Aerial roots are a type of root that tend to grow above the ground. They develop from the stems of plants and use the moisture in the air to absorb the nutrients needed. So, it isn’t necessary to water the plant since they already take what they need from the atmosphere.
If you’re willing to nurture houseplants, read this article for further knowledge of how to grow plants with Aerial roots. You will see some common plant names and ones you didn’t know existed. In today’s article, I will throw some light on the various house plants that develop aerial roots as they grow.
9 House Plants With Aerial Roots
1. Monstera
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Monstera is a type of tropical plant that is home to Central America. The plant itself has unique features that set it apart from the rest. The leaves naturally grow holes as the plant matures.
Although some people think the plant has some disease or is weak, Monstera makes holes in its leaves to help them grow faster. The leaf holes in Monstera are also known as fenestrations to help capture sunlight anywhere and anytime.
The plant is also popular as the Swiss Cheese Plant because of its similar features. It doesn’t need a lot of sunlight since that may damage it; however, like all plants, moderate sunlight is needed for Monstera to absorb enough nutrients. You only need to water the soil once every two weeks so it doesn’t dry out.
2. Pothos
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Pothos is a houseplant that mainly grows in the South Pacific region. There is vast popularity of them located in the Solomon Islands and, for people who tend to forget to take care of their plants.
The plant itself grows beautiful heart-shaped leaves that are usually green. The leaves also change color depending on the atmosphere they grow in; yellow or white.
Pothos is a fast-growing vine that develops 12 inches per month when given the right nutrients. However, refrain from letting your pets near it since they might be in danger due to the plant’s toxins.
You can place the plant on a tabletop or your desk since it doesn’t need much sunlight. If you expose the plant to too much sunlight, the leaves will turn pale.
3. Philodendrons
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Philodendron is another houseplant that grows aerial roots. The name comes from ancient Greek and, the plant has a great meaning behind it. ‘Philo’ translates to love, and ‘dendron’ would change to plant.
So, Philodendron ultimately translates to ‘love plant.’ It was a way of proclaiming love to someone simply by giving them Philodendrons.
This plant was originally grown in South America, and several sub-species grow all around those tropical forests. Philodendrons are great houseplants because they don’t need to be watered or taken care of every day.
Leave them in a shady spot and wet the soil once every few days. Philodendrons have aerial roots, and so, even the leaves absorb moisture from the air since they have a large surface area.
4. Rubber plants
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Rubber plants are great for beginners looking to take care of a plant for the first time. They also have a scientific name known as Ficus Elastica. This plant grows quite easily and doesn’t have particular needs.
Although they can adjust to dim or low light, they prefer basking in sunlight now and then. You can place them somewhere close to a light source at night so that they can absorb morning sunlight with loads of nutrients.
These plants grow from 6-10 feet when grown in the right conditions; however, you can cut them short to keep them at home.
It would help if you watered them once in a while once the soil gets a little dry. Don’t pour excess water since that might damage the soil and the plant.
5. Orchids
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Orchids are one of the most common and well-known flowers in the world. Several species of Orchids are found all over Earth aside from Antarctica due to its extreme climates.
The majority of Orchids grow in humidity where sunlight and rainfall are in abundance. They prefer rainforests and can also be kept as houseplants if you live in similar climates.
Species of Orchids grow with aerial roots by clinging to larger trees and absorbing moisture from them. These Orchids are known as ‘epiphytes’ and store water with their nutrients in their leaves.
The leaves themselves are spacious enough to hold amounts of water to keep the plant alive. Orchids provide different visuals ranging from pink and purple to orange, depending on what you like.
6. Ferns
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Ferns have different reproduction methods from other plants, and they grow in various environments. Some grow straight while others run along with floors or platforms like vines (they even float on the water surface).
House ferns would grow 1 to 2 cm long every month; however, tree ferns grow bigger due to the abundance of space. They can stretch up to 25 meters tall under proper care.
Most fern plants are grown in tropical regions with moist environments. You can find a few special ones in dry and cold climates, but the quantity would remain less than in tropical regions.
Normal plants would produce blooms to help reproduce, but unfortunately, ferns cannot. So, they develop spores to help them increase their popularity.
7. Mangroves
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Mangrove is a type of tree and shrub with different species categorized under them. They are weak in cold conditions and thus, can only grow in tropical regions or ones near the Equator.
They need adequate sunlight and enough moisture to remain sturdy and continue building height. Although you cannot keep Mangrove species indoors, certain ones are small enough to remain on desks or tables.
They mainly grow near coastlines, and you can find tiny Mangroves floating on water.
Moreover, they remain afloat due to the aerial roots that help them stay still without sinking. There are times where Mangroves get washed over by high tides, but, most of the time, they slow tidal waves down using their roots.
8. Banyan Figs
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Ficus benghalensis is popular as Banyan Figs. It is culturally part of India and is known as its national tree. Banyan Figs surround several temples because of their good relations. These trees can also be kept as houseplants for a while before placing them in the open to nurture and grow into larger trees.
Banyan Figs have several features, including their large leaves. The leaves are either elliptic or oval with a span of 40 cms when grown in a stable environment.
They have thick, large barks that remain white, displaying aerial roots. This species is widely known for the world’s biggest trees as they continue growing for decades before dying out when their time comes.
9. Liverworts
Liverworts are often mistaken for mosses since they look similar; however, they have different features and work in a way normal plants don’t. Liverworts are primitive because most of them only have one layer of cells.
Liverworts are not born with vascular tissues and, thus, cannot produce elements like flowers or seeds. Instead of reproducing through seed, these species develop spores to help increase their popularity.
These plants don’t have leaves that curl up or spread open. Instead, they remain flat and grow on the soil or any platform. They do require sunlight, but it isn’t necessary since they can still grow by receiving sunlight once in a while. If you want to keep Liverworts as a houseplant, you need enough space to let it grow.
Conclusion
Overall, aerial houseplants are easy to take care of and grow. All they need is a proper environment and water and sunlight provided from time to time. Some houseplants with aerial roots may sound complicated; however, they are like other plants all over the world aside from certain features that make them stand out.
The best feature all plants with aerial roots have is that their roots are displayed out of the soil and continue to grow from the plant’s stems. These roots don’t affect the beauty the plant has; moreover, it helps enhance the features to attract people so, have fun growing such plants.