Indoor plants can be a beautiful addition to any home. For those who do not have adequate outdoor space for a garden, indoor plants can be just as fun and interesting as outdoor plants.

Before you purchase indoor plants, be sure to check the lighting, humidity, and water quality within your home. Once you have determined these factors, you are ready to choose the perfect plants.

Indoor plants not only serve to bring the outdoors inside, but can purify the air and act as an easy decorating tool. Some examples of beautiful indoor plants include:

Amaryllis – These plants come in a wide range. The variety called “yellow Goddess” brings the stunning and majestic appearance of spring to any indoor living space. These plants produce lovely yellow flowers that have a trumpet shape.

Braided Ficus Tree – The ficus is a popular indoor plant. It has shiny, deep green foliage. The braided variety of the ficus produce variegated foliage with braided stems. It is important to remember that ficus trees can be temperamental. If the tree is moved too often, it can cause the tree to drop leaves and wilt.

Chinese Evergreen - For homes with low lighting, the Chinese evergreen is the perfect choice. It is considered a great air purifier. These plants produce lush green foliage that can be solid green or variegated. This is the perfect indoor plant for beginners as it requires little maintenance and lives for several years.

While growing indoor plants can be a wonderful activity, it is important to realize that some plants can be hazardous. Some poisonous indoor plants include:

Poinsettias – Known for their bright red flowers and deep green leaves, poinsettias are one of the most popular plants displayed in homes during Christmastime. These plants are a beautiful addition to any home but never ingest the leaves or flowers. While these plants are not extremely toxic, ingesting the leaves or flowers can cause nausea and vomiting. If you come into contact with the milky, white sap the plant produces, wash your hands immediately as the sap can cause a rash and irritate the eyes.

Aloe Vera – While Aloe has many important medicinal benefits, such as treating wounds and burns, the thick yellow sap, often referred to as latex, produced in the inner layers of the leaves often causes skin irritation. These irritations can manifest as rashes or hives. If the latex is ingested, it can cause vomiting and nausea.

English Ivy – This variety of ivy grows very striking green leaves. It can be grown simply as a vine in a decorative pot or used in more ornate topiaries. While beautiful to look at, if English ivy is ingested it can cause convulsions, difficulty in breathing, vomiting, nausea, and in rare cases, coma.

Growing indoor plants can be a very rewarding hobby, but always pick the plant that works best within your home. If you have pets or small children, avoid poisonous plants. Always research the plant before you purchase it and place it in your home to ensure you have the proper light, water, humidity, and that it will not harm your or your loved ones.