Indoor plant cultivation is a unique type of horticulture. It almost doesn’t involve gardening. Most houseplants live only indoors. Many live in houses and offices that don’t have gardens. Only a lucky few occasionally enjoy mild weather in the home garden. Such indulgences are generally short and guarded. Most houseplants are naturally vulnerable.
Of course, no houseplant is at home in domestic situations. Every houseplant lives outside somewhere. Most come from lush tropical rainforests, where they compete with other foliage for sunlight. Many are understory plants that naturally live in the penumbra of larger tropical vegetation. This is why they adapt so efficiently to the penumbra inside.
That’s why most of the houseplants want to live here. They don’t like the cold of winter, even if it’s mild. Many or most will succumb to light frost when exposed to too much. They are just not used to it. Since they adapt to protection and partial shade inside, they are also sensitive to direct sunlight. Leaves that are too exposed can scorch.
The weather tolerance of indoor plants is just as regional as that of garden plants. This is a common feature of the garden and houseplant culture. The various species of ficus that are common in Los Angeles landscapes are exclusively houseplants in San Jose. They can handle the mild winter cold of Los Angeles, but not the slightly cooler frost of San Jose.
Some ferns are popular houseplants because, like tropical plants, they generally tolerate partial shade. However, many are less tolerant of the minimal humidity of living spaces. Regular watering can make up for this. Irregular watering can be uncomfortable for some ferns. Fortunately, most ferns can recover from brief dehydration even if their foliage dies.
Succulents are very different. They do not tolerate partial shade and long for sunny and warm situations. They are still popular for indoor plant cultivation as they generally can tolerate minimal moisture. Cacti prefer drought and are very prone to rot in humid conditions. Succulents wither to warn before succumbing to a lack of moisture.
Highlight: Coleus
Without flowers, the richly bright leaf colors of Coleus, Coleus scutellarioides, compete with the flower color of other warm season annuals. Striking leaf patterns are as exquisite as any floral arrangement. The growth is efficient due to the warmth of spring. The foliage can last until autumn. Late in the season, tips of small blue flowers can be cut off to encourage more foliage.
In bright ambient sunlight, Coleus is perennial as a houseplant. However, it can get stubborn with pesky bloom as it matures. Some who grow it prefer to let it bloom and then prune it again. Recovery from such pruning can be slow. Vegetative stems, without flowers, take root easily as cuttings even in water. New cuttings can replace old plants.
The foliage of Coleus is complexly colorful with myriad combinations of green, chartreuse, yellow, orange, red, burgundy, pink, white, and brown. The variation can be symmetrical or random. The leaf margins can be deeply lobed or just serrated. Modern strains may not be better than old-fashioned strains. Mature plants can grow up to two feet tall and wide. Some stay deeper.
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