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Try houseplants as gifts for Valentine's Day and beyond

By Kathy Van Mullekom, Daily Press (Newport News, Va.), Source: MCT News Service

Why give fresh flowers for Valentine's Day, only to know they will soon die. Instead, give an easy-care houseplant that keeps on living and giving.

Costa Farms, which grows indoor and outdoor plants for specialty retail sales, recommends these five houseplants for year-round enjoyment. You can get Costa Farms' "Growing Style" free app for your iPad or Android free at www.growingstylemag.com.

You'll find these and other sweet houseplants at a garden center near you.

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Anthurium

Anthuriums are subtropical favorites with varieties growing in such diverse areas as South America and the Pacific. They are perfect as cut flowers or as potted plants in varying sizes. They are popular around Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter. To get them to flower continuously, place in a filtered light location and fertilize during the growing season. The plant should be kept clean of all yellow or decaying leaves.

Resiliency: Tolerant

Light: Medium

Temperature: Never below 50 degree Fahrenheit

Watering: Keep soil moist, but do not let the plant stand in water or let the soil dry out

     Average size: 12-24 inches tall and 12-24 inches wide
     Fertilizer: Feed every two to four months
     Uses: Windows, bright dining and living areas
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     Sago palm

The Sago palm has become a very popular landscape item, but most people don't realize that it is not a palm at all, but rather a Cycad, a totally different type of plant. Cycads, sometimes called "living fossils," are among the most ancient plants in the world. They date as far back as prehistoric times before flowering plants appeared. Today, cycads make up more than 100 species of plants characterized by spiny leaves and thick trunks.

Resiliency: Tolerant

Light: High

Temperature: Never below 40 degrees Fahrenheit

Watering: Keep soil moist, but do not let the plant stand in water or let the soil dry out

     Average size: 3-4 feet tall and wide
     Fertilizer: Feed every six months
     Uses: Sunrooms and other high-light living spaces
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     Peace lily

Spathiphyllum, also known as the peace lily, is a very popular indoor houseplant. In the warmest parts of Florida you find the plant the landscape; it performs best in the shade with protection from wind and temperatures below 55 degrees.

Resiliency: Tolerant

Light: Low to high

Temperature: Never below 50 degrees Fahrenheit

Watering: Keep soil moist, but do not let the plant stand in water or let the soil dry out

     Average size: 2-3 feet tall and 3 feet wide
     Fertilizer: Feed every two to four months
     Uses: Windows, low-light dining and living areas
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     Boston fern

The Boston fern is the quintessential decorative fern. It is the original fern used during the Victorian Era to decorate inside the home as well as outside on wrap-around porches. Like other ferns, the Boston fern enjoys high humidity and consistently moist soil. This plant is a favorite among interior-scapers since it lends any area a lush and rich look.

Resiliency: Tolerant

Light: Low to medium

Temperature: Never below 50 degrees Fahrenheit 

Watering: Keep soil moist, but do not let the plant stand in water or let the soil dry out

     Average size: 2 feet tall and wide 
     Uses: Windows, porches and patios
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     Moth orchid

The Phalaenopsis is commonly referred to as a "moth orchid" and is one of the easiest members of the orchid family to care for. Ideal for areas where they receive indirect sunlight such as windowsills and enclosed patios, they offer a delicate and striking touch to any environment or decor.

Resiliency: Tolerant

Light: Low to indirect

Temperature: Ideal in 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit, never below 50 degrees

Watering: Let moss dry out between watering and do not let plant stand in water

Average size: Varies

Fertilizer: These orchids flower best and are at their healthiest when fertilized on a regular basis. Use a well-balanced formulation such as 20-20-20 or a ratio that is similar.

Uses: Phalaenopsis like little of no direct light on their leaves. They are more of a shade orchid.

Caution: Keep these houseplants away from children and pets.

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(Kathy is gardening columnist for the Daily Press, Newport News, Va.; e-mail her at kvanmullekom@aol.com; follow her blog at roomandyard.com/diggin, Facebook.com/kathyvanmullekom and Twitter.com/diggindirt.)

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