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A houseplant, also known as a pot plant, potted plant, or indoor plant, is an ornamental plant cultivated indoors. for aesthetic or practical purposes. These plants are commonly found in House, Office, and various indoor spaces, where they contribute to the ambiance by adding natural beauty and improving air quality. Most houseplants are tropical or semi-tropical species, as they thrive in the warm, humid conditions often found indoors. Many of them are Epiphyte(plants that grow on other plants), Succulent plant (which store water in their leaves), or Cactus,MacDonald, Elvin "The World Book of House Plants" Popular Books which are particularly well-suited to indoor environments due to their low maintenance requirements. Whether used to brighten up a space, improve air circulation, or create a calming atmosphere, houseplants play an important role in enhancing the indoor environment.
Most houseplants are species that have adapted to survive in a temperature range between year-round, as those adapted for temperate environments require winter temperatures outside of normal indoor conditions.Fritz Encke: Kalt- und Warmhauspflanzen. 2. Auflage. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1987, Within that limitation, there are houseplants which are native to many different types of habitats, from tropical rainforests to succulents and cacti native to deserts. Many houseplants are either or live in seasonally dry ecosystems that help them adapt to the dry indoor air and inconsistent watering many houseplants are subject to. Often, houseplants from tropical areas are understory plants, and because they grown in shady conditions naturally, they are often able to thrive in lower-light conditions.
Selected houseplants are typically of healthy origin, with tidy leaves and upright stems. Houseplants which survive in conditions similar to a homeowner's living space will have a higher probability of survival. Tropical houseplants which grow under high thresholds of heat, for instance, will grow sun leaves which contain fewer chloroplasts. Plants which grow in the shade will grow shade leaves, containing more chloroplasts. Horticulturists at Texas A&M University recommend acclimatization, a gradual process in which plants with too much or too little light or heat exposure are balanced accordingly to prevent overexposure. The brightness and strength of the light source under which a plant lives, including how long it spends under that light source, is vital to its survival. Other factors, like humidity and ventilation, must be kept under regular levels to prevent plant failure and susceptibility to disease.
Houseplants are typically grown in specialized soilless mixtures called potting compost (in the UK), potting mix, or potting soil. Most potting mixes contain a combination of peat or coir and vermiculite or perlite.
Keeping plants consistently too wet ("overwatering") leads to the roots sitting in water, which often leads to root rot. Root rot is the most common cause of death for houseplants but keeping houseplants too dry ("under-watering") can also be detrimental.
Plants require nitrate, phosphate, and potassium to survive, as well as micronutrients including boron, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, molybdenum, and chlorine. Houseplants do not have access to these nutrients unless they are Fertilizer regularly.
House plants are generally planted in pots that have drainage holes, to reduce the likelihood of over-watering and standing water. Pots are typically broken down into two groups: porous and non-porous. Porous pots (usually terracotta) provide better aeration as air passes laterally through the sides of the pot. Non-porous pots such as glazed or plastic pots tend to hold moisture longer and restrict airflow.
Houseplants experience a range of pests. , , , thrips and Scale insect are common pests.
With the right care, succulents avoid pests and diseases and achieve optimal growth. By picking the right succulent and taking care of its soil and watering needs, the houseplant lives long to serve its purpose.
Some epiphytic plants may be grown mounted, either with their roots in potting mix and their stems attached to supports, or with their roots wrapped in sphagnum moss and attached to a vertical surface with wire. This can also overlap with the practice of kokedama.
In the medieval era, were displayed in containers.
In the 17th century, fascination in exotic plants grew among the aristocracy of France and England. Inventor and writer Sir Hugh Platt published Garden of Eden in 1660, a book which directed indoor plant growing methods. Wealthy British households purchased imported fruit trees, especially citrus trees, to grow in specialized Orangery. Less wealthy people would also grow plants, especially flowers, indoors. Orange trees became less fashionable as international commerce in oranges became more widespread. Succulent plant, such as aloes, were also cultivated.
The expansion of European colonialism brought Europeans into contact with a wide variety of new plants, especially tropical plants more suited to growing as houseplants. Explorers and botanists brought over 5,000 species to Europe from South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Forcing plants to bloom out of season, especially bulbs, grew in popularity during the 18th century. The decorative pot or cachepot specifically for growing houseplants (as opposed to a simple terracotta pot, or a decorative vase) was developed in this era as ceramic manufacturing took off.
Plant breeding developed in the late 17th and 18th centuries. These innovations were drawn and presented in the and in private court collections. At the end of the 18th century, flower tables became part of the salons. Furthermore, nurseries were flourishing in the 18th century, which stocked thousands of plants, including citrus, , mignonette, Laurus nobilis, Myrtus, agaves and .
In 1818, Orchidaceae were introduced to Europe when they were used as packing material for the shipment of other rare plants. German ivy was introduced in the United States sometime in the 19th century as a houseplant. Delairea odorata Forest Starr, Kim Starr, and Lloyd Loope. United States Geological Survey—Biological Resources Division. Haleakala Field Station, Maui, Hawai'i. January, 2003.Retrieved 31 October 2022.
Other typical Victorian houseplants included mop-head chrysanthemums and yuccas.
At the end of the 19th century, the range already included , cineraria, clivia, cyclamen and , but also leafy ornamental plants such as Abies alba, ornamental asparagus, lilium, snake plant, and ficus elastica.
During World War II, houseplants became more common in offices, which began to more closely resemble the domestic environment as more women entered the workforce.
By 1960, Florida produced more than 55% of American houseplants, and has since remained the main producer of houseplants for the American market. Philodendrons, rubber plants and geraniums were mainstays of the postwar era. Many plants entered the United States and the United Kingdom through the influence of Scandinavian design, which featured plants. Tropical plants like Bromeliaceae, Strelitzia, and philodendrons were popular accents in Tiki culture-themed spaces. The postwar years also saw a broader commercialization of houseplants. In the 1960s, plant care labels were introduced, and became ubiquitous in the 1970s.
