Creating an indoor jungle has become a recent trend among, especially among millennials. Some are even giving up the idea of children and adopting plants to become “Plant Parents.” This growing trend is thought to be the result of skyrocketing house prices and stagnating wages, leading many younger adults to choose plants over babies.
In this post, we take a closer look at the trend and how you can create your own lush indoor jungle with some key principles. From hanging ivy to huge dramatic floor plants, here’s how to make an indoor jungle to get lost in.
What is an Indoor Jungle?
An indoor jungle is when you fill an indoor space with a vast array of diverse and vibrant greenery. Whether it’s a home, apartment, shop, office or any other indoor space, creating an indoor jungle is simple.
While it’s tempting to buy hundreds of plants and place them all around the place, there are some things to consider to ensure the plants you choose are happy and that they thrive. The type of indoor planters used is vital to ensure healthy growth and compliment your decor. The positioning of the plants is also important to create truly unique and wonderful jungle-like scenes.
Why are people creating indoor jungles? Many people living in large cities are yearning for a touch of nature in their living spaces, and so indoor plants have become increasingly popular over the last decade. Lifeless indoor spaces can be instantly transformed with lush foliage, and plants can even improve your health and wellbeing.
The Key Principles of Creating an Indoor Jungle
The Amount of Light is Important
Each living space is unique and has different levels of light. Some of us live and work in large spaces with big windows, while others have to make do with cramped cave-like spaces. Assessing the amount of sunlight in your space is the first important step, as it dictates the type of plants you can put in your indoor jungle.
Those with a bright space have the most choice and can consider magnificent light-loving plants such as:
Those with less light also have lots of great choices, including:
- Aglaonema
- Dracaena
- Ferns
- Kalanchoe Plants
- Lucky Bamboo
- Palms
- Peace Lily
- Philodendron
- Pothos
- Spathiphyllum
- Spider Plants
- Succulents
- White Orchids
Luckily, for those with lots of light, you get a choice of both light-loving and shade-loving plants, as there are always dark and awkward spaces to fill. The more variety you have, the more jungle-like it will be and don’t forget to add plants that flower for a splash of color to break up the greenery.
Plant Grouping
Grouping plants together is a quick and effective way to replicate a jungle scene. Take a walk into any jungle, and you will quickly notice there are no rules to what plants grow where. It is a constant fight for light, and this is something we want to replicate.
Be creative in your choice of plants and look to add a variety of sizes, shapes, foliage, and textures. By textures, we mean plants with exciting leaves such as:
Go Big and Bold
Every jungle boasts big and bold plants. If you have adequate space, add some real drama and depth to your indoor jungle by including plants like:
If you’re lucky enough to own a large indoor space, you could even consider adding some small trees. Yucca, Guiana Chestnut, and Umbrella Tree are all stunning additions to an indoor jungle. Small trees are great in the corners of rooms, any awkward space, or if you want to go really bold, slap bang in the middle of the room.
Use Your Vertical Space Too
Think beyond the floor space, worktops, and window sills. Utilize your vertical spaces by using hanging planters filled with magnificent plants that love to hang out. Try using a variety of:
When hung together, these plants can create luscious jungle-like scenes. Their placement is also essential. When used in the bathroom, hanging plants can help transform your bathroom into a waterfall scene straight out of a magical forest.
Many people opt for various types of ivy, which is fine, but you should be aware that ivy-like Pothos and Devil’s ivy will grow quickly and know no limits as to where they grow. You can either leave them to their own devices or trim them back to keep them in check every once in a while.
Add Some Weirdness
Anyone that’s ever been on a walk through a jungle will know that jungles have lots of weird and wonderful sights. In the Amazon rainforests alone, there are 80,000 species of plants. To break up the greenery, consider using some weird and wonderful plants such as:
- Banana shrub
- Bromeliads
- Cactus
- Calathea
- Dieffenbachia
- Donkey’s Tails
- Sweetheart Hoya
- Living stones
- Moon cactus
- Nerve plants
- Sensitive plant
- Staghorn fern
- Watermelon peperomia
Choose the Right Pots and Planters
As well as the right exposure to the sun, your plants will also need the right home for their roots to grow healthy and thrive. When considering a plant for your indoor jungle, be sure to do your research on the type of planter it needs to be happy.
If you’re buying large plants or trees, you may want to consider a modern ultra-durable but lightweight material such as fiberglass planters. This will help you to move around big plants with relative ease compared to stone or terracotta planters.
Make Sure Your Plants are Safe
Finally, before you get too carried away, filling your indoor space with plants, it’s critical to make sure the plants you’re choosing are safe. Some plants can cause allergies for people and others can be dangerous for any children or pets. Always check the plant’s detailed information online before buying.
Cats are especially vulnerable as they like to nibble on plants from time to time. Here are some common plants that pose a risk to children and pets:
- Azalea
- Caladium
- Dieffenbachia
- Easter Lily
- English Ivy
- Foxglove
- Holly
- Mistletoe
- Morning Glory
- Oleander
- Peace Lily
- Philodendron
- Pothos
