Celebrate National Houseplant Day with Exotic Angel Plants

To celebrate National Houseplant Day at Healthy Houseplants we’re highlighting three gorgeous plants from the Exotic Angel line of plants from Costa Farms. Comprised of plants from around the world that thrive indoors, this line allows you to decorate your indoors with easy-to-grow houseplants that dress up any room.

Purple Passion Plant

One of my all-time favorites when it comes to decorating your home with houseplants is the purple passion plant (Gynura aurantiaca). This beauty not only resembles purple and green iridescent velvet, it feels just as soft—so touching the leaves is a necessity! It’s actually soft purple hairs on the green leaves that make the plant appear purple. It grows upright when young, but spreads and trails once mature. That means you can grow it upright at first and then transfer it to a hanging basket later. Or show off the foliage by growing the plant on a trellis.

(Healthy Houseplants.com)

To successfully grow purple passion plant, provide medium to bright light and keep the soil moist but not soggy. If you do forget to water, soak the soil well and give the plant some time and it should perk back up. To keep your purple passion plant compact, pinch off new growth when it comes in, which will cause the plant to branch and become shrubby rather than vine. Fertilize every three months with a well-balanced organic fertilizer.

‘Dorado’ Dracaena 

Grow any of the dracaenas and you’re likely to have a lot of luck. These are some of the easiest houseplants to grow, because they withstand neglect and can thrive in low light and dry conditions. Dracaena deremensis ‘Dorado’ has dark green leaves edged in chartreuse. The plant will remain small and bushy when young and eventually becomes a tree that can tower 5 to 6 feet or even taller.

 (Healthy Houseplants.com)

To grow dracaenas, provide low to medium light. Water when the first inch of soil has dried out for young plants and when the first 2 to 3 inches of soil has dried out for mature plants. How often you water will depend on the location in the home where the plant is growing and the time of year. Most houseplants grow more slowly in the winter months and as a result require less water. Keep in mind that heating can dry out the soil. Fertilize every six months with a well-balanced organic fertilizer.

Alternanthera

The perky alternanthera thrives indoors. Alternanthera ficoidea is a green variety with miniature shiny green leaves. The plant can be grown anywhere in the home and is also a favorite for use in terrariums and aquariums. Its small leaves contrast well against larger leaved varieties like pothos and philodendron when you create a grouping.

 (Healthy Houseplants.com)

Grow alternanthera in bright light. The more light the plant gets, the healthier and more vibrant it will be. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. The plant wilts easily if it gets too dry, but it will quickly recover after watering. Try to avoid droughting the plant, though, as it may lose some leaves in the process. 

Check out the many eye-catching plants in the Exotic Angel line, and Happy National Houseplant Day, which we’ll be celebrating all week. Check out our Healthy Houseplants Facebook page where the party goes on!