Among gardeners' January resolutions, there's one that's usually more difficult to achieve: bringing a large houseplant into the home. When modesty is overcome, the change that takes place in the environment is so beneficial that the initial reluctance is soon forgotten. The advantages begin with the visual change of the room, as the room is greened by a plant of considerable size, which acts as a counterweight to the large furniture. If you have already had other houseplants in the same place, you will immediately realize how necessary it was to complete the floristic process with the new acquisition that will unite all the plants and better structure the space by covering all the plant heights that the room has.
When you talk about a great houseplant, the classic ficus species (Ficus spp.) first come to mind, although they are not the only ones. Of course, the rubber tree (Ficus elastica) is one of the candidates due to its great resistance and beauty. Its large leaves refine every corner. There are very different varieties within this species: Ficus elastica “Decora”, “Robusta”, “Abidjan” or the colorful variety “Tineke”. The latter requires more light because its leaves do not contain chlorophyll and therefore require more solar energy than their counterparts with completely green leaves. This type of ficus is more resistant than the classic Ficus benjamina, which vegetates well in strong lighting but tends to lose leaves quickly if it does not have the necessary light.
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Among the resistant ficuses there is an indispensable species: Ficus binnendijkii. Its leaves are very narrow and tend to droop slightly, giving it a different appearance. Two varieties are the classics of this species: Ficus binnendijkii 'Alii' and 'Amstel King'. The latter has slightly wider leaves than 'Alii'. But you can't talk about ficus without mentioning the classic Ficus lyrata with its lyre-shaped leaves. Since it has become a fetish houseplant for many people again, it remains on their favorite pedestal.
Large houseplants help create a very relaxing atmosphere in the house. DuKai Photographer (Getty Images)
This large group of tree-dwelling ficus should be joined by other plants of considerable size, such as the famous cheflera (Heptapleurum arboricola) – both in its green forms and those with colorful leaves – and such as dracaenas (Dracaena spp.). Within this last genus, Dracaena fragans is the best known species, from which many varieties have emerged, whose leaves are green, yellowish and cream in all imaginable colors. Some of these classic varieties that everyone knows are Dracaena fragans “Massangeana” or the famous “Lemon Lime”. When it comes to dracaenas, you shouldn't forget those with narrow leaves like Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia (synonym for Dracaena marginata) or its variety “Tricolor” with undoubted resistance.
The beautiful, large leaves of an Aralia bring freshness to a shady corner of the terrace.DigiPub (Getty Images)
If we have a well-lit terrace without direct sunlight, we can try to care for an Aralia (Fatsia japonica) that will bring its freshness and magnificent appearance to a corner. Its leaves can be huge if fed well, making it a substitute for the widely cultivated Adam's rib (Monstera delicious). Although the latter is not a tree plant, it could also be included in this select group of large species. At its place of origin it grows as tall as the trees as one climbs their trunks and rocks and hills in most tropical America.
Now all you have to do is choose one of these species and get it from the nursery or florist. With some of these large plants in the living room, the view will be festive every day and you will even feel that the environment has a different air, literally, because all these leaves will be there to provide newly produced oxygen directly to ours Provide lungs.
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