Top 6 Houseplant Recommendations for Colorado
If you’re just getting started with houseplants, you should know which plants are suited for our climate because these plants have a good chance of not only surviving but also thriving. Everyone has their favorite list, and I am no exception! If I were to recommend a plant to a beginner Colorado plant parent in general, I would start with these five and the honorable mention, which is a whole blog of its own. If you aren’t sure you have the right light requirements for these or other easy-care starter plants, let me evaluate your space and light availability and we can decide which plant might work best for that space.
Not every plant is going to thrive in Colorado. If you are an experienced houseplant parent, you know what works and what doesn’t. I would not give a list of what does not work in Colorado simply because everyone has a different mini-ecosystem. Additionally, the state is somewhat diverse in altitude and, believe it or not, humidity. There are some plants I have never been able to keep alive; someone else in my valley has had the same plant for years and it’s doing really well.
Choosing the right starter plant for our Colorado climate – 6 easy plants
Pothos, (Epipremnum aureum): also known as Devil’s Ivy. There are many varieties these days, but they are usually happy even if theres not a lot of light. They are a low-light, fairly low-water plant. Pothos are a toxic plant, so keep them out of reach of your pets. They tend to want to climb or wander, and the tendency in a lower-light atmosphere is to let that one skinny vine trail all around the wall to the window it wants to reach. In their native habitat, they grow up tree trunks and the leaves are larger than the Thanksgiving turkey serving plate! They are really good at vining so give them a pole to climb or hang them and trim off any long tendrils for the first few growth cycles and it will grow full and bushy. They do like to be trimmed, so take that long vine and cut it into pieces, ensuring that each has a little bit of the brown joint bump. This bump can form a root when put into a glass of water. Then replant the new plants into the same pot and it’s even fuller.
Jade plant, (Crassula ovata): The jade plant is a succulent and is fairly easy to take care of. Drop a leaf into the soil, and its likely to start a new plant. They do like a bright room but prefer to dry out between waterings. Jades can grow into miniature trees, and if you are lucky and the conditions are just right, they will bloom small white flowers. They also like to be trimmed. Some people will grow them as “bonsai” trees because they are so easy to manipulate. Jade plants can also be toxic for pets.
Mother-in-Law Tongue (Sanseveria): Also known as Snake Plant. Sanseveria is considered to be a plant that cleans indoor air. They have lower light requirements and can thrive in a darker room. They also like to be dry before watering. They’ll occasionally bloom, in the form of a tall spike that smells absolutely heavenly. I’ve had them bloom for me a few times and it is a thrill. Sanseveria can be tall and stately or short and rather wide. They are usually variegated with white or yellow and spread via underground rhizomes. I have found that they like shallower pots and they also prefer being root-bound.
Spider Plant, (Chlorophytum comosum): A very versatile hanging plant that looks nice in a corner or a low-light window. Spider plants don’t need a lot of light and can tolerate dryer soil although they do like to be more moist than a pothos. They also like a light mist with a squirt bottle, especially during the dry winter months. They will send out “babies” prolifically on hanging stems and also produce pretty white flowers. If you want more plants, simply cut off the “babies” and replant either in the same pot or a new pot and they will set roots fairly quickly. Spider plants love our abundant Colorado sunshine!
Philodendron varieties (Philodendron): Wikipedia notes that the philodendron is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae with at least 489 varieties. The philodendrons range from hanging, vining plants to upright plants with a variety of colorations. The vining varieties are quite easy to take care of. They like low light but a little more moisture than the Spider Plant. Keeping them hydrated with a fairly uniform moisture is not impossible with the right soil mixture. Philodendrons also like to vine and climb, so give them a pole or hang them. Philodendrons aren’t prolific growers like the pothos but trimming tendrils can force them to put on more growth on the crown so they’re a great choice for hanging baskets. Give them a mist or a little more humidity and they’ll be happy but they do well in Colorado overall.
Honorable Mention: Succulents and cactus: There are so many varieties and families in both succulent and cactus houseplants that I can’t list them all here. Suffice it to say they thrive in our environment. Lots of light, dry conditions – what’s not to love? Check your local nursery for all the new varieties that are being grown and propagated. In another post, we’ll discuss the different types of succulents and care for each, so keep checking back!
Learning what each plant requires and being able to mitigate some factors to give it an even better chance is the key to a successful houseplant. In Colorado, knowing the environmental factors is helpful in selecting houseplants that are compatible. With my many years of experience raising houseplants, I can consult with you on your space and the types of plants that might do best. Let me help you complement your lifestyle in a way that makes you and your new plant happy.
