Georgia Magazine - February 2021 - 29

by forked tendrils, so it can be trained to a trellis or
other structure to create a green wall or living sculpture in your home. It also works in a hanging basket,
where the stems can dangle up to 10 feet.

Calathea
Bold-leaved calathea grows well in low or
indirect light. Related to prayer plant (Maranta),
calathea offers foliage with varied markings and
scalloped edges, making it an interesting focal
point on a tabletop or floor. (It eventually will grow to about 3 feet tall.)
Calathea prefers regular
watering and a humid spot to
avoid drying out, but the soil
should not be kept saturated.

their bright hue before being moved back inside in colder months.

Sanseveria
Also known as snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue, sanseveria is
one of the best all-around candidates for low-light conditions. Its stiff,
upright, swordlike leaves make it easily recognizable, and it has become a
favorite of interior designers because of the foliage's architectural
appearance.
Best of all, sanseveria plants are almost indestructible. The less you
baby them, the happier they are.

Monstera
For an on-trend statement plant, Monstera
deliciosa cannot be beat. The giant, perforated
leaves give this oversized houseplant the common names Swiss cheese plant or split-leaf
philodendron, although it is only a close
cousin to true Philodendron.
When grown as a houseplant, monsteras are " living in a state of suspended
animation, " says Tovah Martin, author of
several books about houseplants, including
" The Indestructible Houseplant " (Timber
Press, 2015). A tropical vine that can reach
lengths of 60 feet or more in the wild, Monstera deliciosa can be kept to a more manageable but still impressive 6 to 8 feet in the
low light of an east- or west-facing window.
Helen Newling Lawson is a freelance writer
and Master Gardener in Forsyth County.

Corn plant

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Corn plant, or mass cane, is
neither a corn nor a cane, but
it does have strappy, corn-like
leaves on a thick, cane-like
trunk. Properly called Dracena
fragrans, it is one of the most
adaptable houseplants because
it grows in high or low light.
" You can't go wrong wherever you place it, " Hancock says.
A summer vacation on a shaded
porch or north-facing patio will help
lime-colored varieties of corn plant refresh

Corn plant

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Tips for success

Sanseveria

Even if a plant is deemed " low-light-tolerant, " it still needs some light
to survive. Luckily, because many of the plants we grow indoors originate
from sheltered places in the wild, they can get by just fine as houseplants
in darker spaces. Below are some tips to help ensure that your plants not
only survive but thrive.
* Some gardeners mistakenly think that water and fertilizer can make up
for a lack of sunlight and end up watering and fertilizing their plants
to death. The truth is that low-light plants need less water and fertilizer than plants in a brighter setting, so they are happier if treated with
benign neglect.
* Help your plants make the most of the light they do receive by turning
them regularly so that all sides of the plants benefit.
* Take a few simple steps to maximize the available light. " The first thing
I tell people to do is to clean their windows, " Steinkopf says. " Dirt and
grime on the glass can block the light. "
* The same holds true for plants' leaves. Dust your plants or rinse their
foliage in the shower. This allows more light to reach them.
* Removing window screens or metal awnings and painting the walls a
light color inside are also helpful. " I don't have any blinds or curtains, "
Steinkopf says. " All the plants provide the privacy! "

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Georgia Magazine - February 2021

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