15 original houseplants for a collection unlike any other

Article for :Experienced plant loverPlant addict professional

Monstera deliciosa, pothos and Pilea peperomioides are the most popular plants on our app and in garden centers. But even if we're crazy about them, sometimes we want something different. If you're dreaming of a variety you don't come across every day, a species that hasn't yet invaded social networks, here's our selection of 15 original plants that will make your collection unique.

#1 Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

Will the bird of paradise dethrone the Monstera deliciosa in our interiors? Photo by Bouzid27 / Deviantart

The bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) should delight collectors looking for a more original XXL plant than the Monstera deliciosa. Its elliptical leaves measure up to 70 centimetres long. Dark green, they are strongly veined. In some specimens, the center and margins of the leaf blades are even veined with purple.

Strelitzia reginae is easy to care for if you grow it for its foliage. Getting the bird's head-shaped flowers to bloom, on the other hand, requires some effort. To make your Bird of paradise bloom, you need to overwinter it in a bright room with a temperature of between 10 and 15°C.

#2 Peperomia Raindrop (Peperomia polybotrya)

Peperomia Raindrop looks just like the Chinese coin plant - Photo by Yercaud Elango / Wikipedia

Sometimes a simple detail changes everything. A bit like turning up the collar of your polo shirt to look like a rebel. Peperomia Raindrop, on the other hand, has round leaves with tapered tips. As a result, they look more like drops of water than the limbs of the popular Chinese coin plant (Pilea Peperomioides).

Having a beautiful Peperomia Raindrop won't require much maintenance. What's more, the plant makes your job easier. When it's thirsty, it sags. All you have to do is water it generously with rainwater, and it will regain its compact, upright habit.

#3 Spotted pothos (Scindapsus pictus exotica)

This is not a pothos - Photo by Ong Jyh Seng /iNaturalist

Even though there are hundreds of varieties of Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), you might want something different. And that's where Scindapsus pictus 'Exotica', also known as spotted pothos, comes in. Like pothos, it belongs to the Araceae family and offers us lush foliage. But it also has velvety-textured leaves.

Is your Spotted Pothos the envy of many? If you're in a generous mood, cut it to give to your friends. Simply take a ten-centimeter portion of the stem, just below a node. You can then plant it directly in potting soil or let it root in water first.

#4 Callisia elegans (Callisia gentlei)

And this is no misery! Photo by Salicyna / Wikipedia

Easy to care for and propagate, the misery has made a name for itself among all beginner plant-addicts. If you want to stand out from the crowd, adopt a Calisia gentlei. The plant's fleshy leaves and sheathing stem are reminiscent of Tradescantia. The color of the leaf blades, however, is something of a novelty: light or dark green, with white stripes.

Callisia gentlei needs watering when its substrate is dry on the surface. For the rest, it can be grown as a fat plant! Plant it in succulent potting soil and give it a cactus fertilizer during the growing period.

#5 Colocasia esculenta

Colocasia esculenta will soon become your new favorite plant - Photo by Audrey Misner /Plantnet

It's hard for the uninitiated to tell the difference between a Colocasia esculenta and an Alocasia. Both plants have thick, sagittate leaves, often with pronounced veins and colors ranging from light green to black. The subtle difference lies in the petiole. In Alocasia, the leaf blade is fused at the edge. In Colocasia esculenta, the attachment is lower down on the leaf.

The two species also maintain themselves differently. Whereas Alocasia needs the soil to dry out slightly between waterings, Colocasia likes to keep the soil moist at all times. In summer, you can even leave your feet in the water!

#6 Ficus alii (Ficus maclellandii 'Alii')

Ficus alii is sometimes nicknamed the saber-leaf fig tree - Photo by Davi J. Stang/ Wikipedia

The Ficus is to houseplants what the little black dress or white sneakers are to your wardrobe: an essential basic. But being a classic doesn't mean you can't keep up with the trends! Right now, ficus elastica is all the rage. If you want to think outside the box, treat yourself to a Ficus alii. With its 1.5 m height and glossy green lanceolate leaves, this shrub has nothing to envy its cousin.

Like other fig trees, ficus maclellandii 'Alii hates change. It's likely to lose a few feathers after arriving at your home and with each repotting. To avoid traumatizing it too much, don't change its location and repot it only when the roots have colonized the pot.

#7 Turtle chain (Peperomia prostrata)

The delicate leaves of turtle chain look translucent - Photo by Kelvin Nguyen /Plantnet

It's not just in the kitchen that revisits are all the rage. If you're looking for a hanging plant more original than the Pearl Necklace Curio rowleyanus) and cuter than chain of Hearts (Ceropeggia woodi), the Turtle Chain (Peperomia prostrata) should satisfy. Its round, succulent leaves are studded with patterns identical to those on the shells of four-legged reptiles.

