Shade-loving plants are plants that do not need bright light. In nature, they live in places where the rays of the sun rarely penetrate: in the lower tier of the forest, under the cover of tall trees and bushes. Shade-loving indoor plants are suitable for hallways and bedrooms and are easy to care for. These are mainly green species with decorative leaves, but there are also flowering ones.
Shade-loving indoor plants
Plant species that love shade are called sciophytes or heliophobes. A short stay in the sun will not harm them. But their leaves turn pale and become covered with brown spots if there is always too much light.
General requirements for caring for shade-loving plants:
| Condition | Description |
| Air temperature | +16-22 degrees Celsius |
| Watering | Moderate as the soil dries out |
| Top dressing | 1-2 times a month |
Among heliophobes there are tropical, fern and brightly flowering species that will give the interior of a bedroom or hallway a natural flavor.
Aspidistra
A stemless plant of the Asparagus family, it is an inhabitant of the subtropics of Japan and China. Its leaves resemble lily of the valley.
Benefits of the flower:
- cleans the air of toxic substances, including formaldehyde and benzene;
- used in folk medicine.
Aspidistra leaves are used to prepare potions against cramps and muscle pain, gastrointestinal and kidney diseases.
Flaws:
- brevity, inconspicuousness;
- rarely blooms.
Aspidistra flowers emerge from the ground at the base of the stems for only 24 hours. If a houseplant blooms, it means that ideal conditions have been created for it.
Aucuba
The perennial shrub comes in the Himalayan and Japanese varieties. Aucuba is called the “sausage tree” for its green leaves with round yellow spots. In nature, the plant produces fruits similar to dogwood.
Advantages:
- bright exotic appearance;
- Suitable for growing in the garden, large flowerpots.
Flaws:
- the Himalayan species can grow up to 4 meters in height;
- all parts of the plant are poisonous.
The bush must be trimmed and placed out of reach of children and pets.
Zamioculcas
The tuberous-rooted plant is related to succulents and is native to the African island of Zanzibar.
Advantages of growing Zamioculcas:
- accumulates water and can go without watering for a long time;
- attracts money to the house.
Zamioculcas is called the “dollar tree” and is considered a money talisman. When you go on vacation, you don’t have to worry that it will wither away.
Flaws:
- poisonous;
- It blooms rarely and unaesthetically.
The juice from the leaves and stems of the Zanzibar succulent irritates the skin, and the flower looks like a white bump.
Indoor bamboo
Another representative of the Asparagus family comes from Central Africa. This is a moisture-loving plant with beautifully spiraling branches.
Advantages:
- according to Feng Shui, brings family happiness;
- brings an oriental flavor to the interior.
Indoor bamboo can be grown in water or hydrogel, surrounded by pebbles.
Flaws:
- If not properly cared for, the roots will deteriorate;
- pruning required.
Bamboo reaches a meter in height and grows wide, so it needs to be pruned. Sections must be treated with wax or wood ash.
For indoor bamboo, only purified water is suitable for growth and watering. Every two weeks you need to change the water and wash the container in which it grows.
Kalanchoe
The flowering subshrub, which has long been familiar to gardeners, also belongs to succulents. It is distributed in southern Africa and Asia.
Advantages:
- bright and abundant flowering;
- unusual carved leaves, as if openwork around the edges.
Kalanchoe juice is used in folk medicine, like aloe. The small bush is called the “tree of life” or “house ginseng.”
Flaws:
- for flowering it is necessary to observe the regime of light and shadow;
- may cause allergies.
The plant does well in the shade, but flourishes after regular exposure to light.
Monstera
The tropical liana came from equatorial countries with a humid, hot climate. Monstera is found in the jungles of Brazil.
Advantages:
- large carved leaves of unusual beauty;
- Monstera deliciosa produces edible fruits with a sweet flavor reminiscent of banana or pineapple.
Flaws:
- an overgrown vine takes up a lot of space;
- leaves are poisonous;
- energetic vampire.
Monstera definitely needs support in order for it to grow upward. The shoots produce aerial roots. They need to be “grounded” - directed into the soil in a pot or earthen bags suspended from them.
Nephrolepis
The fern plant belongs to the flora of Australia, Central America, Africa and southeast Asia.
Advantages:
- the lush cap of branches with leaf segments looks prehistorically lush;
- natural air filter.
Flaws:
- an aging flower loses its aesthetics;
- It is necessary to spray frequently, but not to over-moisten.
The foliage of older nephrolepsis turns yellow and falls off. But the perennial lives for more than fifteen years.
Sansevieria
The most common green indoor flower with erect leaves is better known among the people under the name “mother-in-law’s tongue.” Its homeland is the jungles of Madagascar and India, the African tropics.
Advantages:
- has a scientifically proven ability to purify the air;
- unpretentious, can grow in light.
During the day, the plant absorbs carbon dioxide and toxic substances, even fumes from plastic, and at night it fills the air with oxygen.
Flaws:
- during flowering causes allergies;
- grows in height and width.
Gradually, the sansevieria becomes crowded in the pot, so it will need to be replanted.
Fatsia japonica
Hidden in the name is a Japanese word meaning the number 8—the number of lobes the plant’s leaves are divided into. For its external similarity, but smaller growth, Fatsia was nicknamed the “Japanese chestnut”.
Advantages:
- flowers exude a subtle pleasant aroma;
- loves ventilation and drafts.
Flaws:
- not suitable for allergy sufferers;
- bears poisonous berries.
Fatsia juice is also harmful, as it irritates sensitive skin.
Hedera
An equally common plant in indoor floriculture is common ivy. Its shoots climb up, entwine the supports and cover the walls with a green carpet.
Advantages:
- leaves, flowers and berries are edible;
- used in folk medicine.
From the pollen of the ivy hedera, an aromatic honey with a mint taste is obtained, not inferior in quality to linden honey.
Flaws:
- grows greatly;
- bad rumor.
Popular superstition does not recommend placing hedera in the bedroom or generally growing it in the house, since it has a reputation as a “husband buster.”
