Dracaena marginata tricolor is a stunningly dramatic plant. It has narrow knife-like leaves, striped green, cream and pink and, as in the yucca, the leaves burst out from the centre of the plant. There is also the species D. marginata which has the foliage clustered at the top of a stem. The croton definitely belongs in this category, but needs some cosseting to really flourish. It needs constant warmth and no chills, plus humidity and plenty of light. Given all this it will reward you with amazing splashes of colour on its broad densely packed leaves. The veining varies from cream through yellow to red according to the individual cultivar. Certain cacti can be very dramatic especially if placed in a situation which makes the most of their extraordinary shapes and weird textures.
Any plant which is larger than average can provide drama but care has to be taken for the room not simply to look dwarfed by a monster. One plant which is difficult to place successfully is the sansevieria or mother-in- law’s tongue. It has great style of its own but so often ends up looking tired and neglected on a window-sill. The variety `Laurentii’ has a creamy-yellow edge to the leaf and is far more dramatic than the plain green kind. Very often a row of several sansevieria plants together has greater impact than one alone. They seem to need a busy background to throw their simple shapes into relief. If their surroundings are too plain their visual strength seems to be diluted.
Exotic and Mysterious
The word exotic means foreign or outlandish and implies an air of strangeness and mystery. Many of the plants we would describe as exotic come from parts of the world we at one time knew very little about, and in some cases still do. Many live in climates that are radically different from ours and have developed forms and shapes that are quite different from our own native plants or at least from the majority of them. In the equatorial forests, for example, because of the hot humid climate, there is a far greater range of plant life than in temperate latitudes. There are epiphytes, those that grow and receive nourishment from other plants; carnivorous plants, such as the sundews and pitcher plants which trap and feed off insects, and plants with aerial roots which hang down from their stems. Although there are examples of carnivorous plants and epiphytes to be found in temperate latitudes, they are not plentiful and have always been thought of as rather odd and a bit different from ‘normal’ plants as can be seen from the stories that surround plants such as the mistletoe.
First on our list of indoor exotica must be orchids. These grow all over the world in the wild and many are native to the British Isles. But the types grown as indoor plants today are modern hybrid orchids bred from tropical species and are far removed from the orchids of chalk hills and beech woods.
Some grow to great size with flower spikes a metre long while others are fairly small and will sit happily on a narrow window-sill. The flowers themselves are often very complex in their colours and patterns, having often evolved to mimic insects, although the basic arrangement of petals never alters. The cymbidium type of orchids are usually suggested for beginners to grow and are easy but need space.
The bromeliads are another rather strange and exotic group of plants. They all tend to produce a central vase of leaves with no stems. The leaves are often striped and patterned, and beautifully coloured. The flowers are usually not at all like our idea of a conventional flower. Aechmea fasciata has a strange spiky pink flower held stiffly above greyish green leaves. The billbergia species are also in the bromeliad family and the pineapple or ananas family has lots of very striking variations in foliage types and can’t fail to look exotic in any setting.
Bonsai or dwarfed trees and shrubs are becoming increasingly popular in this country, but are not really houseplants. They are simply tiny versions of normal trees and need outdoor conditions, but they can be brought in for short periods as part of a special display and then returned to dappled light in a sheltered situation outside. Other exotica include the gardenia which is really best in a cool greenhouse or conservatory and the beautifully scented hoya.
Elegant and Stately
A truly elegant plant has a restrained habit of growth and a graceful outline with, ideally, beautifully curving stems. It may be simple in its shape but never dull; it should be definitely stylish and rather understated. Plants in this category blend easily with furnishings and subtly echo shapes or colours — never shout them down. Many rooms need the important element which foliage and cool colours give to them but don’t need a bold statement in colour or shape. All white flowers have this undeniable elegance so go for white if you have a choice and want to add a touch of class. Pure white lilies have great romance and elegance and at last seem more widely available as houseplants. They are very easy to grow from bulbs and as long as you are organised enough to plant your bulbs at intervals between late winter and spring you can have a succession of flowering plants to bring indoors throughout the summer.
Tree-sized versions of foliage plants such as Ficus benjamina are very elegant although whatever size this plant is grown it has a stylish and delicate look about it. The leaves droop slightly and there is always space around each leaf and they never produce a confused effect as do some plants. Other elegantly leaved plants include schefflera, spathiphyllum and Dizygotheca elegantissima. The Citrus microcarpa is attractive in all stages of its flowering and fruiting and conjures up visions of 18th-century orangeries and grand houses. It prefers to be kept in cool surroundings such as a porch, conservatory or a light room with little or no heat.
Palms definitely invoke a feeling of grace and stateliness wherever they are placed. One of the taller varieties is Howeia belmoreana which can grow too tall for the average room but certainly adds atmosphere if you can give it space. Howeia forsteriana is usually planted with several plants in one pot and never reaches its potential height and is therefore suitable for many homes. Its branches are very graceful and it makes a splendid focal point in any room but visually it is quite a busy-looking plant; it defitely won’t merge into the background. Finally many varieties of plants which have variegated types gain great elegance from their colouring. Variegated ivies for example have a lightness and style very different from the plain green outdoor type.
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- The Cactus Box
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