A list of non-flowering houseplants – each one worth your attention

Many gardeners (both novice and experienced) prefer to grow non-flowering plants in their apartments or private homes. They are less demanding than their flowering relatives and are also less likely to cause allergies due to the lack of pollen. They are found in various taxonomic groups and have a wide variety of varieties. We present a catalog of the most popular indoor plants with names, descriptions, and photos.

Ornamental foliage

Deciduous plants are generally the most low-maintenance, and caring for them doesn't take much time, even for a novice gardener. So take a closer look at the list.

Saxifrage

Saxifrage, or Saxifrage, belongs to the Saxifrage family. It is grown indoors for its beautiful green foliage with white veins; the burgundy underside of the leaves adds a striking touch.

The petioles, peduncles, and stolons of the flower are also burgundy. The base of the leaf blade is heart-shaped, but towards the edge, it becomes widely serrated. Saxifraga can grow up to 50 cm in height, but when grown as a hanging plant, the long stems can reach 100 cm.

Monstera

Monstera is a vine that will add an exotic touch to any room. Monstera is distinguished by its large leaves, which, as the flower grows, develop cuts that reach all the way to the center of the leaf blade.

Over time, aerial roots begin to emerge from the monstera's stem, allowing the plant to cling to support itself. These roots are very delicate and fragile, so once they become too long, it's recommended to root them in soil to prevent damage.

Ferns

There are many types of ornamental ferns, but they are all distinguished by their spreading green foliage. The most popular ferns include Nephrolepis, Cyrtomium, Maidenhair fern, Golden Polypodium, and Aspenium.

However, Nephrolepis is the plant most often grown in apartments. This species has lanceolate, pinnately compound, segmented leaves that can reach 70 cm in length. The plant's stiff green mass grows upwards up to a certain point, and only after reaching a certain length does it begin to bend laterally.

Fatsia

Fatsia is a tall, perennial shrub with spreading green foliage from the Araliaceae family. Its distinctive feature is its large, glossy, serrated leaves.

In the wild, the shrub can reach a height of 6 meters, but indoors, Fatsia grows only to 1.5 meters. The shrub has a branched rhizome and spreading shoots with lateral branches.

Ficus

Ficus is a non-flowering plant that has long enjoyed widespread popularity due to its low maintenance and decorative appearance. Currently, there are many varieties of ficus grown indoors, but the most common are the rubber plant, lyrate ficus, dwarf ficus, and Ficus benjamina.

Despite some differences between these species, all ficuses have beautiful foliage of dark green or variegated colors. The dense, solid leaves of the plant can reach 70 cm in length.

Dracaena

Dracaena is an evergreen plant with a woody, straight trunk. Its narrow, relatively long, green or variegated leaves are arranged parallel to the veins. Although dracaenas closely resemble palm trees in appearance, they are not.

Succulents

Succulents are a group of plants with specialized tissues that retain water. This characteristic stems from their origins in regions with frequent droughts. Plants in this group belong to different families.

Cacti

Cacti are succulents, distinguished by the presence of spines on their surface. However, few people know that there are several thousand varieties of cacti, which are not always distinguishable from each other at first glance.

The following non-flowering cacti are popular:

1. Cephalocereus. The cactus's stem has silvery hairs that distinguish it from other cacti.

   

2. Espostoa hirsuta is a fairly large cactus, which can grow up to 70 cm in length. The succulent's spines are covered with silvery bristles.

   

3. Echinocactus grusoni is the most popular cactus, distinguished by its bright yellow spines.

   

Decorative cacti are most often used to decorate office spaces or home work areas, as they are believed to absorb electromagnetic radiation emitted by a computer or laptop.

Queen Victoria Agave

Queen Victoria agave is considered the most beautiful succulent of the genus Agave. The plant has stiff leaves that resemble an elongated triangle with a white border. Each leaf has a single spine, 1 to 2 cm long, and several shorter ones. The agave leaves form a rosette, the diameter of which ranges from 40 to 60 cm.

Aloe

Aloe is a succulent plant in the Asphodelaceae family. The genus Aloe comprises approximately 500 different species, but they all share a short stem densely covered with fleshy, sword-shaped leaves. Depending on the aloe species, the edges of its leaves may be smooth or serrated, and some are covered with spines, or, less commonly, cilia. The most commonly grown aloe species are variegated aloe, aloe vera, and aloe arborescens.

