Big plants - How to take care of them

Indoor plants are one of the best ways to complete your home decor. As a general principle, plants and flowers enhance the positive aura of the space, as well as balance and harmony. There are small and large indoor plants that need minimal care even for those who do not know how to care for plants. Liven up your space with one or more large and tall indoor or outdoor plants.

Find below some plants and care tips that will definitely suit any style of home, balcony or office.

BENJAMIN FICUS

Benjamin ficus is one of the most famous ornamental trees that decorate any place. It is an indoor plant but in several areas it can also live outdoors. It has many branches and small oval green leaves that tend to tilt down. It grows all year round, so in a relatively short time it will grow into a tree. When the plant is young, its leaves are light in colour and darken along the way. However, there is also the variety whose foliage is two-tone.

Care tips:

Benjamin ficus needs moderate lighting, moderate watering by spraying the leaves and it is good to regularly clean the leaves with a damp cloth. It grows in temperatures from 15οC to 30οC. It should not be exposed to air currents. This plant prefers a semi-shady place and not to come in direct contact with the sun's rays. In addition, it does not love to be in places where there are air currents because there is a chance that it will start dropping its leaves. So if you place it in the house you should definitely choose a place away from doors or balcony doors and if you have chosen to decorate one corner of the balcony make sure it is not exposed to strong winds. 

Benjamin does not have special requirements for water, on the contrary, if this is done more often than recommended, you will soon see the plant will turn yellow and drop its leaves. Around 2-3 times a month during the summer and 1-2 times a month during the winter would be enough; of course you should always water based on the size of the pot and after checking the soil to determine if it remains wet or needs watering. 

In spring and autumn it is good to add fertilizer every 10 to 15 days, either wet or solid. You will need to transplant into a larger pot every spring unless the plant is already grown in a correspondingly large pot and you do not need to change just a soil renewal. 

The ideal soil is fluffy for general use with foliar soil. Benjamin pruning is done in the spring to shape it and help it grow better. As the plant grows you may notice it developing aerial roots which should be covered with soil.

ARECA

Areca is a tropical plant native to Madagascar that can decorate any interior creating an exotic atmosphere. It will stand out in your home both for its imposing height that can reach up to 2m as well as for its impressive foliage. This particular plant, in addition to beautifying and decorating your space giving a tropical feel, proves to be particularly beneficial for improving air quality. 

Care tips:

Give your plant a semi-shady place with good ventilation as it does not do well when it comes in direct contact with the sun. It especially loves the humid atmosphere, so be sure to spray its foliage with water, which will give your plant a look of vitality and freshness. Never leave it exposed to very low temperatures and cold air currents that can damage its foliage.

Usually watering once a week in winter and every 2 days in summer is enough but you always before watering check the soil to see if it is wet or dry. The plant will need a change in the pot every 2-3 years. Make sure to put light peat soil and pumice at the bottom of the pot to achieve the best possible drainage. Fertilize in the spring with liquid fertilizer for green plants to enhance its growth.

KENTIA

Kentia is an exotic indoor plant with great ornamental value that most people choose to give a tropical character to homes and businesses. Originally from Australia, the kentia stands out for its slender trunk from which long-stemmed palm leaves branch. It has a slow growth and you can leave it in the same pot for a long time, reaching a height of up to two meters.  

Care tips:

It is very easy to grow without creating problems. It should be placed in areas with moderate lighting and there should be no direct exposure to the sun, so as not to create burns on its leaves. Room temperatures should range from 15oC-25oC. If you choose a very shady place, the leaves of the kentia will lose their vitality and the intense green colour. The kentia must be protected from currents and frost, as well as away from radiators. Due to its large volume and height, it is usually placed in corner positions that you want to decorate. 

Kentia is moderately demanding in terms of watering and needs plenty of water once a week, while in the summer period twice a week. In terms of fertilization, you will need to add liquid fertilizer for green plants once a month from spring to autumn. In this way you achieve the maintenance of the good growth of the plant and the vivid green colour of the foliage of the kentia.

Kentia should not be pruned so as not to spoil its shape, as the way it grows is such that it does not allow it. Kentia is propagated by seed, but you should know that it takes a long time for it to germinate. 

Kentia needs to be at a high level of atmospheric humidity because otherwise the edges of its leaves dry out. The use of a humidifier is beneficial in the hot summer period for the kentia, while the frequent spraying of its leaves with distilled water is necessary. 