A lush display of houseplants fit into the Environmentalism and hippie movements in the 1970s; a large indoor garden is characteristic of 1970s design. Garden and plant trends over the past 70 years by Homes To Love, April 6, 2018 Leafy plants were popular, particularly ferns and spider plants, often in macramé hanging planters. Monstera deliciosa, ferns, aloes and snake plants ( Dracaena species, usually sold under their former genus of Sanseveria) were also popular. Join the 1970s house plants revolution The Middle Sized Garden, November 5, 2017 and began to appear as well.
In the 1980s, houseplants were often limited to large, lush statement pieces, particularly in bathrooms. The rise of with large skylights created a new place for plants to be grown. In the 1990s, became trendy. The 1990s also brought a wave of interest in . Millennials Didn't Invent Houseplants by Gray Chapman, Apartment Therapy, June 18, 2019
Interest in houseplants exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic that began in early 2020. With people forced to spend more time indoors, many sought to fill their homes with houseplants. Plants were mentioned on Instagram an average of more than 3,000 times a day in July 2021 and the hashtag "#plantmom" had been used more than 2.6million times. Plant sales in 2020 were at an all-time high, which brought concerns about the environmental impact of the industry.
Some of the most popular plants in the 2020s are the Monstera deliciosa and other aroids, as well as the Ficus lyrata. This has also seen a larger interest in growing plants with interesting or attractive forms or foliage, rather than focusing solely on flowers.
Most plants grown for the houseplant trade are Horticulture in Plant nursery, where they are raised in optimal conditions designed to promote healthy growth. These plants are often propagated through various methods, including traditional seed Sowing, cutting propagation, and, increasingly, Tissue culture. Tissue culture, which involves growing plants from small tissue samples in a sterile environment, allows for rapid production of disease-free plants and is especially useful for plants that are difficult to propagate by other means.
Transplanting is an essential part of the growing process for many houseplants. As plants grow, they often outgrow their original containers and need to be transferred to larger pots to accommodate their Root system. this process is crucial for maintaining healthy growth and ensuring that plants have sufficient space to develop robust root structures. when transplanting, care must be taken to avoid damaging the plant's roots and to ensure that the new pot has proper drainage. The timing of transplanting also plays a key roles in a plant's overall health, usually, it's done during the plant's active growing season to minimize stress.
For tropical plants, which make up a significant portion of the houseplant market, specialized care is needed to mimic their antic environments. Tropical vegetation thrives in warm, Humidity conditions and requires careful attention to temperature, light, and moisture levels. some of the most popular tropical houseplants include varieties like monstera, philodendron, and various species of ferns. These plants are often propagated through cuttings or by dividing clumps of roots when transplanting, ensuring that the new plants have established root systems.
In terms of commercial production, the United States remains one of the largest producers of houseplants, with a significant portion coming from Florida, known for its ideal climate for growing tropical plants. Similarly, the Netherlands plays a pivotal role in the European houseplant market, producing approximately 1 billion houseplants annually to meet the growing demand.
As the houseplant industry grows, sustainable practices in both plant production and sourcing have become more important, especially with the increasing popularity of rare and exotic tropical plants. By adopting environmentally responsible techniques, such as ethical propagation and avoiding wild collection, nurseries and growers can help ensure that houseplants continue to be available without further jeopardizing their natural habitats.
The 1989 NASA Clean Air Study was set up to research ways to clean the air in sealed environments such as space stations. This included an early study on the ability of potted plants to remove VOCs, which concluded that plants, specifically a combination of their roots and the soil microorganisms, were highly effective. However, this study tested plants in ways which are not representative of an indoor environment; in sealed chambers and with highly elevated levels of the VOCs benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde. Subsequent studies have confirmed the combined role of soil and roots and showed that they were effective at cleaning in higher VOC concentrations, but only at lower concentrations after the process had been "kick-started" by a higher level of exposure. Others have shown that is possible to artificially enrich the soil directly with VOC-degrading bacteria and achieve the same result, and posited that exposure to high VOC levels (or low levels but in bursts) during experiments and the subsequent increase in such bacteria may have been a cause of the large differences seen in the results of various studies. A 2019 review paper calculated that it would require between 10 and 1000 houseplants per square meter to achieve the same level of VOC removal as occurs from passive exchange between indoor and outdoor air.
Houseplants do have a statistically significant effect on the concentrations of both carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in normal indoor environments, reducing carbon dioxide levels by 10–25% and carbon monoxide levels by up to 90%.
Physiology:
Cognition:
Behavior:
Health:
Most but not all studies found a positive effect of plants. Each of the above functions was found to be influenced positively by the majority of the studies which measured it. The authors only had enough good-quality comparable data to synthesize six areas, from which they confirmed a statistically significant improvement only in diastolic blood pressure and academic performance.
A critical review of the experimental literature concluded in 2009:
Houseplants can offer minor recovery from stress when instituted as part of an environment. The presence of a houseplant in an office setting can also increase productivity. A 2004 controlled study discovered that houseplants could improve mental focus, stabilize mood, and raise psychological motivation when present in otherwise unadorned environments.
(2025). 9784861630705, Tohoku University Press. ISBN 9784861630705
Human well-being
There are also many claimed psychological and physiological benefits to having houseplants. A 2022 systematic review with some meta-analyses included 42 studies which together measured the following human functions to study the benefits of indoor plants:
List of common houseplants
Tropical and subtropical
Succulents
Carnivorous plants
Forced bulbs
Many forced bulbs are also temperate.
Temperate plants
See also
External links
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