Does anyone have recommendations for a leafy houseplant that makes a nice dining table centerpiece? I’ve got this Hydrangea I was gifted there now but it’s not doing well (I’ve always struggled with flowers even though I love them). Something that looks interesting without flowers would be my preference.
Maranta! There’s lots of variety and they’re gorgeous. Your lighting in this area looks perfect for it, too. They flower tiny little white flowers occasionally but I typically don’t even notice them because they’re so small compared to the foliage. These plants are really neat too because the leaves lower in the evening giving the appearance that they’re in prayer, they’re also known as prayer plants. You can find them at most Lowe’s, Home Depot and Walmart.
I love that! The leaf design is beautiful. We got a nice local plant shop near where I live so I’m going to swing through today and see if they have some good ones like this.
0 Likes Ooh fun, good luck! Please share if you find one! Silver band is the prettiest variety to me, that’s on my wishlist. Mine is really long because I’m letting it hang but for a centerpiece you can keep it pruned up and I think it’ll look really beautiful in your space
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Peperomia. They’re very hardy, low maintenance, and come in a lot of very pretty varieties (watermelon peperomia, peperomia obtusifolia, and raindrop peperomia are three of my favorites, but peperomia caperata/wrinkled leaf peperomia are also very beautiful and can come in a few cool colors). They also do well in part sun and shade, so they’re great if you like having one in the window but wanna move it away from the window and onto a table in the winter.
1 Like This is my variegated peperomia obtusifolia
And this is what a Watermelon Peperomia looks like
Oh wow, I really love the reddish stems. I think that would end up being a nice piece. How tall do they get?
0 Likes I’ve never seen one get more than 1ft tall, which is why I thought it would make a nice medium sized, but pretty table centerpiece. I’m waiting for a Watermelon Peperomia to arrive in the mail tomorrow that I’m planning to put on our dining table. The dining table is right next to our north windowsill, where my other two peperomias have been thriving, so I think as long as you choose a plant that thrives in low-light conditions or lots of shade and your table isn’t far from the windows, it should be fine.
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Any plant placed on the dining table that far away from a window will need a grow light. That might be the issue with the hydrangea.
2 Likes I hadn’t thought about that. The room has a lot of windows because it’s a big combined living room, dining room, and kitchen. But the closest window to the plant is a South-facing one about 8-9 feet away.
0 Likes I’d definitely recommend trying to place it outdoors or closer to the south windows, perhaps by sitting it on a stool or a tall pot holding stand if you can find one, but hydrangeas probably need to be much closer to the window given their light needs, so it might not make the best for a table centerpiece. I definitely think you can still save it if you make sure it gets brighter light, especially if you have a south window. Most of my plants I try to keep no more than 1ft away from the windows, the farthest being my indoor Hosta that I’ve propped onto a stool being 10 inches from the window.
1 Like This is what I mean by a plant stand, just to clarify. I plan on getting one for my Hosta, since she’s too big to put in the windowsill but enjoys her 10 in distance from the window. If there’s room for your hydrangea to sit in a stand near a south window in that room, it can still make a beautiful decorative addition to the room.
I fully agree with Adrian. I don’t know any shade loving plant that can survive 9 feet from a window unless you it’s a high rise office with a 20 feet high south facing glass wall of windows. But, those plants also have strong fluorescent lights. Hydrangeas need full direct sunlight at least 8 hours a day in general. Some varieties can take some shade.🍀🪴
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