modern indoor plant

August 6, 2005 2:25 PM

Looking for nice tall indoor plant for a modern living room...

I would like to find one for sort of a black and white living room with some red hints... I would like it to be about 50" +/_ tall.. and hoply with bright color or if it is green... something with nice clean interesting shape.

I am thinking of puttin it on white or black or red vase (need some vase info also)..

The vase will be on top of Nelson Bench ... in front of white wall.

Plant should be something that is easy to take care of ... and looks good year around..

thanks..

posted by curiousleo to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

How much natural light is in the plant location? Direct or indirect?
posted by obloquy at 3:13 PM on August 6, 2005

Response by poster: Indirect light.. . I personally don't like too much daylight in my place...

I don't know anything about plants at all.. so please be easy on me... I am willing to google with good recommendation

Nice modern tall vase (nothing too generic...) recommendation welcome....
posted by curiousleo at 3:21 PM on August 6, 2005

If you don't like having much light, then I would suggest Mother In Law's Tongue, which is next to impossible to kill. You can find it about 4ft tall, but it should fit your criteria since it is so narrow.

I could be wrong, but I've always thought that vases were for cut flowers.
posted by furtive at 4:04 PM on August 6, 2005

Maybe a Dragon Tree? Some varieties even have leaves with red edges, which would fit into your color scheme.

I bought a little dragon tree in a 4" pot at Wal-Mart during my first year of college. It's now about 7 feet tall and it's sprouted multiple trunks. It's also been able to take the abuse from my cats, who like to sharpen their claws on the trunks.
posted by Ostara at 4:29 PM on August 6, 2005

Mother In Law's Tongue, which is next to impossible to kill

And if you do kill it, it typically continues to look like it did before it was dead.

Or at least that seems to be the case for my MILT. It hasn't grown an inch in the past five years, has probably been watered only a half-dozen times, and yet continues to look green and upright.

Scary plant, that.
posted by five fresh fish at 5:43 PM on August 6, 2005

I was going to suggest dieffenbachia, but now, based on the Wikipedia entry, I think it is the same as Mother In Law's Tongue. Anyway, in spite of months of calculated neglect, mine grew tall enough to tip itself over, requiring another (heavier) pot. You may have trouble buying one about 50" tall, but ours got about that high. Also, my grandparents have one from before my dad was born, making it at least 50 years old. I'd say it was easy to take care of.

Do note that the leaves are slightly toxic; this isn't a good idea if you have small children in the house who might chew on things.

Or, perhaps a ficus would be better. They grow plenty tall, and require only minimal maintenance, though as a tree, they do shed their leaves on occasion.
posted by rossmik at 10:23 PM on August 6, 2005

Had a thing called a "Happy plant" (apparently, that's it's name) -- started off about 4' tall, grew to about 7' tall in indirect light only. At one point, the cats peed in it, so we put it outside to air out. The sunlight killed it.

We have a replacement, 4' tall. In about 4 years, it should be at about 8' with only occasional watering (not even monthly) and plenty of neglect. Dust was its biggest problem. Seriously, the best thing you can do for these things is forget them.

Ah ... found one. It's apparently also called "corn plant"; latin name dracena fragrans massangeana

Apparently they bloom, rarely, and when they do it smells amazing (good, not bad).

some more info
posted by 5MeoCMP at 12:47 AM on August 7, 2005

My father has a small rubber tree for years - it was very beautiful, lush and green. But he was pretty serious about caring for his plants, misting them, etc. I don't know what the rubber tree required - it did seem very robust.
posted by jb at 10:57 AM on August 7, 2005

Dracaenas are the family of plants you need to look for. A ficus might do well but it does need fairly good indirect light and they can be finicky. And for what it's worth, Mother-in-Law's Tongue and dieffenbachia are not the same plant. Either should do well given the OP's guidelines.
posted by deborah at 11:22 AM on August 7, 2005

Dracenea, when they bloom, can also set off massive allergy attacks. Quite the scene.

If you've a sunny home, you can expect your dracenea to hit the ceiling in short order. Fortunately, you can air-root it very easily, allowing for shorter repotting.

Chinese evergreen also grow like the dickens, but out instead of up. Very hardy.

Spiderplants can't be killed for trying. I had one that sat in a small dry pot for over six months in the dark and cold. Tossed it outside destined for the dumpster, and the bugger started growing again!

Ficus are also called weeping fig. They weep leaves by the bushel every time the environment changes. I don't like them.

I have a schflera (sp? "Doctor's office plant") that does quite well despite my neglect of it.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:24 AM on August 7, 2005

Response by poster: Great suggestions..
I appreciate all the input... The Dragon Tree may be the thing for me .....

Thanks..
posted by curiousleo at 1:54 PM on August 7, 2005