Bearded man

The Beardwort, or Yovibarba, is a plant in the Crassulaceae genus. Beardwort is distinguished by its pointed leaves, which form a small rosette resembling a flower bud. Beardwort comes in a variety of colors, ranging from green to brown.

Sedum

Sedum, or stonecrop, is a genus of plants with many species. Sedum is represented by several species, including the non-flowering ones:

1. Sedum Morganii.
2. Sedum crassifolia.
3. Sedum linearis.

Sedum has small, flat or cylindrical leaves that can fall off even with the slightest touch. Depending on the species, the flower stems can be erect, creeping, or prostrate.

Crassula

The money tree, or jade plant, is an easy-to-grow plant that even a novice gardener can handle. Indoor jade plants are distinguished by their round, opposite leaves, shaped like coins. With proper care, the tree's trunk can reach over 1.5 meters in height.

Haworthia

Haworthia is a genus of miniature plants in the Xanthorrhoeaceae family. Their fleshy, dark green leaves may have white, warty bumps. Most members of the genus have transparent areas at the tips of the leaf blades, allowing light to penetrate deep into the plant tissue.

Palm trees

Indoor palms are exotic plants that have captivated gardeners thanks to the striking and unusual shape of their leaves. To ensure they adapt to the conditions of a particular home, it's best to purchase them when they're young.

Areca

The Areca genus contains about 50 species, but only a few can be grown indoors. Areca palms have one or more slender stems covered with ring-shaped scars at the base.

The dense leaves resemble bright green feathers. The foliage gathers at the top of the palm, resembling a comb. The palm's height can range from 35 cm to 12 m, depending on the variety.

Bamboo

The bamboo palm, or Rhapis, is a graceful and undemanding tree with slender trunks bearing numerous green leaves. The fan-shaped, lanceolate leaves grow exclusively at the tips of the shoots, the surface of which is covered with a felt-like mesh of fibers.

Decorative palms are divided into two groups based on their height: tall and short. While tall palms can grow up to 3 meters, short specimens rarely exceed 1 meter.

Livistona

Livistona is a genus of perennial palms comprising 36 species. Livistona is a tree with large, glossy, fan-shaped leaves of dark green or grayish green.

Date palm

The date palm is a hardy and undemanding plant with long leaves divided into narrow pinnae. Date palms typically have a dense, bright green crown and a feathery trunk.

Yucca

Yucca is an ornamental foliage plant that blooms only in its natural habitat. Its thick, woody stem is branched at the top. Its pointed leaves cluster at the ends of the stem or branches.

Ampelous

Trailing plants are ornamental plants characterized by long, climbing or creeping stems. Their flower shape allows them to be grown in hanging baskets.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a genus belonging to the Liliaceae family. There are approximately 100 species, but the most popular is Asparagus sprengeri. This species of asparagus is a bushy plant distinguished from its relatives by its drooping, light-green, spiky leaves.

Ivy

Ivy, or Hedera, is a creeping shrub with adventitious roots that allow the plant to cling to uneven surfaces and supports. Its angularly lobed leaves are thickly leathery and dark green.

Soleirolia

Soleirolia, or Helxina, is a groundcover plant from the Urtice family. Helxina has numerous miniature green leaves arranged on slender branches. Soleirolia is distinguished by its highly branched, creeping stem.

Creeping ficus

The creeping ficus, or dwarf ficus, differs from its relatives by the presence of graceful, twining shoots and numerous accessory roots. The green, heart-shaped leaves of the ficus have a rough and wrinkled surface. The underside of the stem is covered with suckers, which allow the plant to cling to any protruding surface.

Fittonia

Fittonia is a perennial herbaceous plant characterized by its prostrate, drooping shoots. Its patterned leaves are covered with a red-purple, yellow, or white mesh. These are small plants with slender stems.

Epipremnum

Epipremnum is a trailing vine whose stems can reach 10 meters in length. Its glossy leaves are emerald green with whitish or slightly yellowish inclusions or streaks. The plant develops numerous aerial roots.