User avatar
PunkRotten
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1989
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Monterey, CA.

Houseplant recommendation

Hi,

Could someone recommend a houseplant that will do fine with no sun? Something kind of unique would be a plus. Edible would be a bigger plus. Thanks

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

There are houseplants that do fine with no direct light:

Pothos, which comes in variegated varieties to make it look a little bit less like your typical green house plant

Peace lily - very pretty when flowering, but if there's really no light, it may not flower. I used to have one UNDER a table on my screened porch; that's how little light it tolerates.

Cast iron plant (aspidistra). Called cast iron for how indestructible it is. Also comes in variegated/ striped varieties.

Lucky bamboo - not actually a bamboo, but grows with no direct light and doesn't even need soil, just a pot of pebbles and water.

Chinese evergreen - also comes in variegated varieties.


Edible is something else again. There are some edible plants that can be grown indoors, but not without light. Closest I could come up with is violets, violas and pansies, which need minimal light and have edible flower petals. But I doubt that's what you meant.

If you just want something really nutritious you can produce without light, you can always do sprouts in a jar, but that's probably not what you were thinking about either.

Pretty much everything else edible you might grow indoors requires light. Here's how one article on indoor edible plants started:

Some plants can be grown indoors and will produce edible food for you and your family. Before you start growing any plants indoors, select a good sunny location, or provide plant lights.

With light you can grow herbs, strawberries, lettuce/greens, bananas, etc

There's an elephant ear relative, taro, colocasia esculenta, which is naturally a shade plant. It should be able to be grown indoors in conditions of indirect light. It would be ornamental and distinctive and the taro root is a starchy corm/tuber, that is edible when cooked, sometimes used ground into a flour, but sometimes used like a potato. The leaves are also reputed edible when cooked.

Perhaps some of the more tropical folks will have other thoughts?

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Actually, I think sprouts is an idea that could be explored.

You could use a series of quart or 1/2 gal canning jars. You can make your own screen for the lid or buy stainless mesh canning lid replacements to hold down with the rings. I saw them I think at Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, but I'm sure in California, they sell them on every kitchenware rack. :wink:

A collection of different colored and shaped baby sprouts seen through the glass jars against the north window (or whatever) could be quite decorative. 8)

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I said I'm easily influenced -- INSPIRED! -- before, right? :D

...Having recommended the above, I decided to see how they would look 8)

Alfalfa sprouts:
Image

Mungbean sprouts:
Image

...I liked the way the way they are growing so much I started some more yesterday :()
Image
Image
-- They are starting to germinate already. :mrgreen:

...BTW... If these were seeds I were pre-germinating, I would sow them in moist seed starting mix (or in the ground if they are being direct seeded) by the end of today. The ones in the first two photos are too far grown for sowing by my estimation, but still not grown enough for eating as sprouts IMHO :wink:

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Image
Told ya they'll need to be sown by tonight -- at least these alfalfa are! Mung beans want to be a bit warmer, though I have them on top of the fridge instead of the kitchen table (no pic -- not much diff. from this morning... Just more beans with with root tip showing)

... :oops: ...
I'll stop now. Start your own sprouts if you want to see what happens :wink:

Errrh...so, what did you pick for your houseplant, PunkRotten? :D

Sasha
Cool Member
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:17 am
Location: Edmonton, Canada

What exactly do you mean by "direct light"? Direct sunlight? Lots of plants do well without any direct sun. African violets are a nice, super easy plant that does well in a variety of light conditions. Phalaenopsis orchids don't like direct sun.

Snake plants (Sansivieria) do well in low light. They're not unusual but they are interesting, with their big thick spikes that go straight up. They are also close to indestructible. Rubber plants are also good for low light.

None of these are edible, sorry!

baileysup
Green Thumb
Posts: 435
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:04 am
Location: NE-PA(Zone 6a-5b)

I second the vote for the Sansevieria (Snake Plant). I feel they have a uniqueness about them, and do not require much light at all. Somebody told me a joke one time that you could put them in a closet, and they wouldn't die. That's obviously not true, because all plants need light to live, but I thought it was funny. They are some of the hardiest plants out there, and do well in just about ANY light condition. I think they are cool looking as well.

User avatar
ElizabethB
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2105
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:53 am
Location: Lafayette, LA

G's den is REALLY dark. All wood and only one small window covered with wood blinds. Pothos all over the place. For vertical interest I cheat :oops: and have pots with canes and artificial cat tails.



Return to “Container Gardening Forum”