A 3ft "column" of houseplant

March 29, 2006 12:54 AM

Houseplant recommendations, please. I want a "columnar" plant to sit in front of my floor-stand-mounted speakers, hiding the ugly black-poled void. In other words, what houseplants a) sit in a ~10" pot and b) have a "columnar" display rising straight up for 2.5-3 feet? The plants will get bright reflected light, but almost no direct sun.
posted by Moistener to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

I am currently big on my rubber tree plant. It has been a good grower for me. There is also the money tree. You can usually pick them up cheap in a Chinatown. It is a few trees planted close together and the stems are braided. The unique braiding could add an extra bit of visual interest.
posted by arruns at 4:36 AM on March 29, 2006

The mother-in-law's tongue or snake plant in my living room gets very little light and needs very little water. I've had it for years, despite a black thumb. Also, funny name. It might be closer to 2 feet than 3, but it looks like you can probably get one much larger.
posted by theredpen at 5:08 AM on March 29, 2006

Snake Plant. Easy as sin to grow, needs very little light but will do fine in what you describe.
posted by OmieWise at 5:08 AM on March 29, 2006

Great minds think alike?
posted by theredpen at 7:08 AM on March 29, 2006

Any vining plant could do what you want, as long as you give them something to climb on. I would recommend a pothos. They get pretty big, are very easy to grow, and need little to no light. Very pretty variegated leaves, too, which get more variegated with more exposure to light. Or a philodendron. Lots of nice varieties, all very vigorous.
posted by acridrabbit at 11:33 AM on March 29, 2006

Aloe?
posted by scratch at 11:51 AM on March 29, 2006