Does your house feel naked after that tired, Christmas tree has been removed and declared as ‘mulch’? As January is the designated month for sweeping out the old and bringing in the new, how about replacing the old  with a living, indoor plant?

If you have the space to go big and leafy, try a tall and towering, Fiddle-Leaf Ficus (Ficus lyrata), or a relative of the banana tree, the Bird of Paradise—with its huge and glossy, leather-like, leaves. Need to fill a tight space? It always helps to group a few, smaller plants together. The Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) is native to arid regions in Mexico and is among the easiest palms to grow indoors. It’s airy tufts of narrow, green leaves emerge from a bulbous stem. The plant remains about 12-inches tall when grown inside in a shallow pot—perfect for a desktop. Or, enjoy the textures of succulents such as Jade plants (Crassula ovata) or Echeveria (Crassulaceae) with its rosettes of symmetrical leaves. Do you yearn for a flash of exotic color? Neon-colored, bromeliads and floating orchid flowers might satisfy the craving for a tropical vacation. As a bonus, plants can freshen up your indoor air. Since air quality is especially important in the winter, it’s helpful to include a variety of green plants* that will provide oxygen as well as absorb toxins in the air.
To make your New Year even sweeter, take advantage of the indoor plant sale at Pasquesi’s this month. January 7 - February 17, all indoor plants will be 25% off.

Green ideas...
Large, tropical plants: Some of the best indoor, foliage plants belong to the Ficus family. Most of them share the nickname "fig" even though the tiny fruits usually go unnoticed. They are easy to grow and demand very little attention. Match up a small-leaved, Weeping Ficus (Ficus benjamina) or a dark-green, huge-leaved, Fiddle Leaf Ficus (Ficus lyrata) with a large and colorful, glazed container for an instant, tropical feel.  Sometimes just repotting a healthy plant in a new container will give you and the plant a fresh start. It’s always fun to give your plants a fresh, new look from our interesting selection of glazed Italian pottery, ceramic and metal containers.

Bromeliads: These plants are loved for their strappy foliage that shows off a variety of colors—ranging from green to gold, yellow, orange and scarlet. The colorful ‘flower’ or inflorescence at the top can last for months. Bromeliads are easy to grow but they need good drainage. Try not to over water the plant or allow it to become totally dry.

Orchids: Flowering orchids provide elegance and a touch of instant color to your winter home environment. Low-maintenance, budding Phalaenopsis (Moth orchid) can bloom for up to three months—a very economical way to enjoy fresh flowers everyday. These are the easiest of all orchids to maintain and get them to re-bloom. Tip: One of the fastest ways to kill an orchid is to over water it. If you add two ice cubes (per plant) to the top of the planting medium once a week, the ice will melt and seep into the roots—not pool at the bottom of the pot.

Air plant globes: Clear, glass globes become cool, hanging containers for small and delicate Tillandsia or air plants. In the wild, these plants attach themselves to other plants in the forests, mountains and deserts of Mexico and Central or South America. Their leaves gather moisture and nutrients from the air and don’t need soil. They are extremely, low-maintenance plants that prefer bright, filtered light. A bathroom with lots of humidity can become the perfect spot. Mist them every week or dunk them in a bowl of water for 20-30 minutes every few weeks—depending on the amount of humidity in your home. ‘Tillies’ make great plants for kids because these unusual plants require so little care!

Live well by embracing each season with living things. Happy New Year!

*Best air-filtering plants
Spider plant  (Chlorophytum comosum)
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa')
Snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue  (Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii')
Red-edged dracaena  (Dracaena marginata)
Cornstalk dracaena  (Dracaena fragans 'Massangeana')
Weeping Fig  (Ficus benjamina)
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
English Ivy  (Hedera helix)
Heartleaf philodendron  (Philodendron oxycardium, syn. Philodendron cordatum)

For more information abour Indoor Plants, visit our website http://www.pasquesi.com/plants/indoor-plants.html