Give a new look to your home with ornamental plants

Plants and trees are integrated part of our lifestyle, there are some plants and trees that provide us with some products like different vegetables, cereals, fruits etc. They are consumed by people in one or the other form. But not all plants and trees are consumable. Then what are they for? These plants are used to enhance the beauty of surroundings. As the name suggest “ornament” which is something that looks attractive but there might be no purpose or logical reason associated with it. It can be any piece of jewellery or home décor that is kept just to please the eyes. Likewise, ornamental plants are those which are grown to decorate the landscape or garden. They have no significant value besides beautifying the place. They mostly have some unique colours, patterns or textures that make them appealing. The discipline of studying, growing and maintaining flowering and ornamental plants is known as ‘floriculture’. Ornamental plants require regular pruning, watering, and maintenance. It is worth mentioning that bonsai is different from ornamental plants. These plants are grown in a design or pattern to make it look attractive to the guests.

Today, most of us happen to have a busy and hectic lifestyle. So is it worth putting efforts on growing these plants which have only aesthetic value? The answer is yes and no. Yes, these plants are worth all your time and No, they are not only for visual pleasure but indeed have more than that.

Here are some more unseen benefits that you get from these plants:

Brings positivity: The very presence of a plant in a room or balcony makes it livelier. If there are beautiful plants around one might need no more artifacts. In those gloomy days, these plants will brighten up your mood.

Aroma: As said earlier, the ornamental plants have some unique texture or smell that makes them likable. Like rose and lavender are grown because of sweet fragrance. There are some plants whose aroma works as a natural insect repellent.

Help in pollination: Some floral plants have attractive colours and smell. For an environment to keep growing, pollination is an important step. These flowers attract birds and flies and support in the functioning of ecosystem.

Alarm for Danger: When there is an attack of any specific species on any cultivation and if these ornamental plants are grown at the boundaries, these are attacked first because of their fragrance. For e.g. roses and gerbera are grown outside the grapes plantation and in the case of any insect attack it can be detected early and required measures to protect the plantation can be taken. Thus, by raising an alarm they help saving the whole plantation.

Air Purifiers: Studies have shown that the indoor plants have ability to absorb toxic substances and improve the air quality. They can even remove formaldehyde from the air. Boston fern and peace lily are good examples of such plants.

Now that you have known the other benefits of ornamental plants, let us explore more on the types of ornamental plants based on their structure and growing pattern. Depending on their pattern, they can be one of the following:

Bush: They are small woody plants with a large number of stems.
Tree: It is a tall woody plant with lesser stems or branches then bushes.
Herb: These are soft and non-woody plants with soft stems.
Vine: They have very soft stem and climb with support.

Below we bring you some most commonly grown ornamental plants and their beautiful traits:

Rose: They are shrubs or bushes and come in a variety of colors. The have a lovely aroma and look pleasant. They are used in almost every landscaping project. They need enough sunlight to grow healthy.

Peace Lily: They have beautiful spade shape white flower and are easy to grow and maintain. Due to ease of handling they are very popular indoor plants. They even have the ability to absorb toxic gases from the atmosphere thus acting as natural air purifiers.

Boston Fern: It is one the most commonly planted indoor fern. It needs minimal care and it is also a very good air purifier. It can even absorb tobacco smell. They grow in a cool place with very little sunlight.

Money Plant: It is a decorative creeper and can survive only on water as well. It usually grows well in soil but can survive in bottles with only water. It needs no maintenance and has a myth to bring luck.

Hibiscus: It is a flowering plant and also have religious sentiments attached to it. It needs plenty of light, water and pruning to keep it healthy.

Bougainvillea: It grows in vine but has a woody stem. They grow fast and big so needs regular trimming else they can go wild. They are available in variety of colours and need light and water for proper growth.

Jasmine: It is a shrub and has highly aromatic flowers. It is added to oils and is used in aroma therapy.

Columnar Cactus: It is the most common cacti and grows vertical in single stems. They are also easy to grow and maintain at home.

Plants convey a sense of care, love and sensitivity in us. So, let’s bring in some more positivity with few plants around us.