Houseplant popularity has boomed in lockdown, with searches up nearly 100% compared to this time in 2020[1], research by Uswitch.com shows
But as we crank up the heating during the cold weather, there is a risk that radiators and open fires could be killing our plants
RHS Flower Show judge and expert Tom Brown has shared his top tips on looking after houseplants during cold spells
The top five plants for each room in your house are revealed — with Hedera, a type of ivy, best for improving air quality in your home and office
Uswitch.com has released a guide to the best plants for each room in your house.
Interest in houseplants has boomed in lockdown, with searches nearly 100% higher this year than at the same time in 2020[1], new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service shows, as it teams up with horticulturalist Tom Brown to explain the best ways to look after your indoor plants.
With people spending more time at home during lockdown, many are looking at ways to brighten their rooms and improve air quality. Analysis of Google Trends data shows that searches for houseplants are 95% higher this month than they were last February, before the pandemic started to affect the UK[1].
Uswitch.com has teamed up with RHS Flower Show judge and plant expert Tom Brown, who has offered his top tips on looking after houseplants, and which are best suited for each room in your home.
Tom Brown, RHS Flower Show judge and Head Gardener at West Dean Gardens, said:
“Our homes have become increasingly important to us and a space which has a big impact on our mood and wellbeing. Houseplants offer us so much and they’re not as difficult as you might think to look after. Good insulation and a consistent temperature are important when growing plants in our homes, if you think about it – their needs aren’t much different to our own.
“During the winter months, our homes and indoor spaces become even more important to us. Houseplants offer a huge amount of benefit to us in many ways from improving air quality, boosting our mood and wellbeing as well as increasing our productivity as we work from home.
“Many amongst us have had ‘horror stories’ involving houseplants over the years but by understanding our green roommates a little more and by choosing those who have greater tolerance, we can all enjoy a healthy and harmonious home with our plants.
“We often kill our houseplants with kindness, over watering during the winter is the biggest killer. A top tip would be to use your finger as a gauge, when you push your finger into the pot, if it feels moist - don’t water, It’s easy to revive a dry plant, almost impossible to resurrect a sodden one.”
Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said:
“During cold weather, it is important to heat your home efficiently but taking care over how you use your heating could have the added advantage of helping your houseplants to thrive too.
“Also consider if you really need to set your thermostat so high. Keeping the temperature down by just one degree could reduce your bills by £80 a year.”
Tom Brown’s tips on which are the best plants for every room in your house:
If you have struggled in the past then here is a list of houseplants that are more robust and offer salvation:
● Pothos plant (Epipremnum)
● Mother in laws tongue (Sansevieria)
● Spider plant (Chlorophytum)
● Aloe vera (Aloe)
● Money plant (Crassula)
● Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)
● Ivy (Hedera)
● Philodendron
● Eternity plant (Zamioculcas)
● Cast iron plant (Aspidistra)
Bathrooms:
Our bathrooms often have higher levels of humidity and low light levels. With a smaller room, look at utilising shelves and grow hanging plants amongst your toiletries to save floor space. See our table of ideal plants, ranked from 1 to 5 depending on how green your fingers need to be - 1 is the easiest to take care of while 5 needs more attention.
| Ranking (1 is the easiest, 5 more difficult) | Common name | Latin name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mother-in-Laws Tongue | Sansevieria |
| 2 | Pothos plant | Epipremnum |
| 3 | Ivy | Hedera |
| 4 | Peace Lily | Spathiphyllum |
| 5 | Moth Orchid | Phalaenopsis |
Kitchen:
Kitchens are often a bright and cool space in our homes with high light levels; think sun lovers that aren’t thirsty. The plants that we choose need to be happy on a well-lit windowsill and tolerant of changing temperatures and humidity as we cook while much cooler at other times.
| Ranking (1 is the easiest, 5 more difficult) | Common name | Latin name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pothos plant | Epipremnum |
| 2 | Spider plant | Chlorophytum |
| 3 | Herbs | - |
| 4 | Aloe Vera | Aloe |
| 5 | Money plant | Crassula |
Bedroom:
Like our living rooms, our bedrooms do not often enjoy vast amounts of natural light but are a warm, cosy space. Plants that are happy in our bedrooms often need to be the most tolerant of neglect as we are not taking much notice of them during the day. These plants are suited for infrequent watering and enjoy a warm, darker position in the house.
| Ranking (1 is the easiest, 5 more difficult) | Common name | Latin name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mother-in-Laws Tongue | Sansevieria |
| 2 | Bamboo Palm | Rhapis |
| 3 | Philodendron | Philodendron |
| 4 | Peace Lily | Spathiphyllum |
| 5 | Moth Orchid | Phalaenopsis |
Living Room:
One of the main things that houseplants crave and are often starved of is natural light. Living rooms can see little natural light so require plants that are happier in darker rooms – think tropical rainforest, high humidity and shade tolerant, often with big leaves.
| Ranking (1 is the easiest, 5 more difficult | Common name | Latin name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivy | Hedera |
| 2 | Asparagus Fern | Asparagus Fern |
| 3 | Peace Lily | Spathiphyllum |
| 4 | Philodendron | Philodendron |
| 5 | Zebra Plant | Calathea |
Best ways to adapt your home for your plants:
Provide a consistent temperature as much as you can, avoiding plants near doorways, draughts and heat sources like radiators and open fires.
Humidity – misting plants daily or by placing your plants on a tray with gravel will allow surplus water to leave the roots and provides a little extra humidity.
Clean windows for maximum light and clean leaves for photosynthesis. Dust can settle on large leaves in particular so give the leaves a wipe with a damp cloth.
A well-insulated room avoids fluctuating temperatures which houseplants hate.
Behind your curtains can be very cold, bring houseplants out from behind curtains at night, not subjecting them to that cold pocket of air, just inside the window.
Best plants for improving air quality around your home and office:
| Ranking (1 is the easiest, 5 more difficult) | Common name | Latin name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivy | Hedera |
| 2 | Peace Lily | Spathiphyllum |
| 3 | Spider Plant | Chlorophytum |
| 4 | Aloe Vera | Aloe |
| 5 | Philodendron | Philodendron |
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Ross Stebbing
Phone: 07827 836 709
Email: ross.stebbing@rvu.co.uk
Twitter: @UswitchPR
Notes to editors:
1. Data collected by Uswitch.com using Google Trends data based on searches by consumers made in the United Kingdom. Percentage increase/decrease calculated by comparing mid-February 2020 searches versus current search trends in February 2021.
About Tom Brown
Tom has been growing plants and nurturing gardens at work and at home for over 25 years. Currently working as the Head Gardener at the world renowned West Dean Gardens in West Sussex, he oversees over 100 acres, including many glasshouses full of tropical plants, most of which are very familiar as our favourite houseplants. As well as his work at West Dean, Tom regularly writes for garden magazines, offers gardening advice on BBC Radio and judges at Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Tom is also a member of one of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Plant Committees.
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.