DRACAENA

Dracaena is a tropical plant that comes from Madagascar. Nevertheless, its name is Greek and it is one of the most beloved indoor plants. Dracaena is suitable to decorate the house and the office and it is very discreet and does not require any special decoration to suit its environment. This plant has over 40 species that differ in shape and size and some of them can reach a height of up to 6 meter.

Care tips:

Dracaena is one of the large indoor plants that do not need much care. It needs soil with good drainage, room temperature and frequent watering with small amounts of water. Thus, it is kept in good condition for years.

The growth of the plant is slow. The dracaena is placed in bright places in the room with ideal temperatures of 16-25oC. Watering and fertilizing the plant is done with the same logic as in other indoor plants.

Do not forget the dracaena, an impressive arboreal plant with low water requirements. This plant needs watering about every 10 days, while in the hot summer season you have to water every 5 days. Before watering the dracaena, check that its soil is dry, as if the dracaena leaves turn yellow, it means that it is receiving excessive watering.

It thrives in bright places that are not directly hit by sunlight, especially in summer. It is durable and can survive in areas with less light. 

You can move this plant in a shady place on your balcony, as long as it protects it from the low night temperatures of winter.

PHILODENDRON

The philodendron originates from the tropics of America and belongs to the aroid family. It is a plant that likes to climb trees and many of these plants have aerial roots. There are tree and shrub species with whole leaves, lobes or with slits. It is evergreen and glossy with great decorative value. Larger plants can even bloom. It is an easy to care for tropical plant with solid, erect, toothed and dark shiny green leaves. 

Care tips:

Philodendron house plants thrive indoors all year round without complaints, but it can enjoy an occasional outdoor stay in a shady spot when the weather allows. 

Place the plant in a location with bright, indirect sunlight. Find a place near a window where the sun's rays never touch the foliage. While it is normal for older leaves to be yellow, if this happens to several leaves at the same time, the plant may get a lot of light. On the other hand, if the stems are long and cuddle several inches between the leaves, the plant probably does not get enough light. The ideal temperatures are 24-29 ° C during the day and 18-21 ° C during the night

Excessive watering can cause disease or yellowing of the leaves. In general, it is best to wait until the topsoil is dry before adding more water.

It thrives when in high humidity. Spray regularly. During the growing season a fertilizer containing all the main nutrients is required

Leaving the plant outdoors also gives you the opportunity to rinse the soil with plenty of fresh water and clean the leaves. Unlike most indoor plants, deciduous trees do not have as much stress when moving from indoor to outdoor.

PACHIRA

Pachira with its tree growth and its large compound leaves reminiscent of an open palm is a plant that will adorn any interior. It is also known as “Money Tree” and “Good Luck Plant” due to its connection with feng shui, which according to it fills the space with positive energy and brings health, luck and money to the home or business. The origin of this plant is from Central America. Its leaves are thin, shiny and green, while even more impressive are its woody trunks that are shaped to form a braid and "trap" in this way luck and money. Although in its natural environment it is a very tall tree, about 15 meters, inside the house it usually reaches a height of 2 meters.

Care tips:

Pachira needs a place that will have rich light but not direct contact with the sun's rays, especially during the summer months. It wants protection from cold air currents but also from very low temperatures, showing particular sensitivity when they are around 0 οC.

It has no special requirements for water. During the winter months or in humid conditions it will need watering about once a week as you make sure that the soil has dried in the interval between the previous watering. In summer you will increase the frequency of watering, every 3 to 4 days, and you can spray the leaves with water to maintain a desired humidity. It needs light indoor soil and ensures good drainage. It is best not to transplant it into a very large pot, to limit its growth. 

Once a month, every spring and autumn, you should add fertilizer for green plants, enhancing its bright foliage.

Pachira is a hardy plant and will hardly be affected by diseases and insects, so if you observe the appropriate conditions you will boast of its healthy growth for years. 

STRELITZIA

Strelitzia is a tropical plant both indoors and outdoors, perhaps with the most exotic beauty a flower could have. The name "bird of paradise" was given to this plant because of its colourful and unusual flower shape that would be said to look like a flying bird. The predominant colours are both bright orange with small touches of blue. It has large leaves that stand on tall stems while the flowers that appear from spring to mid-autumn are what will steal the show. It can reach a height of about 2 meters. It will decorate a vase just as beautifully because it can be kept cut for a long time. Finally it symbolizes faith and happiness and is often offered at wedding anniversaries, births, inaugurations.

