Hello All - I am in search of a nice indoor plant that will be of decent size for my apartment. I live in Columbus Ohio. My window is facing west, while my apartment receives light its not direct sunlight. I want something will foliage preferably. Anyone help and suggestions would be great! I have a huge corner and window seal that just remains bare.

to ATP. You have a T-Mail.

to ATP Dee!

How about Aspidistra. There are quite a few of them. You can see them here:
http://garden.org/plants/searc...

Personally, I tend to like the variegated ones. Here's one:
Variegated Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior 'Variegata')

The common name for aspidistra is "cast iron plant" & that's because they are hard to kill. They make great indoor plants because they tolerate so much! They get to about 3 feet tall & if you put it in a nice big pot that would make it taller.

How about a Ficus elastica. It does not need a lot of care and you can get it in colors if you want something other than green. I am not a fan of the plain green one but it can be a good statement plant in a pretty pot.

I posted a pic of the three I have here. I have the Burgundy one and two tri-color.

The thread "My Fiscus plants" in Houseplants forum


For the window sill I would go with a couple Bromelaids. They are also pretty and although I just discovered they they are the easiest plant I have ever grown and I have over 300 tender plants in my house that go outside for the summer.

I suggested one of the ficus plants, perhaps the Fiddle Leaf or the Alii', but the rubber tree is tough as nail. All three do well inside, with anything from very bright, indirect light, to limited light. None of them drop leaves, so they stay tidy as well. There is no doubt that bromeliads would do well. All they need is water in their "urn" and a reasonable amount of indirect light. As long as it/they have pups, there will be an endless supply of colorful plants.

Hi Dee,

to All Things Plants from me too!

Although they grow as landscape plants here in Florida, I've heard that some folks grow Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) and Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) as indoor house plants. Just be aware that F. benjamina is very fussy and if you move it from one spot to another it will get pouty and drop a lot of it's leaves ... sometimes if it's only moved 12 inches!!

If you like the Palm tree look, Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) does well in lower light situations but prefers high humidity so you'd probably have to mist the foliage often but I think you'll probably have to do that with Ficus and many other plants if they are indoors.

Not as tall growing as the above but they do very well in low light and low water situations: Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)

Some of the Dracaena's get tall and do well in lower light: http://garden.org/plants/searc...

You got that right, Lin. Just look at the Ficus benjamina wrong and it will drop its leaves. They also tend to get very leggy, particularly in low light situations. Personally, I will never have another "Benjamin".

Yes Ken I am blown away with these Bromelaids. I thought succulents were easy. These plants are amazing.

I have to hit Lowes soon they got a shipment in about a month ago they should be ready to give them to me for a dollar again.

You are too funny, Cinta.

Deebie said:You are too funny, Cinta.

Nope just cheap.

I cannot believe they have them on the shelf for 18.00 to 20.00 and a month later they are giving them away for a dollar.

Hello dee99gt! I find Clivia one of the nicest houseplants I have so far. They bloom during winter indoors, and they continue to be indoors up to this time, does not need too much sun, water as needed only since it prefers being dry. Its roots are thick enough to hoard the water it needs. They need a dry cool period in Fall, so it will bloom during winter or into early Spring.

This is Clivia miniata 'Solomone Yellow'
In bloom last Feb 2015


Right now it has those wide leaves and has been making new babies too: It is by my north facing window, and it gets a sliver of east-west light depending on the time of day:


I have another Clivia, this is said to bear orange blooms. I got this much later, so for now I only have the nice wide leaves as it grows in a shady corner:

That's a nice looking plant and beautiful flowers, Tarev.

Thanks @tarev. You reminded me that my MIL grows clivia indoors in Washington State. I think my clivia (including my new yellow) will come inside my home instead of the greenhouse this year.

@dee99gt did you ever decide on a plant?