October 2023

Houseplants are a great way to add a little life to your VIDA apartment or townhome. They can improve indoor air quality, help raise the humidity in winter, and serve as an important part of your décor. And if you enjoy the fragrance that many outdoor plants have, you should know that there are quite a few houseplants that can bring those lovely scents into your space. Here are six options for you to consider.

Hoya

Commonly known as “wax plant,” Hoyas are known for their waxy, star-shaped flowers that can be white, pink, or purple. They have a wonderful citrus or vanilla scent. Hoya prefers indirect sunlight, and not too much water. Let the top inch or so of soil dry out before watering.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm leaves have a refreshing lemon scent when crushed or brushed. You can grow it outdoors on your balcony, but it also does well as a houseplant. It prefers full to partial sunlight and consistently moist soil. If you’re a tea lover, lemon balm can also be used to make a calming, herbal tea.

Jasmine

Fun fact: jasmine actually a member of the olive family. One of the most common indoor varieties is jasminum polyanthum, also known as pink jasmine or winter-blooming jasmine. It thrives in bright light and likes a consistently moist, but well-drained soil.

Lavender

Lavender is a popular herb known for its fragrant, aromatic foliage and beautiful spikes of purple flowers. English lavender is the most popular variety and can do well indoors under the right conditions. If your apartment or townhome has a south-facing window, that would be the ideal place to grow Lavender indoors.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of trees and shrubs native to Australia. It’s well-known for its aromatic leaves its essential oil, which is used in aromatherapy and medicinal preparations. While eucalyptus trees can grow quite large outdoors, Eucalyptus gunnii and Eucalyptus cinerea are two varieties that can be grown as houseplants. Here’s some basic information about eucalyptus and how to grow it as a houseplant. Euclyptus plants love bright sunlight and consistently moist soil.

Gardenia

Gardenias are well-known for their creamy-white, heavily scented flowers. They require a bit of care, but the scent of gardenia blooms has inspired many perfumes and home fragrances. The two most important factors in keeping them healthy are high humidity and warm temperatures.