Care tips:

Strelitzia will love a place warm and rich in sunshine. If you choose to place it outdoors, your balcony or garden, then you will need to protect it from the winter frost. In general, however, it looks very durable even in coastal areas since the humidity of the atmosphere seems to be necessary. The ideal growth temperatures are from 15 to 30 οC.

During the winter the watering of Strelitzia can be done once a week having the soil dry before, while in the summer you should increase the frequency of watering to 2 to 3 times a week. To provide the appropriate moisture, make sure to spray the foliage about 2 times a week. Once a month, every spring and autumn it is good to give this plant liquid fertilizer for flowering. 

No pruning will be required, except for the removal of dried or past flowers.

Strelitzia is generally a hardy plant and will hardly suffer from enemies and diseases. All you have to do to keep it healthy is to water it as much as you should and no more and to clean the leaves with a slightly damp cloth about every 10 days.

SCHEFFLERA

Schefflera is a perennial, evergreen plant native to Malaysia. It has relatively slow growth but as it grows it takes the form of a tree and can reach a height of over 5 meters in suitable conditions. 

Care tips:

It needs enough light to grow but not direct light. Especially in hot seasons, it should not be seen in direct sunlight through windows (which raise the temperature of the sun even more) or on your balcony because its leaves will burn.

Watering should be done according to its size. The larger the plant, the more water it needs, but be careful not to wet the soil when watering again. In winter you should moderate the watering since the plant will not be in a period of growth. Also, when watering, make sure that the pot has good drainage but also that there is no water left on its saucer.

Although it is drought tolerant, it needs the humidity of the environment, so make sure that the space in which it is located has the necessary humidity. If your plant is on the balcony, spray its leaves as often as you can, but in summer make sure the sun does not see the wet leaves because it will burn them.

It is good to clean the leaves as often as possible with a soft cloth dampened with lukewarm water to remove dust and make it easier for the leaves to breathe.

It can be lubricated in all seasons once a month, either in liquid or solid form. If you have the Schefflera outdoors, reduce the frequency of lubrication in winter and summer. Also, add a little iron to avoid yellowing of the leaves and keep them green.

It will need transplanting a few years later when the plant has grown and become stronger. The suitable soil for transplanting is the general use in combination with some clay texture.

OLIVE PLANT

The olive tree has been known since ancient times, and originates from the area of the eastern Mediterranean. It is a popular plant which dominates with its simplicity in the space and gives peace and tranquility to the landscape. It is also used in gardening for ornamental purposes due to its glossy compact foliage and as an ornamental plant is planted in a pot on the balcony, but also indoors, as it is a symbol of fruitfulness, success and longevity.

Care tips:

The best growing position is those that are not often affected by extreme temperatures, very cold in winter and excessive heat in summer. An average temperature would be around 18 οC. A big problem for the olive tree is the spring frosts that can destroy the growing buds.

If you place this plant indoors, you must provide it with a bright place, with good ventilation, away from radiators, from cold and hot currents, as well as from windows.

The olive tree does not have high demands on soil as it is an impressively tolerant plant. This means that it can thrive in deep fertile to shallow, dry soils. It behaves just as well in slightly acidic or alkaline soils. However, it has been observed that in constantly moist soil and very strongly alkaline, it shows weak growth. Therefore the most suitable soil environment is the one that has good drainage, is not very alkaline and contains a sufficient amount of calcium and potassium.

The olive plant requires frequent watering, three times a week in the summer months, once a week in winter and definitely twice a week in spring and autumn.

Regarding the fertilization of the olive, it is good to do it in the fall and in late February to early March. Potted trees probably need more frequent fertilization. What you need to take care of is to supply your plant with enough nitrogen so that it maintains the intense green colour of its leaves, but also sufficient amounts of potassium that strengthen the defence of its body. 

In terms of pruning, the olive as an ornamental plant can be even very strictly pruned, in order to maintain its shape in the form you desire. Its ability to germinate quickly and in large proportions of shoots allows us to shape it according to the needs of the space to be installed. A good time for this kind of work is in late winter immediately after the fall of the fruits.

Change the mood and decor of your home with one or more plants. You can also send these stunning plants as a gift on any pleasant occasion to your loved ones far away. Choose plants, from a flower shop near you or through our e-shop, that do not need special care, that withstand low light, non-toxic and plants that have air purifying properties, high or smaller in size to suit the needs and in your lifestyle.