit trees, because they're just fun things to do. My husband thinks it's a jungle in here. I just can't get the orchids to bloom again, and it seems to be a long wait for the AVs, too. Jan

I voted other. I have a huge BROWN thumb.

My favorite kind are the ones I can keep alive- LOL!

I voted for bulbs because I tend to "kill with kindness" everything else. Even if I overdo my bulbs they are forgiving and I cazn plant them in the yard for next year :))
I love houseplants and would dearly love to learn to grow orchids and AV but I am afraid to sink to much $ into something so beautiful and kill it. I know my own limits,lol. God bless everyone, Margo

I do have a couple Hoyas in my greenhouse and a couple small angel wing begonias. Do they count ?? *grin*
Oh my, I forgot my 3 clivias and my black polly EE, gosh maybe I can do this houseplant thing afterall ......

This message was edited Jan 10, 2006 2:39 PM

This message was edited Jan 10, 2006 2:42 PM

Tropical foliage plants are good, but I also love the succulents... I love snake plant/mother-in-law tongue/sanseveria, Christmas and Easter cactus, diffenbachia, philodendrons, airplane plants, violets... It's hard to choose just ONE kind. They all keep me going through the winter, so ALL of them are pretty important!

Scubeysuey, thanks for reminding me that I need to go water my burro's tail!!!!!

I pick them alll... this was like trying to pick your favorite kid outta 3...impossible to do....

Have a good day all

Char

And geraniums????????

HERE IN ZONE 6
(which seems more like Zone 9 today, as it's 50 outside)

We've had good luck with Meyer lemon, key lime, and a grapefruit tree that we've trained as a standard and grew (as a joke) from a seed. The Meyer fruits all year, has wonderful-smelling blossoms, and gorgeous foliage. None of them needs tons of light - we keep them in a sunroom in the winter - and all go outside for summer vacation, where they're great on the patio.

They are also fairly unkillable. All have survived insect infestations, chlorosis, and massive leaf drop. MY KIND OF PLANTS!

The picture is our cat Ernie relaxing in the grapefruit when it was just a pup. It's now 6 feet tall and a standard.


This message was edited Jan 10, 2006 5:59 PM

I voted other.
I have sooner or later lost my African Violets to either overwatering or mealy bugs.
The cactus are nice but old hat.
Some are just inside for the winter....like bougainvilla, plumaria, and fiber rooted begonias.
The amaryllis are really nice, but my lone orchid is my favorite. I don't know the variety but it is ruffled lavender, white, and a touch of gold.

I voted other since I always bring in my tender plants for the winter. I always have African Violets, philos, orchids, an adenium, meyer lemon, pineapple, bromeliads, bougainvilla, Norfolk pine, coffee plant, begonias, ficus, banana tree and various others. I just can't pick one type! I love them all. Jenny

other here--Christmas Cactuses---all I do indoors; ya'll already knew I was strange! LOL

Bulbs! Bulbs! Bulbs!

It's wonderful to come home to a house with tulips or daffs inside blooming in the middle of March.


My pots are in the ground waiting to be pulled this spring. Here is a photo of my pots before I fill around them with soil.

The only think I have inside are seedlings waiting to go outside. LOL I guess I'm not much into houseplants. You have to stay in the house to deal with them......let me out!!!

Leslie