Urban Jungle Bloggers

Imagine the rocky lowlands of East Africa. Think of the wide horizons in Kenya, Zimbabwe or the dreamy island of Zanzibar – one of the local botanical beauties you will see there might be right now next to you at your home as a houseplant: the sturdy Zamioculcas zamiifolia also known as ZZ plant. This plant is strong, vibrantly green and features a remarkably regular leaves pattern and invites the lush and lively African vibe into our homes.

The Zamioculcas plant is a tough guy: It is super sturdy and forgiving thus perfect for plant beginners or globetrotting fellows with limited time for plant care. The magic formula is nature made: The plant stores nutrients and water in the stems and the subterranean bulb thus it can survive even if you forget to water it from time to time and it perfectly copes with bright and shady spots in the home. As an African native it only dislikes two things: cold temperatures and constantly wet roots.

The Zamioculcas is not only a great plant of choice for those who want to minimize their plant care effort. With its geometrical look and its juicy green color it is a perfect visual addition to any modern home. It is a great solo player with its long stems and regular foliage so it makes a perfect performance placed individually on a shelf or on a stool – plus it will have space to thrive and spread out its long stems. But the cool ZZ plant is equally easy as a plant gang member: it likes to mingle with green fellows and adds a certain visual regularity to the ensemble with its stems and leaves that resemble stylized feathers. Another styling idea: Combine it with an African patterns for the über-cool look recalling its native habitat.

The Zamioculcas plant has been botanically known since 1892 but it has become widely popular as a houseplant and indoor plant in public buildings over the past fifteen years. Dutch growers have been cultivating this plant since 1996 making it widely available to the plant loving public. Even though it doesn’t grow quickly, it is very popular due to its low-maintenance profile and geometrical appeal. No wonder it is the ‘Houseplant of the Month June’! If you have a ZZ plant at home or want to buy a new one, here are  the main plant care tips in a nutshell for you:

If you like you can read more about the Zamioculcas here:
• In English
• Auf Deutsch
• En français
• In het Nederlands

Houseplant of the Month is an initiative from Mooiwatplantendoen.nl and Bloemenbureau Holland and in collaboration with them we will present you every month a new Houseplant of the Month, right here on Urban Jungle Bloggers.

 

 

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The days are getting sunnier, the air is rich in scents and the colours are bursting – it is like a little prelude to the forthcoming vibrancy of summer. But we plant lovers are already inviting summer into our homes with the “Houseplants of the Month” in May – tropical beauties with lush flowers, juicy colours and impressive foliage. Let us introduce you to this month’s stars the magnificent Medinilla, the glorious Gloriosa and the unusual Anigozanthos.

These tropical houseplants offer a real taste of summer in your home. Their exotic shapes are only topped by the remarkable and fascinating colours of their blooms ranging from soft pinks to fiery reds and oranges framed by impressive leaves: from dark green and rippled to corkscrew curls and pointy lances. And if you take good care of them, they will bloom until late summer. A perfect ‘Club Tropicana’ feeling at home!

Magnificent Medinilla

This plant is a real beauty. Elegant, luxurious, almost like a real lady, the Medinilla stands out as a houseplant. Originating from southeast Asia, the Pacific and tropical Africa this plant is a visual highlight in any home: Its rippling leaves, the square stems growing in high arches and bearing large pink bells that open into a majestic cluster of deep pink flowers. The Medinilla is a fantastic accent plant and perfectly staged all alone in a high position. Imagine all the beautiful photo opps with this charming houseplant!

Glamorous Gloriosa

This large blooming plant looks glorious with its dark red, bright pink or orange flowers with saffron yellow that seem to float on this climbing beauty from the temperate zones of Africa and West Asia. But not only the flowers are outstanding – the corkscrew curls of the Gloriosa seem to wind and unwind in the search of opportunities to cling to and climb – a real tropical fellow! Gloriosa plants are usually sold with curled up vines, you can easily unwind them and let the it grow along a trellis, or stick the branches to the wall with washitape like we did. The Gloriosa also symbolises fame and honour and it is the national flower of Zimbabwe – thus not only beautiful and wise but also of national importance!

Unusual Anigozanthos

Some people call it simply kangaroo paw because of the unusual shape of its flowers. It also indicates its Australian origin. The botanical name is somewhat more complicated: Anigozanthos is Greek and means oblique or uneven flower. This desert plant grows in long, branched and leafless stems and at the top of the stems aare whimsical cylinders in red, yellow, orange or pink, covered in hair with fan-like flowers made of six petals. Unusual, decorative and exotic, the Anigozanthos is a real statement plant for urban jungles. Sometimes you might find them at the local florist’s who sell them as cut flowers too. But we Urban Jungle Bloggers love them most when they are potted and growing!

May is a feast for the senses – out in the nature and indoors with our “Houseplants of the Month”. These tropical beauties and desert dwellers will certainly add a dash of exotic feeling of far-away lands and dreamy adventures to any home and they will perfectly mix and match with your existing and thriving bunch of plants. Happy plant styling!

If you like you can read more about the tropical plants here:
• In English
• Auf Deutsch
• En français
• In het Nederlands

Houseplant of the Month is an initiative from Mooiwatplantendoen.nl and Bloemenbureau Holland and in collaboration with them we will present you every month a new Houseplant of the Month, right here on Urban Jungle Bloggers.

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Her name means in Greek “pepper like” and that name is not sheer invention – this month’s “Houseplant of the Month” is related to pepper and stems from the hot and humid Amazonas jungle in South America – let us introduce you to the Peperomia!

Sometimes this compact, little plant is referred to as dwarf pepper, crocodile’s tears or swan spice – most of its derogative nicknames derive from its peculiar looks. It is growing compactly and comes in a variety of colors from dark greens, reds, yellows to silver hues. Additionally, its foliage is rich in texture and pattern and comes in a variety of sizes and shapes too, from small and luxuriant to long and pointy, sometimes with markings and other times with two-colored leaves (each leaf side features one color).

The Peperomia is an excellent plant for beginners or anyone with hardly any time for plant care. It is one of those plants that actually like to be neglected a bit – rather than being taken too much care of. In its natural habitat the Peperomia grows under trees where it’s warm and shady. So any place with no direct sunlight and a moist soil will make the plant happy! Little tip: When you water the plant try not to pour water over its leaves. Instead let it sit in water for a little while, let the excess water drain and all is good!

This cute and decorative plant is perfect for plant stylings at home. They make a great statement when combined due to their rich variety in colors and shapes, they also make for great bottle gardens and terrariums as they do not grow tall. The lush and bushy appearance of the Peperomia is also perfectly matched with various shapes – think of styling vignettes using geometrical shapes to create visual interest. Also natural materials such as wood, cork and linen work very well with the round shape of the Peperomia.

When you are out for your next plant shopping session, keep your eyes peeled for the Peperomia – it will make for a perfect addition to your own urban jungle!

In these photos, 4 different species of Peperomia are styled in a Holmegaard Gaia Plant Glass and in 2 DIY decorated paper cups from Morganours x Etsy x Le BHV Marais.

If you like you can read more about Peperomia:
• Peperomia in English
• Zwergpfeffer auf Deutsch
• Peperomia en français
• Peperomia in het Nederlands

Houseplant of the Month is an initiative from Mooiwatplantendoen.nl and Bloemenbureau Holland and in collaboration with them we will present you every month a new Houseplant of the Month, right here on Urban Jungle Bloggers.

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