If you will be growing many plants at home, it is likely that many of them will be foliage plants. Although they are not as showy as flowering plants, they are very easy to grow, propagate easily, and can adapt to any environment where you would like to grow them.



Foliage plants are very important in any home garden because most of them continue to grow and thrive all year long, unlike seasonal plants which are only at their full beauty for several months of the year. They will add variety and visual interest which will last all year, making your garden beautiful without requiring a lot of extra effort.

There are many hundreds of common foliage plants, including thousands of hybrids and varieties to choose from. You can choose from a wide variety in terms of shape, size, leaf shape and leaf color. Many can be grown in any part of the country, and are available at any nursery.

One common foliage plant, Peperomia (specifically P. Sandersi), has been nicknamed the Watermelon Begonia because of its striped leaves, although it is not even related to Begonias. The leaves are oval-shaped, smooth, and shiny, and the stems are red and pink. It is a low growing and bushy plants. Because they are originally from the Brazilian jungle, they thrive in warm, moist climates, without drafts or wind. They like partial sun, and lots of room-temperature water and plant food. In the spring, you can grow more of this plant through stem or leaf cuttings.

Another common foliage plant, Pick-a-back Plant, is also known as the Piggy Back Plant. This unusual name comes from the fact that it grows new plants in an unusual way, from its leaves where the leaves join with the stem. The beginnings of plants will root when they touch the ground. It is originally from the West Coast, from California to Alaska. The leaves are light green and shaped like hearts, attached to the plant at the end of a long stem.

Growing new tropical Piggy Back Plants is very easy. Just place a stem with leaves into a mixture of starting soil, and it should root. Starting it in water instead of soil can even be successful. If you do start it in water, be sure to dissolve some charcoal in the water first, as this will purify it and help your grow quickly. Use liquid fertilizer for Piggy Back house plants.