Indoor plants for unheated rooms

Mistral001

Due to lack of funds, I only heat about a quarter of my house. The rest is rarely or never heated which means that the landing and some other rooms can have temperatures almost approaching zero on some occasions.

I can get some plants to grow in the unheated parts of the house, but I have had a lot of failures. Spider plants and geraniums do well, but others such as yucca plants, never last more than a few months.

Any suggestions for types of plants that can cope with the lower temperatures and yet look well indoors would be appreciated - especially suggestions for plants which do not cost a lot or can be grown from seed.

peter_the_piper

Aspidistra, we keep one of ours in an unheated greenhouse. DD kept hers outside in the yard when it grew to big for the student house. Just needs water and an occasional feed and don't keep in too much bright sunlight.

tori.k

Aspidistra (cast iron plant) As Peter says is tough as old boots would be ideal, Crassula oveata (money tree/jade plant) would be fine also

-taff

african violets, cheese plants, orchids.

tori.k

Taff all of those plants would suffer at such low temperature

greyteam1959

Christmas cactus.........

-taff

tori.k wrote: »

Taff all of those plants would suffer at such low temperature

Have to disagree with you there. There's a cheese plant and a couple of african violets in my house in wales, the house is unheated all year, when I usually go home at christmas the african violet is flowering and the cheese plant has grown another few inches and another leaf or two.
The orchids my mother used to keep in the living room , also unheated, they're still going now, sme of them have been there for twenty years.

tori.k

Temperatures advertised are optimal but as the OP said she lost Yucca plants in this case the plants suggested wouldn't survive.

Katiehound

What about a Fatsia Japonica- false castor oil plant.? I've seen them growing out of doors round here! ( and this is the bleak east!)

DaftyDuck

Cacti, and quite a few succulents love a cold winter, for some even sub-zero. Helps them flower. It comes as a surprise to most as well. Keep them absolutely bone-dry during the cold and, when spring warms things up, water and the burst into flower.

It's the same for quite a few desert plants.

Katiehound

Also had a thought about house leeks- they survive outside in most weathers.. just keep dry

There's also ivy, you can get a whole range of ornamental leaves (I have a pretty curly one and a small leaf variegated- not golden heart growing outside) Just look around people's gardens and then ask if you can have a cutting or two. I'm regularly chopping bits off! These would be free then!

Most of the succulents should survive if kept dry and given quality light. I have loads (heated room, but not tropical) and they are on E /N.E facing window ledges- they are not keen on direct sunlight.