5 Fabulous but Under-Appreciated Houseplants for Every Home

By Justin Hancock, Costa Farms
Photographs courtesy of Costa Farms

There are so many wonderful houseplants to choose from, especially with a lot of new varieties coming out. Not sure what to choose? Here are some of our favorite overlooked varieties!

Dieffenbachia Cool Beauty

Dieffenbachias are a group of tried-and-true houseplants that are delightfully easy to care for, making them excellent picks for beginners and experienced plant parents alike. Cool Beauty is a newer variety from Japan that’s not gotten the attention it deserves. This dwarf variety stays compact, so you can enjoy it on a desk or tabletop. It creates lots of sideshoots, so it looks full and lush. And it has a distinctive variegation pattern with white-edged and cream-centered green leaves.

Aglaonema Red Emerald

I’m not sure why Aglaonema (also called Chinese Evergreen) aren’t more popular. They’re exceptionally tolerant of tough conditions, including low light, and come in a wide variety of colors and textures. They’re a member of the super-trendy Aroid family (though they’re not climbers like the more-popular Philodendron, Pothos, and Monstera). Red Emerald, in particular, is a stunning variety that shows off rich green leaves accented with gold and red veining.

Silver Streak Pothos

Under-appreciated by plant collectors and unknown by most beginners, this easy-care climbing vine (botanically known as Epipremnum amplissimum) sports graceful, long, narrow leaves elegantly striped in silver. It’s just as easy to care for as Golden Pothos, but gives you a much more distinctive look. As is the case with many other climbing Aroids, the leaves get much larger and even more eye-catching if you allow it to climb a pole, totem, wall, or trellis. 

Flowering Anthurium

Another member of the super-trendy Aroid family that’s not as popular as its cousins, Flowering Anthurium is one of the few houseplants that can reliably give you a steady display of showy blooms throughout the year. Its dark green leaves make the perfect foil for the heart-shaped red, pink, lavender, orange, or white flowers. Despite its exotic appeal, it’s quite easy to grow, making it a colorful choice for beginners and plant collectors.  

Bromeliad

If you’re looking for an exotic flowering houseplant that’s pretty forgiving, consider a Bromeliad. You might be one of the few who do! This under-appreciated pineapple relative comes in a seemingly endless array of colors and sizes. Guzmania hybrids are some of the most common; their strappy leaves are topped by long-lasting flowers that look almost like a tropical pinecone. Bromeliads make for a colorful statement piece that’s perfect for showing off your style.

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