Houseplants add a touch of greenery in the dead of winter, when it's just too cold to go outdoors. They add life, energy and health-giving properties to your home (plants absorb toxins and produce oxygen), while bringing interest to a room. They have also become something of a style statement. Here's our choice of the most stylish - and the simplest...

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Elephant's ear plant (Alocasia amazonica) is a dazzling plant that loves taking centre stage, making it perfect for pride of place in the living room. The waxy leaves are shiny and huge, with raised white veining.
Water: Keep the compost permanently wet, but only just moist over winter. It enjoys soft, room-temperature water.
Temperature: Keep it above 20°C - but not too warm.
Feed: Give it a weak solution every 14 days.
Light: It prefers bright light, but not direct sunlight.
Special needs: This plant hates draughts and sudden changes in temperature. Sap may cause skin irritation. Keep the humidity up with regular misting.
Also try: Cordyline australis, Fatsia japonica, Zamio-culcas zamiifolia.

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Mother-in-law's tongue or snake plant (Sansevieria) is the ultimate un-killable plant, and now fashionable again because of its strong, spiky shape. It thrives in sun or low light levels. Grown as a foliage plant with beautiful marbled leaves, this is a great plant for those who are less than green-fingered.

Water: Water it moderately, allowing the top two-thirds of compost to dry out between waterings. Over the winter period, it needs very little water.
Temperature: Keep it above 16°C in summer and above 10°C in winter.
Feed: Give it a liquid feed once a month, from late spring to early autumn.
Light: Will grow in strong light to medium shade. 
Special needs: Doesn't mind being pot-bound, so rarely needs repotting. If left to stand in water, its roots will rot. Leaves will stop growing if tips get damaged.
Also try: Yucca elephantipes, Tradescantia zebrina, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Ficus benjamina, Aspidistra elatior.

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The Velvet plant (Gynura sarmentosa) is a sumptuous purple-leaved trailing plant that looks so inviting, it's difficult not to touch! The hairy foliage glistens iridescently, and it looks great cascading from shelves or tall cupboards.

Water: Moderately in growing season, but do not wet the foliage.
Temperature: 16-18°C, although it will stand a higher temperature, if provided with extra humidity (such as a pebble tray).
Feed: Try a liquid feed once a month, during the growing period.
Light: Enjoys bright light and a little direct sunlight.
Special needs: Nip out the tips to keep the plant bushy.
Also try: Calathea crocata, Streptocarpus, begonia, Aechmea fasciata, gerbera.

Photo: LucaLuca

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Flaming sword (Vriesea ‘Christiane') is a spectacular bromeliad - a group of plants that absorb moisture and nutrients through their leaves, as well as their roots. The strap-shaped, dark green leaves have exotic purple banding, giving rise to a wonderful red flower spike, up to 40cm tall. Display it somewhere light and humid (a conservatory is ideal) where it can be admired.
Water: Keep the central vase full, and water the compost regularly during the growing season. In winter, water less frequently.
Temperature: It shouldn't fall below 18°C. Humidity is essential - stand the pot on a pebble tray and mist often in summer
Feed: Spray well with diluted feed once a month from spring until early autumn, on the leaves, compost and central vase.
Light: Light shade suits best.
Special needs: Expose them to some direct sunlight to encourage them to flower, but avoid strong midday sun.
Also try: Strelitzia reginae, guzmania, Neoregelia, Tillandsia cyanea, Aloe vera, Echeveria.

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Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima): love it or hate it, there's no denying the splash of colour that the poinsettia provides at Christmas. Though red is traditional, these plants also come in peach, pink, lemon, cream, and with white and gold-splashed leaves. Most people throw the plant away once the red bracts die, but if you're patient, it will give a repeat performance next Christmas. Poinsettia is a short-day plant, so in mid-autumn you must convince the plant the days are getting shorter, by putting it into a dark room each night at 6pm and bringing it back into a bright room by 8am the next day. Repeat this every day for eight weeks, and then within the next four, the plant should reward you with fresh red bracts. You would be excused considering this all far too arduous and decide simply to buy a new one!
Water: From spring to late autumn, keep the compost just moist - the leaves will droop to show if it needs slightly more water. The best way to water this plant is by standing it in water.
Temperature: Keep it around 18°C. Poinsettias hate draughts and radiators.
Feed: Once a week, from early summer to autumn.
Light: Enjoys good, but not direct, sunlight.
Special needs: Poinsettias are fussy plants and love to be pampered. Stick to the notes above to avoid total leaf drop! Be aware that the leaf sap can cause skin irritation, so keep it away from children.

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Choices to suit all the typical conditions of all the rooms in the house...

Plants for kitchens (humid and warm): herbs, Cyperus alternifolius, Tradescantia, asparagus, Philodendron.

Plants for living rooms (sunny and warm): cacti, Hippeastrum, citrus, Phalaenopsis, Beaucarnea recurvata, Dracaena, gardenia, Pelargonium, Jasminum, Phoenix canariensis.

Plants for bathrooms (warm and wet): Alocasia amazonica, Anthurium scherzerianum, Calathea, Fittonia, Soleirolia soleirolii.

Plants for halls (dark and draughty): Aspidistra, Sansevieria, Fatsia japonica, Aucuba japonica.

Plants for bedrooms (darkish and dry): Aspidistra, Howea, Chlorophytum comosum, Passiflora, Chlorophytum orchidastrum.

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