Indoor plants with large leaves fit perfectly into the interiors of apartments and offices. They come in different types: flowering and non-flowering, high and low. But their common feature is beautiful ornamental leaves. Thanks to unpretentious care and rapid growth, large-leaved flowers will be an excellent decoration for any room.
Features:
Indoor plants with large leaves not only ennoble the space, but also significantly improve the condition of the air: saturate it with oxygen, ozone and absorb dust particles.
Planting and breeding of this kind of flowers is possible not only at home, but also in offices , as they are undemanding to care for, can tolerate temperature changes and do not cause allergic reactions. They are often used for interior landscaping in healthcare facilities as they help neutralize bacteria.
The only important condition for keeping is the presence of a sufficient level of illumination, while excluding the plants getting into direct sunlight - this is important to preserve the decorative effect of the leaves.
Overview of popular species
Any, even non-flowering large-leaved flower delights and attracts the eye. At home, they can become the central decorative element of the living room. Depending on the interior and the preferences of the owners, you can pick up plants of different heights, differing in the shape and shade of the leaves.
In large apartments, tall specimens with long stems and carved spotted foliage will look spectacular. In small rooms on the windowsills, you can arrange stunted species with elongated leaves collected in an outlet.
Plants with large leaves range in color from light to dark green. There are varieties with heterogeneous foliage, where streaks or spots of yellow and white colors are present. Depending on the location of the windows in the apartment relative to the cardinal points, you can plant light-loving or shade-tolerant plants.
Monstera
An unpretentious fast-growing plant belonging to the Aroid family. In natural conditions, it is common in the tropics of South America and India. There are about 50 species, 3 of them perfectly adapt to room conditions.
- Monstera is delicious. It is noteworthy that as the plant grows up, the shape of the leaves changes. In a young flower, they are whole, resembling a heart in shape. After 2–4 years, small holes appear on them, and then multiple cuts are formed. The leaves reach a length of 45-60 cm, have a dark green tint and leathery structure. The total plant height is about 3 m.
- Monstera oblique (unequal). A small view that doesn't take up much space. The leaves are slightly wrinkled, approximately 20–25 cm long, asymmetrical with oval holes.
- Monstera Adansona (perforated). Quite a large plant - it can grow up to 6 m. The leaves are large (50-60 cm long, 20-40 cm wide), ovoid with holes of different diameters. The color can be deep green or irregular with the presence of yellow stripes.
These species do well in partial shade.
Aglaonema
The plant has compact dimensions - the height does not exceed 70 cm. The stems are short and fleshy. In indoor conditions, it blooms extremely rarely. With careful care, an inflorescence may appear - a white ear surrounded by a pale green bedspread. Aglaonema leaves are very decorative, depending on the species, they have a monochromatic green or variegated color. 2 types look especially attractive.
- Aglaonema is changeable. It resembles a miniature bush with straight stems and long, oblong leaves (25-30 cm long and 8-10 cm wide). The color is motley, with white or yellow blotches.
- Aglaonema curly. Well-branched stems with an abundance of leaves give the plant a lush appearance. The leaves are oval, about 30 cm long, have a very beautiful color: they are bright green at the edges, and the middle has a delicate silver color.
Anthurium
The plant has many varieties, differing in the shape and surface of the leaves. The main feature is the formation of beautiful inflorescences of the most varied colors: from dazzling white to bright ruby. With a good level of illumination, the plant can delight with its flowering year-round - after shedding some inflorescences, others appear.
One flower can survive on the stem for more than 1 month.
Two types are especially popular with florists.
- Anthurium Andre. Indoor plant height reaches 80–90 cm. It has large dark green shiny heart-shaped leaves. Aerial roots are formed on the stems. The flowering period is from late February to mid-November. The inflorescence has the shape of an ear up to 15 cm long, more often yellow (rarely orange or white). The shade of the coverlet surrounding the ear is scarlet. At the end of flowering, orange fruits are formed, inside of which there are 1 seed each.
- Scherzer's Anthurium. Low appearance, plant height varies from 20 to 40 cm. Leaves are dark green with a glossy surface, lanceolate. The inflorescence-ear is orange in color and has a curved or spiral appearance. In the original version - the bedspread is red or pink, bends down. There are hybrid varieties with variegated red-white, yellow-orange, dark ruby and even blue-blue bedspreads.
Dieffenbachia
The plant looks very impressive thanks to the large variegated leaves located on thick stems. It grows up to 2 m, while the growing point of most varieties is at the top and contributes to the rapid growth of the flower. Inflorescences form extremely rarely and do not have a decorative appearance, therefore it is recommended to remove them so that there is no weakening of plant growth. The varieties: "Mary Weidner", "Maculata", "Magnifica" and "Sparks" can become a magnificent decoration of rooms.
The only drawback of dieffenbachia is its toxic juice, which, if it gets on the skin, can cause irritation or swelling. Due to this feature, it is not recommended to plant the flower in houses with small children.
Abutilon
Belongs to the Malvov family. Better known as "indoor maple" for the resemblance of leaf blades to maple leaves. The plant branches well, when planted with a cuttings in 4–5 months it takes the shape of an elegant bush. The height of the plants varies from 1 to 2 m. The flowers are bell-shaped with a long core inside. The color of flowers depends on the varietal characteristics - it can be red, orange, yellow, lilac. The flowering period occurs at different times, but differs in duration.
In indoor floriculture, the most common types are: Abutilon Bella, Abutilon megapotamsky, Abutilon Sello.
Maidenhair large-leaved
A fern-like plant belonging to the Pteris family.
Large feathery leaves are located on dark petioles and have triangular cuts. The length of the leaf is over 30 cm. At a young age, the leaf plates have a red-brown tint in the middle, and green at the edges, but over time, the leaves acquire a solid green color. Grows well in shady areas of the apartment, but does not like dry air.
It is advisable to place it next to a source of moisture (an air humidifier, an aquarium, a decorative fountain, or put a container with water especially near). When placed on a windowsill, windows with a north or east position are better suited.
Care rules
Large-leaved indoor plants are undemanding to care for. They prefer a moderate temperature regime: + 20–25 ° С in the spring-summer time, in the autumn-winter period, a decrease to + 15–16 ° С is permissible.
Flowering plants (abutilon, anthurium) during the period of bud formation and during the flowering period require timely careful watering, but without stagnation of moisture.
Non-flowering representatives need moderate watering, more abundant and frequent irrigation is needed for maidenhair and aglaonema.
In the period from March to September, all plants can be fed 1-2 times a week with some kind of complex fertilizer. You can use Agricola - for ornamental plants, Bona Forte, ETISSO.
Dieffenbachia, abutilone and anthurium are more demanding for lighting. They need bright, diffused light. Its deficiency leads to a decrease in the brightness of the variegation of leaves in dieffenbachia, a decrease in the number of abutilone inflorescences and a reduction in the anthurium flowering period. For year-round flowering, it is recommended to illuminate anthurium with an ultraviolet lamp in winter.
Monstera does not tolerate direct sunlight in the spring-summer period, but when its large specimens are located far from windows in autumn-winter time, it is also desirable to highlight it.
All large-leaved indoor plants can be transplanted once a year in spring, while picking up a larger container volume. It is better to replant plants that are too large, overgrown and old in age less often - 1 time in 3 years , but every spring add the required amount of fertile soil to the pots.
By choosing indoor plants according to your preferences and observing simple rules of care, you can perfectly decorate and revive your home interior or increase the comfort of your workplace.
For information on how to care for a monster at home, see the next video.