Often plants are only valued for their flowers. We present ten house plants whose foliage deserves just as much attention.
For many, indoor plants are part of every apartment, after all they are not only decorative and make every room appear more homely. Flowering plants are particularly popular as green roommates, as they are considered particularly beautiful with their pretty flowers. But leafy plants can also attract everyone's attention: with unique patterns, unusual colors and playful shapes, they even steal the spotlight from many other flowers. But decorative leaf plants have other advantages: they increase the humidity, bind carbon dioxide and other pollutants and thus ensure a pleasant indoor climate. We have found ten unusual houseplants for you that shine with their special foliage.
10. Sweetheart Plant
Anyone who is looking for an unusual gift for their loved ones, but does not want to resort to classic bouquets, should consider the sweetheart plant (Hoya kerrii): With its unique, heart-shaped Leaves the plant sets a great sign that can hardly be misunderstood. If you take care of the plant regularly, it won't stay with one heart for long, leaf after leaf will soon follow. The wonderfully uncomplicated succulent can be between 50 and 300 centimeters high and 50 to 150 centimeters wide - fortunately the sweetheart plant grows rather slowly and therefore fits easily into every apartment.
9. Silver Net Sheet
The Silver Net Leaf (Fittonia Verschaffeltii) is not only characterized by a unique play of colours: its real hobbyhorse are the enchanting patterns on the leaves, which also earned it the name mosaic plant. Depending on the variety, the silver netting shows a great composition of green and red or white veins. Unfortunately, the houseplant is a bit more demanding in terms of care: Full sun and drafts can do thatSilver netting does not suffer, high humidity and regular watering all the more.
8. window leaf
Who cut holes in the leaves? When you see the Monstera (Monstera) for the first time, you almost think that someone has tampered with the plant with scissors. In fact, the decorative leaf incisions appear on their own if the window leaf grows in a sufficiently bright place. In addition to the unique shape, the leaves of the houseplant also impress with their imposing size and immediately bring exotic flair to every house. By the way, if you take good care of the window leaf, the entire plant can reach a size of up to five meters and live several decades.
7. Schwarzkopf
Black flowers competing for radiance on a pretty shrub? Unfortunately wrong - in fact it is thick leaves arranged in a rosette that give the Schwarzkopf (Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop') its characteristic appearance. These grow on short stems close to a semi-stem and can vary (depending on the season) between green, dark red or almost black. Despite its unique beauty, the succulent plant (Crassulaceae) does not show any airs and graces: very robust and easy to care for, the blackhead is also a suitable houseplant for beginners.
You can find more black plants that guarantee an eye-catcher in the house or garden in this article.
String of Pearls or Pea Plant - the various names of the pea on the string (Senecio rowleyanus) all indicate its unusual appearance. If you didn't know better, you might think at first glance that the plants actually consist of small peas that someone painstakingly threaded onto long strings. The round, bright green leaves are also a real eye-catcher when they hang down on the long shoots. With its unique look, the pea on a string is a real eye-catcher as a hanging plant in the hanging basket - and its particularly easy-care nature also makes the plant extremely popular.
5. Trout Begonia
Leaf begonias (Begonia rex hybrids) have long been popular as ornamental foliage plants because of their great coloring - their close relative, the trout begonia (Begonia maculata ), however, reaches a whole new level: Not only does the plant present beautiful leaves in an appealing heart shape, but it also reaches completely new dimensions in terms of color and pattern. The upper side of the leaves is adorned with numerous, spherical white spots that are strongly reminiscent of the well-known "polka-dot" pattern, which also gave the plant the name polka-dot begonia. In addition, the trout begonia also impresses with the undersides of its leaves, which, with their intense red, create a great contrast to the green upper side of the leaves. If the houseplant then shows its ornate coral-colored flowers, it becomes the undisputed eye-catcher in the house.
At first glance, the Lithops (Lithops) is a rather inconspicuous fellow: In fact, one could think that someone was joking and put a pebble in the pot . In reality, however, the bizarre appearance of the lithops, which is also known as the "living stone", is an elaborate survival strategy. The exotic plant stores a lot of water in its knobbly leaves, which is often scarce in its native South Africa. So that thirsty animals do not refresh themselves on the juicy leaves, the plant cleverly disguises itself as a stone - a small miracle of nature. The shape of the lithops is particularly interesting in autumn when it develops its pretty flowers: After all, who expects that a stone can bloom?
3. Zebra Weed
The zebra leaf (Tradescantia zebrina) has a truly unique leaf colour: Similar to its animal namesake, the house plant comes with a distinctive striped pattern. Red-violet and green-silver longitudinal stripes characterize the unusual appearance of the plant, which is also known under the name Spiderwort or Tradescantia. Together with its dense growth and the pointed leaves, the zebra herb is an elegant beauty among the ornamental foliage plants. It becomes even more enchanting in spring: then the zebra herb also shows small, three-petalled flowers.
Caution: Danger of addiction: The Coriander (Calathea) comes in so many different leaf patterns and color combinations that you just have to start collecting them. From very simple to extravagant and exotic, you will find the right plant for every style. However, they all have one thing in common: With their large leaves, they give your home an exciting jungle atmosphere. But that's not the only thing that makes the basket marante so exciting - some species can align their leaves according to the sunlight and even close them when night falls. This makes the unusual houseplant ideal for observing. You can find inspiration in our special article on the most beautiful Calathea species.
1. Miracle Shrub
When you think of ornamental foliage plants, you immediately have an image of boring green plants in your mind. Fortunately, the miracle shrub (Codiaeum variegatum) does not fit into this picture - in fact, the plant often not only scores with one or two colors, but proudly presents countless yellows, reds, oranges and of course shades of green. With its large, leathery leaves, the plant is a wonderful soloist that draws everyone's attention and unfolds its full luminosity, especially in bright locations. In addition to ornamental leaf plants, flowering roommates can also make a powerful impression. You can find the ten most beautiful flowering indoor plants for your home here.
Tip: In order for the plants to develop their unusual foliage, they need enough nutrients. Indoor plants should therefore be regularly supplied with a fertilizer such as our Plantura organic indoor & green plant fertilizer. The liquid fertilizer is simply administered over the irrigation water.