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kendrahhendra

Stupid houseplant questions.

last year
last modified: last year

I will only be in this apartment for a year to be near my mom while she goes through chemo and will give everything away after I leave. Want to buy from Ikea, Home Depot, or somewhere else cheap - large floor plants to use as decorative features to fill the space with texture and life.

I thought about a large plant on the window sills but they are cold, not insulated, maybe not great for a plant. Also, small collections of houseplants give me the creeps - like a phobia. I just like large ones.

A. The huge main room is northfacing, and no direct sunlight. It isn't dark or shady, just no bright light. Is this what INDIRECT light is? Is this what LOW light is? The room is not bright sun but it has a lot of light, zero shade. So what kinds of large plants would work in here?

B. The bathrooms are generic and ugly could use a plant on the counter, but have no windows. Can any living plant survive a room with no light? I presume not but thought I'd ask.

Heading to Ikea today. Would love your thoughts!







Comments (17)

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Yes, you have indirect light, not low light.

    Corn plant is easy to care for. Place the pot in a larger pot with no holes to avoid leaks.

    Dracaena Fragrans.

    Ikea carries lucky bamboo which grows in just water and needs very litle light. It's also a type of dracaena. Good for the bathroom.

    What you do in a room with no light is get two plants, keep one of them in the light and switch them out every few weeks.



    Umbrella plants are easy to care for Schefflera



    Cast Iron plant is tough. Aspidistra.



    Place smaller pots on stands to give them height.

    Kendrah thanked tracefloyd
  • last year

    Many house plants will do well in that lighting.

    ZZ plant, Dracaena (corn plant), cat palm, parlor palm, pothos, etc.


    No a plant will not survive in the bathroom. Get a pretty faux orchid arrangement to add some color.

    Kendrah thanked chispa
  • last year

    You could buy a cut flower bouquet for the bath.

    Kendrah thanked Sherry8aNorthAL
  • last year

    Garden clubs sometimes have plant sales or swaps. Avid gardeners are often willing to give away cuttings. A ficus will grow fast and do okay in your light.

    Kendrah thanked Sigrid
  • last year

    I like the schefflera suggestion…one of my faves.

    Kendrah thanked chloebud
  • PRO
    last year

    I like the idea of living plants but are you planning on taking them with you when you go in a year ? If so make sure you get one that will not outgrow your car . I like ficus but be prepared when it comes from the greenhouse to yiur home it will drop leaves like crazy do not keep moving irt around just clse to the the light you have and water when needed it will recover in a couple of weeks . The bathroom my advice a nice orchip that is in bloom and when the flower dies get another or a snake plant it will grow with hardly any light. One year is really not long enough to wait for cuttings to become plants .

    Kendrah thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
  • last year

    Pothos grows in a closet so you could do a small one that trails off the side of the cabinet above the toilet. Or just add some art you like to the wall above the towel bar. Nice space and hope all goes well for your mother.

    Kendrah thanked thinkdesignlive
  • last year

    Consignment stores are a great source of affordable furniture.

    Kendrah thanked Sigrid
  • PRO
    last year

    Great plant advise above.

    I am sending healing wishes to your Mom. I hope she gets well soon!

    Kendrah thanked Debbi Washburn
  • last year

    I hate when I buy what is supposed to be a slow growing indoor plant, and it then grows like a weed in the spot I placed it in!

  • last year

    Chispa I want that problem!


  • 6 months ago

    Alex Jones is spamming. There's an embedded link

  • 6 months ago
    last modified: 6 months ago

    I flagged.

  • 6 months ago

    Being mom's caregiver will give you little time for fussy plants. No shame in some tall silk ones with some pothos around them .

    praying for you and mom.

  • 6 months ago

    Thanks @kathleen MK. My mom is doing great!

  • 4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    North-facing windows are the worst for real plants, trust me... I killed three "low light" palms in a year because "low light" usually just means "dying slowly".

    Since you're only there for a year anyway, maybe don't stress about the watering and the bugs? maybe it would be a better idea to buy some silk flowers? I ended up getting a huge bird of paradise from Silks Are Forever for my last rental and it looked so much better than my sad, crispy real ones. Plus, no dirt on those nice floors!