12 Houseplants to turn your home into paradise

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Many species of calceolaria exist, so you’ll have a wide variety available at your local nursery. The unique flowers of the plant look a little bit like a hobo purse in a brilliant shade of red or yellow.

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This gorgeous plant grows tall and produces waxy-looking leaves that look like they’re damp. The name is both descriptive and practical: The tree is the source of most of the natural rubber in the world.

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The leaves of the dracaena are playfully striped with yellow, cream and green coloring. You can even forget to water it for a few days without adverse consequences, so it’s a great starter plant.

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No doubt about it: This plant is crazy. It looks like a jumble of rocks with fantastic flowers growing directly from the living stones. If you can only purchase one houseplant, make it this one, because it doubles as a fab conversation piece.

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Any orchid is a great choice for your indoor paradise, but the lady’s slipper orchid is particularly special. It’s heartier than most orchids, but still brightens a room with its soft and pretty pinks and whites.

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Seldom will you find an indoor flowering plant that does quite as well as the peace lily. Its white flowers bloom year-round, and the plant can survive for years and years. It’s not a great choice if you have a cat or small child who chews on plants, though, since it’s mildly toxic.

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You can trim your jade plant to look like a little bonsai tree or a bush. It has delicate star-shaped flowers and its beautiful leaves make for year-round enjoyment.

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Adorn your room with the hanging fronds of the crab cactus, also known as the Christmas cactus. The leaves of the plant look like they belong in a desert, but its brilliant red or pink flowers are straight out of a tropical rainforest.

Never has a cabbage look-alike been so beautiful. You’ll enjoy occasional flowers, but you hardly need them with the colorful hues of the plant’s thick and hearty leaves.

Your room doesn’t need an accent wall when you have the bright pink and royal blue flowers of the pink quill plant. Just keep it happy by spraying it with water several times a week.

Any plant also known as the “Edward Scissorhands plant” deserves a second look. Its shoots point to the ceiling and are braided together for a fascinating appeal.

All manner of begonias boast large, elephant-ear-shaped leaves, but only one is spotted with bright polka dots. If you like your begonias with a punk-rock vibe, then this variety is perfect for you.