Of course, if you don't have a garden, you don't have to do without fresh greenery. Some small trees and bonsai can also be kept on a balcony or terrace, but they are not suitable as houseplants. For this, however, you can fall back on indoor trees from the tropics or subtropics, which feel comfortable in the living room all year round.
The rubber tree is a typical houseplant
Why native trees are not suitable for houseplants
Whether oak, beech, larch or maple: With a little skill and the right care, these native tree species can be raised as bonsai. However, they are purely outdoor bonsai that belong outside all year round and not in the room. There are various reasons for this, but the most important is the change of seasons and the associated dormancy of vegetation. In the course of evolution, native trees have adapted perfectly to this process and react very sensitively when it is disturbed. In winter, these trees have to hibernate cold and not stay in the warm living room - this exhausts the plants, leaching them and eventually leading to their death.
Cultivate native trees in pots
Nonetheless, you can cultivate her in a large enough pot. Then, however, regular pruning measures - including a root cut - as well as watering and fertilizing adapted to the seasons are necessary. Also keep in mind that not every tree species is equally tolerant of pruning, and some trees are extremely vigorous and can grow very large even in pots.
Large selection of indoor trees
For indoor culture, on the other hand, you should stick to the various indoor trees that originally come from the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and therefore do not know the change of seasons. These trees can easily remain in the living room all year round, provided they have enough space and light there. Examples of suitable types are:
- Room lime (Sparmannia africana)
- Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
- Violin case tree (Ficus lyrata)
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
- Lucky chestnut (Pachira aquatica)
- Room fir (Araucaria heterophylla)
In addition, many palm species and palm-like plants such as the yucca palm (Yucca elephantipes), the dragon tree (Dracaena) or the hemp palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) are also suitable for indoor culture - although strictly speaking these plants are not trees.
tips
Some tropical trees such as the avocado or the mango can also be grown from a seed or core with a little effort and a lot of patience. However, the resulting plant should be cultivated in a conservatory if possible.