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Orange County Plant Service Company goes gaga over Succulents Indoors!

So, everyone knows that succulents are the new ‘it plant’. You see them popping up in front yards everywhere you look. They are a wonderful choice in Southern California and Orange County from the inland desert areas to coastal regions. They are drought tolerant, have interesting textures and shapes, and magnificent colors year-round! I am a definite proponent of the

Pencil Cactus as Art!

succulent movement! Plus, you pretty much just pop them into the ground, avoid over-watering and Voila, a garden transformation is made!

All that sounds fun and easy, because it is, but running a primarily

Pencil Cactus

Interior Plant Design and Maintenance Company we have not always been so successful with succulents when growing indoors with mostly low light. For as easy as they grow in the exterior, in the interior they do the complete opposite and become bug infested, rotten and leggy overnight. But the artist inside of me wouldn’t give up and I have become determined to grow succulents indoors! Through a lot of trial and decease, I have had a few breakthrough plants I would love to share with you.

Snake Plant

Succulents come in so many interesting shapes and forms, they add to a space, just like a beautiful piece of art enlivens a room. My all time favorite Succulent Indoors would have to be the Pencil Cactus, Euphorbia tirucalli. This plant has proven to me that it can handle lower light while keeping its gorgeous architectural form. It will always need some natural light, but I’ve really tested this plant and as long as you don’t over water, it can be put in a medium light room with ease.

ZZ Plant

Two stand out plants, more common in the interior world, but definitely worth a mention for their versatility and hardiness. First, is Sansevieria ‘Snake Plant’ (comes in a lot of different varieties, some growing only 6 inches, others as tall as 4 feet). Second, is the Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘ZZ Plant. Both of these plants can be used in a modern design and take very little care. The big bonus to these succulents are they can take medium to low light!

Aloe

So, the key to finding succulents that will grow and thrive indoors is to find plants that grow SLOW! I’m still continuing to experiment, but I have had good luck with Aloe varieties, Haworthia varieties, Agaves, Euphorbias and Kalanchoe ‘Flap Jack’.

And if you just have a brown thumb, you can always resort to replica succulents! I’m not shy to use these in low light situations

Haworthia species on left with Replica Succulents on right

and they look great when combined with living plants!

If you’ve had luck with growing succulents indoors please leave me a comment and tell me what you’re growing! Let’s share the knowledge and continue to grow together!

If you can’t get enough, click here for a few more awesome succulents in your home!

My Tricks for Simply Modern Interior Plants

Modern style is something that can be stunning when done correctly. It’s also a style that can feel cold and not home-like at all. No one wants to live in a cold museum, but a glamourous modern home is much desired.

That’s where plants come into the picture! Plants are living, breathing beings that create an instant sense of warmth to a space. I am a fanatic about balance and I believe that a cold modern space is easily balanced out by the warmth of a living plant. Plants make us feel human and even the most architectural-like plants still have a natural organic form that is calming to our soul.

The following are my personal tricks for Simply Modern Interior Plants:

Two Matching Extra-Large Plants is better than a Jungle of Small Plants

Three used to be the magic number with design, but lately I’m in love with the number two! Modern design begs for even numbers and when you make a space for two extra large plants in a room they have a undeniable presence! Keep it simple and repeat the pattern exactly or almost exactly. Plants with architectural form are often used, but I think even free flowing plants can look modern when used properly.

Resist the urge to underplant with smaller plants, this will only take away from the natural form of your original specimen plant.

Repeat the Same Plant and the Same Color

Monotony is NOT boring, especially when it comes to plants! It’s chic and sophisticated. It again makes the mind calm and give you a sense of order. The best part of monotony with plants is that they actually aren’t monotonous because each plant is actually slightly different than the other one. This makes the scenario even more interesting to the eye and the mind!

Sorry guys, but SIZE Matters

Whether it’s an extra large container with a small plant or an average sized container with an enormous plant. Size does matter! If you have the space, the bigger the better! Think over-sized, big big big! (just don’t hit the ceiling…that’s too big!)

Don’t forget the top-dressing

The finale of your spectacular specimen plant is the over-looked and under-planned top-dressing. The typical choice is moss for most people which works pretty great to cover the soil and grow pot. Although, if you want your plant to be a true show stopper, you’ll want to consider some alternatives. These are some of my faves:

–STONES: White Decorative Stones as top-dressing. Elegant and dramatic contrast, but honestly stones come in so many beautiful shapes and textures you can really have fun here. Pick a color that will complement the decor and feeling of your space. I think Stones always look MODERN and are one of my first choices!

MOOD MOSS WITH STONES AND GLASS WITH STONES: These both add contrast in elements. Both giving off a yin and yang feng shui feeling of balance!

–REINDEER MOSS: This gorgeous chartreuse moss is fluffy and has a gorgeous natural texture. It comes in all colors of the rainbow, but chartreuse and white are by far my favorites!