Water Needs: Regular, moderate wateringĪfrican violets are relatively small houseplants with dark green leaves and deep, richly-colored flowers.

Plant Size: Up to 16”, but usually smaller.African Violet Be sure to keep these plants out of the direct sun, or the leaves may burn. This plant is quite toxic, so keep it away from pets. Make sure to provide plenty of fertilizer in spring and summer. Most household varieties grow to about two feet, but some specific varieties can reach fifteen feet instead. These plants grow fast, so they’re ideal if you want to fill a lot of space. African mask plants prefer moderate temperatures, high humidity, and indirect lighting.

These leaves are darker than those of many other houseplants, providing excellent indoor contrast.

Sun Needs: Regular bright, indirect sunlightĪfrican masks, also known as elephant ears, grow tall stems in an upright cluster that fall down into large, broad, and somewhat uneven leaves.Plant Size: 2’, up to 15’ for some species.African Mask This fast grower loves humidity and indirect sunlight. If you’re unsure where to begin, consider starting with a tough and easy-to-grow plant like a Guiana Chestnut tree or a Pothos vine, and expand out from there as you grow more comfortable with indoor plants. Finally, some houseplants are toxic to pets, and that can impact which of them make sense to buy. Houseplants also have additional exposure to airflow (from doors, windows, and air vents), limited access to sunlight, and widely varying water requirements. Theoretically, you can install a dirt bed indoors to grow plants, but that’s unusual. That’s why, realistically, many houseplants will grow to half or less of the sizes listed below. Most people use pots inside, which limits the size of their plants. Growing houseplants isn’t quite like growing anything outdoors.

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