Here’s What Your Favorite Houseplants Look Like in the Wild

Ferns have been living and thriving since before the dinosaurs walked the earth. If you've ever taken a hike through the woods, you've no doubt seen them spreading gracefully alongside the trail. There are thousands of fern varieties growing in all types of environments, from moist and shady forest floors to dry, desert rock faces. Many species do well as easy-to-care-for houseplants, which makes them a popular choice for designers and homeowners alike.

Related: Everywhere Ferns: Choosing the Right Variety for Your Garden

Native to India, China, Japan, Australia, and Indonesia, pothos grows well as a houseplant if it's given the right care. Pothos is a vining plant with marbleized leaves, which are its chief beauty. In the wild, it attaches itself to trees and branches through aerial roots. In the home, however, it will happily live in cactus potting mix. You’ll know it has outgrown its pot when it sends those aerial roots out in search of more soil. Keep the plant in partial shade, and water it when the top inch of soil has become dry.

Related: 11 Signs of an Unhappy Houseplant (and How You Can Help)

Wild orchids are most commonly found in rainforest environments, where they don’t typically grow in the ground, but rather attach themselves to the roots and bark of trees. An orchid in the home also requires a loosely packed medium, such as bark chips or stones, so its roots can get the oxygen the plant needs to keep healthy. While orchids are often described as fussy and difficult to grow, there are many rugged varieties that make excellent houseplants. Once you buy or receive one, you may get hopelessly hooked on their gracefully slender stems and elegant blooms.

Kalanchoe is a low-maintenance flowering succulent and a staple of the holiday florist trade, along with the poinsettia and the Christmas cactus. Originating in Africa, Southeast Asia, and China, the plant will brighten any winter windowsill with colors from bright oranges and yellows to pinks, reds, and even white. If you receive a kalanchoe during the holiday season, place it in a sunny window and water it sparingly. It will reward you with cheerful blooms through a cold and dreary winter.

Related: How To: Propagate Succulents

Everyone knows the cheerful, red poinsettia, which shows up in churches and homes during the holidays. In actuality, the poinsettia is a small tropical tree that can reach a height of up to 12 feet in the wild. Native to southern Mexico, it was used by the Aztecs to dye fabric and control fevers. You can keep your poinsettia happy by placing it near a sunny window without drafts and watering it thoroughly when the surface soil is dry to the touch.

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