Find Your Ask the Expert: Easy care Plant for Coffee table? I want to purchase an easy care green plant for my coffee table that receives morning bright filtered light. I don’t want a plant that gets very big. Which species would work for me?
Thanks,
Susan
Good Coffee Table Houseplant
December 26, 2007 by 3 Comments
Susan,
My suggestion for a coffee table houseplant would be something in the Peperomia family. Peperomias are low growing houesplants that have moderate light to low light requirements. There are several types of peperomia. Many peperomia species have green leaves, but they also come in variegated, silvery and dark colored forms.
If you need a houseplant that has some height but not a lot of width, try a pony tail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata). Although this plant loves full sunlight, I know for a fact that it will thrive in very low light conditions. I have a pony tail palm on my desk at work and it does quite well.
Take a look at peperomia and pony tail palm. If they do tickle your fancy, just let me know and we’ll explore other options.
Did you ever get a croton or rubber plant for your southeast window?
First, my coffee table is in the same room as the southeast window-so would the peperomia family still work?
Second, I got a croton but unfortunatly after I repotted it it died very quickly of I think a watering problem. I found crotons to be quite demanding for my level of gardening and so I didn’t know to correct the water problem. The leaves turned brown and crunchy but I was watering the plant according to my moisture meter guide.
My other plants are doing very well through the winter but I’m not seeing any signs of them slowing down in their growth!! They’re still growing like crazy.
Thanks so much for all your help,
Susan
Susi,
Peperomia should work fine. You might try replacing the Croton with a Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema). Chinese Evergreens are very easy to take care of — at the nursery, we place them in bright light and they do well. I have one in my living room with very little light and it does well. They are very versatile and take very little care.