Choosing Plants for Living Walls
Plants we have found to work best for living walls
Nearly any plant can grow in a vertical garden depending on the conditions. The following is a list of plants that we have used and had success in vertical gardens.
Outdoor Gardens
As all green thumbs know that plants can only thrive in their optimal environment. For example, most vegetables and herbs require full-sun and hot summers to thrive and produce food. Succulents like only a little water and grow best with part sun. Ferns do best in shady areas, constantly moist roots, and cool nights.
Indoor Gardens
Indoor plants commonly known as ‘House Plants’ are best suited for human habitats. Most of which are native to the shady floors of tropical rain-forests. Ideally, this is also the same 70 degree environment where humans thrive. So it’s only natural that we would want to fill our lives with plants.
For indoor gardens, the Philodendron family is the most hardy. There are many colors of foliage with bold stems and roots. They can drape down or reach upward. And most can be transplanted from cuttings which means you can literally spread your garden around.
For walls across from windows or if there is only artificial light available we recommend using high intensity LED spots or fluorescent flood lights. Check Lighting Guide in our Guides section for more information.
Low Light Tropical Plants
For walls across from windows or there is only artificial light available. Halogen floods provide the best artificial light but are big users of power, consider high intensity LED spots or fluorescent flood lights. Use a light meter to insure a minimum 250 foot candles falls on all the plants. The more you can provide the more healthy the plants will be.
Bright Light Tropical Plants
Indirect natural light can provide ample illumination for Indoor locations across from a bank of southern windows or a skylight. 700 foot candles will keep these plants happy. Or an array of metal halide floods can provide adequate illumination.
Additional Bright Light Tropical Plants
Aglaonema Gemini, Aglaonema Juliette, Aglaonema Maria, Calathea Lancifolia, Ficus Belize, Ficus Sylvie, Ivy, Maranta Red Pole, Philodendron Brazil, Philodendron Congo Rojo, Philodendron Cordatum, Philodendron Moonlight, Philodendron Prince-of-Orange, Schefflera Arboricola Gold Finger, Schefflera Arboricola Mini, Schefflera Arboricola Variegata, Spathiphyllum Dario, Spathiphyllum Domino, Spathiphyllum Liana, Spathiphyllum Power Petite, Spathiphyllum Star Dust, Spathiphyllum Sweet Pablo
Ferns
Nothing is more delightful than a wall of cascading ferns. They love bright indirect light 700 foot candles but typically prefer shade to part shade conditions. They are home to the Pacific Northwest where they are constantly in moisture and they prefer cool evenings with slight breezes. Many ferns will also do great mixed in with a bright light tropical collection.