But peperomia prostrata isn't just about looks. Unlike the pearl necklace and heart chain, it is non-toxic to pets. You can add it to your collection even if you share your home (and your passion for plants) with your cat or dog.

#8 Crocodile fern (Microsorum musifolium)

Love reptile print? Instead of a luxury handbag, treat yourself to a rare plant! Photo by Mokkie /Wikipedia

While enthusiasts may cultivate boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) or bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus), the crocodile fern (Microsorum musifolium) remains unusual. Its bright green fronds, which appear to be covered in scales, have yet to make their mark.

If ferns are rare in our apartments, it's partly because they're rather difficult to care for. These plants love humidity, and their foliage withers indoors when the air is too dry. Microsorum musifolium is no exception. Your Alligator fern will do best in a damp room with a window, such as your kitchen or bathroom.

#9 Velvet plant (Gynura aurantiaca)

In orange, purple and green, the velvet plant looks great - Photo by Didier Descouens / Wikipedia

With less than 100 Google searches per month, gynura aurantiaca isn't exactly a hot topic. Yet at Monstera, we're sure it will be the next Internet star. We're sure you'll be seeing its fluffy purple foliage and orange flowers everywhere in no time.

Gynura aurantiaca doesn't age well. The plant fades and loses its color after a few years. Consider renewing yours by cutting in spring, and pinching back the stems regularly to encourage branching.

#10 Monstera dubia

Monstera dubia or the two-dimensional plant - Photo by William Stephens / iNaturalist

Not only does Monstera dubia have two-tone, textured leaves, its silhouette is unlike that of any other Aracae. Whereas other plants climb up their stakes or let their vines fall back, this one clings to its support, like ivy on a facade or shingles on a roof.

To enhance the uniqueness of your Monstera dubia, choose its support carefully. You can grow it against a wall, on a wooden board or around a pole filled with sphagnum moss.

#11 Zebra plant (Aphelandra squarrosa)

Not all zebras are black and white - Photo by Wayne Ray - Wikipedia

It could almost pass for an Alocasia with its dark green leaves striped with white. Until it blooms. While elephant ear flowers consist of a creamy spathe and spadix, the zebra plant sports a spiky red, yellow or orange inflorescence lined with small, highly fragrant flowers.

To make your Aphelandra squarrosa bloom again, give it a rest after flowering. Reduce watering, stop fertilizing and keep your Zebra plant in the shade until vegetation returns.

#12 Rose of Jericho (Selaginella lepidophylla)

The Rose of Jericho is related to the ferns - Asurnipal / Wikipedia

The Rose of Jericho (Selaginella lepidophylla) may not be the rarest of plants, but it's undoubtedly one of the most original. In just a few hours, it goes from being a parched sponge to a green fern. In fact, it goes into a dormant phase and retracts when thirsty. When you water or spray it, it regains its shape and color.

While the Rose of Jericho needs water to flourish, it fears excess. To make sure you don't kill it, you can grow it as an epiphytic plant and let it dry out completely before watering. You can also plant it in an acidic, draining substrate and mist it. This way, you can enjoy its foliage all year round, or almost all year round.

#13 The variegated banana (Musa variegata)

The variegated banana won't give you fruit, but it will get you lots of compliments - Photo by Mokkie / Wikipedia

Unless you live in a tropical Asian country, having a banana tree in your home or garden is already an eccentricity. If you want to add to your eccentricity, opt for a Musa variegata. Its green and white leaves are sure to surprise lovers of variegated plants.

Musa variegata is more fragile than japanese Banana (Musa basjoo). It cannot tolerate temperatures below 10°C. Grow it indoors, in your living room or in a greenhouse. But be sure to leave plenty of room! It can grow up to three meters tall!

#14 Lady's slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum)

It takes a very small foot to carry a Venus hoof orchid - Photo by David Eickhoff / Flickr

Orchids are rare and precious plants. We might forget this if we keep seeing Phalaenopsis decorating doctors' surgeries. To reconnect with the exceptional side of these flowers, it's best to turn to varieties like the Venus hoof. With its urn-like labellum and multicolored petals, the inflorescence is a real curiosity.

Venus slipper likes a well-draining substrate, containing peat, bark and perlite, for example. This terrestrial orchid also likes a narrow root zone. When repotting, you can keep the same pot.

#15 Euphorbia lactea cristata

The growth is due to tissue malformation - Photo by Mokkie / Wikipedia

Although relatively rare, the Euphorbia lactea has invaded our Pinterest boards. You can't resist the beauty of this candle cactus (and we understand you), but you're craving originality? Euphorbia lactea cristata is the plant for you. The trunk is topped by a green, pink and cream fan-shaped crown.

The colors of Euphorbia lactea cristata are most vibrant when the plant receives plenty of light. Place your succulent behind a south- or west-facing window to give it sufficient sunlight.

By Servane Nemetz
on 16-09-2024 at 13h58