If you love indoor plants, why not plant some that can do double duty? Many houseplants are tropical natives, meaning they thrive outdoors when the weather is hot and steamy. Give these houseplants a summer break by using them to set up a front porch with great curb appeal and bring them back indoors for the winter.
I don’t know about you, but I think so indoor plant care it’s easier when it’s done outdoors! A quick spray with the hose to water them and they thrive in the warm, breezy air all summer long. My plants always look fuller and healthier after their annual summer vacation on the porch. Then bring them inside to brighten up your home as the weather cools.
Let’s dig in and explore which houseplants will make your patio pop this summer!
1. Pothos
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When it comes to houseplant care, few are easier than pothos (Epipremnum aureum), a forgiving plant that even beginners will find difficult to kill. Pothos is a tropical vine that you can train to climb a vertical surface or let spill from a hanging pot. It grows quickly and comes in many varieties, with foliage in all shades of green, yellow, white and variegated.
Out on your porch, pothos is an ideal choice for a hanging basket. The vines will grow vigorously in the heat and humidity of summer, and with bright, indirect light. The Lust is also easy to transport back indoors. Just be sure to trim it back a bit if it gets too long in the summer. We love it Modern Sprout pruning shears, available from Amazon, for pruning indoor plants.
2. Snake plant
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Snake plant is another example of an easy, popular houseplant that tolerates neglect, poor light conditions and even dry, poor soil. Dracaena trifasciata is a tropical native with spiny leaves that grow up to five feet (1.5 m) tall when grown in containers.
Snake plants make impressive patio plants with their tall, lance-shaped leaves. They are also ideal for the terrace because they grow best in indirect light. Pair them with some trailing plants or bright flowers for contrast. Like lust, the snake plant tolerates change well and will easily transition indoors for the winter.
3. Spider plant
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Spider plant is a classic, popular houseplant known for its cute, arching leaves and ‘babies’ that make propagation so easy. The spider plant is Chlorophytum comosuma tropical native that prefers warmth, humidity and indirect light, but will tolerate poor conditions and even some neglect.
While very popular indoors, spider plants thrive and brighten up patios in the summer. They can be placed on tables or used in hanging pots. They will appreciate the fresh air and summer weather and will reward you with fast growth and plenty of baby plants that you can cut and transplant. They will easily come back indoors once the temperatures drop again.
4. Anthurium
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Many patio plants are flowering annuals that do not transfer well indoors. Anthurium is an example of a flowering houseplant that can be placed outside for the summer and successfully brought back for the winter. Anthurium spp. they are also known as flamingo flowers for their unique, large and bright spades that surround the flower spikes.
Anthurium can bloom year-round, so you can enjoy its colorful blooms inside and out. In summer, it will thrive in a shady spot when the air is warm and humid. Place a striking anthurium on a side table or patio dining table, either alone or with smaller foliage plants. You can even you’re making fun of them to hang them for a unique look! You can find moss leaves on Amazon if you are looking to get into the art of kokedama.
5. Lily of Peace
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Another flowering houseplant that you can put outside in the summer is the popular peace lily. Like so many houseplants on this list, the peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp.) is a tropical plant that thrives in indirect light, warmth and moist soil, but will bounce right back if you neglect it for a while.
Peace lilies can grow very tall, so they make impressive patio plants. Summer weather will stimulate more growth and extra blooms. Place them under a shaded porch or covered porch and combine with ferns or smaller flowering plants.
6. New Guinea Impatiens
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Often grown as summer annuals outside, you can move them impatient indoors and make sure they continue to bloom with proper care. Impatiens hawkeri blooms reliably outside in moist, warm conditions from spring until the first frost of autumn. Indoors, you can maintain flowering if you are able to give the plants sufficient bright light from a window or increase the light. i like it Barrina T5 Grow Lights from Amazon for their ease of use and longevity.
Outdoors in summer, its bright and abundant flowers New Guinea impatience bring cheer and color to porches and front doors. They also work well in hanging pots and mixed containers with other flowers or foliage plants.
7. Boston fern
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Finally, Boston fern (Raised kidney stone) is a classic and much-loved patio plant. Its dense growth of pinnate leaves makes the Boston fern an attractive hanging or table plant for a porch or patio. It thrives in the heat and humidity of summer and will grow quickly.
Many people grow Boston ferns as summer annuals because they require little extra care to successfully move indoors. Dry air in winter is the primary problem. Bring your Boston fern inside in a spot with bright but indirect light and use a pebble tray or mist it regularly to keep humidity levels high. Monitor humidity levels in your home with a combination hygrometer and thermometer from Amazon. I use them all over my house to maintain the right humidity levels.
Get more mileage out of your potted plants with these versatile options that can be grown indoors and outdoors. Decorate your summer terrace with these unique, impressive and beautiful indoor plants.
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