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If you had to choose ONLY 5 indoor plants?

true_blue
9 years ago

Fall is slowly approaching. Soon most of us will be bringing in most of our pots indoors, and wondering how are we going to survive another winter without heavenly scents.

I know most of you guys have numerous fragrant plants, but if you were in a situation to keep only 5, which one will it be, according to the following criteria:

- Ease of growth
- Is not a pest magnet or a prima donna!
- floriferousness or worth growing if it flowers abundantly during it's bloom period.
- Can grow at an East window during winter.
- Is fragrant of course :-)

This post was edited by true-blue on Wed, Aug 27, 14 at 22:15

Comments (19)

  • fragrant2008
    9 years ago

    Mmm so it has to match all those 5 criteria? If i am honest i have not grown that many plants in a east facing window as i only have 2 windows that face east :P but here are mine

    1 Hoya lacunosa beautiful flowers heavenly fragrant ( can fill a room) and easy to grow even if you forget to water it :P i even have one growing in a north facing window

    2. HOYA lacunosa X OBSCURA same as above :)

    3. epiphyllum cooperii another easy one to grow and wow the flowers are amazing size and fragrance only down size is the the flowers do not last very long

    4. Chloranthus spicatus so so easy to grow does not seem to have any pests flowers on and off but i am still not 100% sure on the scent

    5. African Gardenia (Mitriostigma axillare) easy-to-grow relative of gardenia that blooms reliably in the home, blooming almost continuously all year only the odd scale problem

    there could be many more but i have not grown them in a east facing window sure others have though

  • true_blue
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks fragrant, great list.

    As for the eastern exposure, I wanted to make it more difficult, as many do not have the right exposure for sun loving plants, especially in winter....

    I grow a Osmanthus fragrans in a North facing window :-)

  • Dar Sunset Zone 18
    9 years ago

    In my experience, it would be just Aglaia odorata that meet those criteria. This one consistently blooms for me intermittently throughout year. Magnolia coco does great indoors too, but not floriferous beyond Summer.

  • true_blue
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Musa I re-wrote the floriferous criterion. What is important is that it's worthwhile growing. Either because of it's fragrance, flowers, or sentimentality :-)

  • savy4
    9 years ago

    Hi true-blue,

    Mine would be Michelia alba, jasmine, gardenia, plumeria, and orange jasmine. I don't how well they would do. But I will try this winter.

    Savy

  • true_blue
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks savy. By orange jasmine, you mean, the dwarf variety?

  • ordphien
    9 years ago

    Hmm... I don't have any plants I bring in or out.
    But if I had to.
    Vietchii gardenia. Grand duke Jasmine. Dauben water Lily. Pink Jasmine.....And...
    Hmm.... my yellow Angel trumpet.

  • savy4
    9 years ago

    Hi true-blue,

    I don't know want kind it is the orange jasmine. But it has bloom already. I two, one is big and one is small. The small one I bought it from Logees and the big one I bought from the water festival in Lowell, Mass.

    Savy

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    9 years ago

    Murraya paniculata (Orange Jasmine) was one of the plants I was going to mention.
    To me it smells like Hoya lacunosa. Sort of a spicy generic floral scent.
    I don't think it smells like most citrus blooms for which it is related.

    -Robert

  • fragrant2008
    9 years ago

    Does a Murraya really grow well in a east facing window?

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    9 years ago

    You'd no doubt get less blooms in an east window than in a south but I'm sure you'd still get some to sniff. ;)

    -Robert

  • true_blue
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks guys for all your suggestions. Actually my window is more south east than east, my bad :-)

    I have a dwarf Murraya, so I'll see this winter how it does.

    I had an aglaia flowering at my South east window, but unlike Robert's, scent mine was unremarkable :-(

  • savy4
    9 years ago

    Hi True-blue,

    How would I know if mine is dwarf Murraya or not? And by the way I have two big windows one is the Eastside and one Southside they both give bright lights and when the sun shines in the room it gives the warmness the plants need.

    Savy

  • true_blue
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Savy, there are better experts than me. However, the obvious difference is size.

    Dwarf OJ, can flower from seed in less than 2 months. Not the case for Orange Jasmine. I believe the plant can should be 5-6 years old at the least to flower....

    I'm sure those who have grown both will be more detailed :-)

  • savy4
    9 years ago

    Hi True-blue,

    I think mine are from cuttings of the mature plants. Because it already have flowers.

    Savy

  • savy4
    9 years ago

    Here is the smaller one.

  • true_blue
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This is my dwarf savy. 4" high :-)

  • savy4
    9 years ago

    Hi True-blue,

    Is that from the seed? Because I had one too that I started from seed the plant is still very, very, small. It is about 3 months already the plant still look the same. It just popped out from the soil and stay there.

    Savy

  • true_blue
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I don't know Savy. I got it like that. It hasn't moved since :-)

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