Gardenia

Year-Round Greenery

Many trees are quite happy indoors. They don't seem as fussy -- in looks or care -- as little potted plants, and they make a bolder statement. This tall gardenia is limbed, clipped, and -- ah! -- fragrant.

 

A fig at your fireside

The ornamental fig is an exceptionally easy tree to grow indoors. A bonus is that it will attain treelike stature while remaining in a proportionally compact container. This fig (Ficus lyrata) basks in the warmth and low humidity of your cozy house (cozy for you perhaps, but not for all plants). Note the lovely ruffled leaves and architectural structure.

 

The evergreen for every month

The subtropical Norfolk Island pine can withstand tons of abuse (and, yes, to a plant, household conditions do constitute abuse). While you may have seen these trees in nature as towering Erector sets, in pot culture they are slow growers. Bonus: Next December, you can decorate your Araucaria heterophylla instead of buying a cut tree.

 

The most forgiving of palm trees

The Victorians went nuts for the Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) because it was one of the few plants to withstand those gloomy parlors and unpredictable heating. You, however, have much more suitable conditions for this palm, so it should be all the happier. This tree is slow-growing to the extreme, so buy a plant tall enough to suit you now.

 

Citrus for fruit, flowers,
and fragrance

With a little nurturing and a lot of light, citrus trees such as this navel orange (Citrus sinensis) will perform indoors just as you would expect them to in the groves of Florida. You will need to help out your citrus by keeping it evenly watered and feeding it a balanced fertilizer. In winter, the leaves may turn yellow, in which case it needs a dose of iron chelate.