Victorian Houseplants: caring for old-fashioned living room plants

The large Victorian houses often had solariums, open and airy rooms and verandas, as well as greenhouses. Plants played an important role in interior decoration, with some Victorian-era houseplants being stars. Some of the most popular Victorian houseplants of that era still exist today and can add a touch of old-world elegance to your home. Read on to discover some options that will add a touch of nostalgia and sophistication to your home.

Victorian style indoor plants

The nostalgic fashions of the Victorian era have a classic style even today. Some of the most interesting interior design practices involved the use of plants indoors. Plants were cheap, imported from outside, and could change a room in the blink of an eye, from the bedroom of a whimsical spinster to a tropical paradise. Most of us have heard about the use of palm trees as houseplants. In fact, there is a variety called the living room palm. But apart from these easy to grow and elegant plants, what other green plants did

Are Victorian-era houses used for interior lighting?

Indoor plants have been incorporated into many rooms in the house. For example:

• The summer chimney has been transformed into a miniature garden to hide the huge smoke-stained hole that would not be used for months.
• Glass gardens were also popular and there were many hanging brackets to hang plants right in front of the best lighting in the house.
• Houseplants from the Victorian era were also often found in the cases of warriors. These were similar to a terrarium and often had a beautiful display case and elaborate support.

Living room plants served as hosts to guests when they arrived for a visit. Victorian style houseplants were also commonly found in containers ranging from elegant to opulent. The display was as important as the plant.

Types of Victorian houseplants

Victorian-era houseplants could be simply plants dug up from local forests or those that were imported and of exotic varieties. Other favourites include:

• Palms
• Ferns
• Jasmine
• Heliotropes
• Citrus in pot

Sword ferns and later Boston ferns were elegant additions to any room and still carry an air of elegance today. The cast iron plant is an indestructible specimen that even a gardener with a black thumb can manage to keep alive.

Depending on the display available in the house, flower specimens are often also incorporated into the decor.

• Abalone, or parlour maple, is native to Brazil and was a popular houseplant in Victorian times. They have paper, hanging hibiscus flowers and serrated maple leaves.
• The Jerusalem cherry, native to Peru, added a festive touch to the festivities with its white flowers that turn into red-orange berries.

With the advent of easier travel, more and more interesting and unique houseplants began to arrive and soon the possibilities were almost endless. It became much easier to satisfy the Victorian green thumb and today we can enjoy the same selection of plants.