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Any fan of gardening or decoration will have heard of ornamental plants many times. These are a very valuable resource when it comes to beautifying any space, but it may be difficult for you to get a concrete idea of what exactly an ornamental plant is.
If you want to learn more about them, join us in this Green Ecologist article where you will see a guide on what are ornamental plants, their types, names, images and videos. Here we show you more than 25 species, both indoor and outdoor, as well as sun and shade. Discover all about ornamental plants!
What are ornamental plants
The ornamental plants, or ornamental plants, are not a specific type or family within the genus of plants. It is about any plant that we grow and take care of with the purpose to beautify or make a certain place or space more aesthetic. That is, when used as decoration element. Historically, the first to use plants in this way were the Persians, who embellished their palaces and buildings with plants, both indoors and in elaborate gardens.
The ornamental plantsIn addition to being pleasing to the eye, they can bring other benefits to your garden or home. Many of them have the ability to improve the quality of the air we breathe, filtering unwanted substances in it. Others add a pleasant aroma with their flowers and leaves, and in gardens and terraces, many flowers attract beneficial pollinating insects.
If you are thinking of having some of these plants at home, we recommend you read these tips on How to choose ornamental plants.
Types of ornamental plants
Since it is not a plant family or scientific classification, there are many ways to group ornamental plants according to characteristics what we look at. We have developed a simple classification based on its most differentiated types. Thus we find the following ornamental plant groups:
Trees and shrubs
They are one of the most common and popular, especially due to their large size and impact on the aesthetic impression of gardens and natural spaces. Some shrubs are as big as small trees.
Here we show you 20 ornamental trees and 21 ornamental flowering shrubs.
Lawn and upholstery
Lawn, grass or grass is considered to be the plants of the Poaceae family that, when growing, form a dense cover that completely covers the ground. They are often used to homogenize the landscape and give a more natural feel. Instead, upholstery plants can also be used, which are creepers that fulfill the same function but offer different aspects and characteristics.
Annual
Annual plants complete their entire life cycle in a single year. They tend to be ornamental flower plants very striking and colorful, although, as we have said, they fade in a single season.
Bulbous
This type of plant has an underground organ that serves as a reserve of nutrients, and from it they can grow back every year when the conditions are right. Flowering bulb plants of this type are very common, drying their aerial part in winter to regrow in the warm months.
Learn more about them with this post about 15 bulb plants.
Palms
Palm trees are available in all kinds of sizes and shapes, but they stand out for being tropical plants that are very easy to care for that give an exotic touch to both indoor and outdoor spaces. In this guide you will learn about different types of palm trees.
Ferns
Ferns are very primitive flowerless plants, but therefore also exotic. They stand out for their dense and abundant foliage, which makes them very suitable as hanging plants in some of their species. Discover the different types of ferns in this link.
Climbers
Climbers are plants with the ability to grow supported or attached to surfaces of all kinds such as walls, facades, trees or structures such as pergolas. There are many types, and they are very popular for covering green surfaces that would not normally be green.
Aquatic
In aquariums, ponds or ornaments with water of any kind, aquatic plants are very valuable to give a natural touch, as well as algae. In this other article you will discover +50 aquatic plants, their names, characteristics and images.
Types of ornamental indoor plants - names
Here is a list of some names of ornamental indoor plants (in the links you can learn about the characteristics and care of each plant):
- Trunk of Brazil - Dracaena fragrans
- Dracena - Dracaena marginata
- Umbrella plant - Cyperus alternifolius
- Bromeliad - Bromeliad aechmea, Bromeliad guzmania
- Diefembaquia - Dieffenbachia ssp.
- Prayer plant - Maranta leuconeura
- Cyclamen - Cyclamen
In this other post you can discover more ornamental indoor plants and here below you can see images of indoor ornamental plants, although of course they can also be outdoors if the conditions are suitable.
Types of ornamental outdoor plants - names
These are some examples of outdoor ornamental plants (in the links you can learn more about the characteristics and care of each plant):
- Fern - Filicopsida, Pterophyta
- Carnation - Dianthus cayophyllus
- Rosebush - Rosa spp.
- Begonia - Begoniaceae
- Japanese maple - Acer palmatum
- Water lily - Zantedeschia aethiopica
- Petunia - Petunia hybrida
- Coleus - Coleus blumei
Types of ornamental sun plants
Although most plants appreciate receiving as much sun as possible, not all plants feel good to receive a large amount of direct light, especially in hot climates or with very intense sun. Some of the ornamental plant names that will resist a lot of sun very well are:
- Bamboo
- Echeveria
- Gerbera
- Aster
- Dahlia
- Hibiscus
- Viola or thought
Here we leave you more ornamental plants of sun.
Types of ornamental shade plants
If, on the other hand, you have little natural light or some shade in your garden, you will do well to opt for one of these other species shade or semi-shade ornamental plants:
- Diefembaquia maculata
- Hydrangea
- Potus or potus
- Azalea
- Christmas cactus
In addition, below you can see images of outdoor ornamental plants, in the same order that they have mentioned in these lists.
Importance of ornamental plants
After knowing all these kinds of ornamental plants, we continue talking about their great importance. The decorative or ornamental plants that we use both for inside houses or buildings and for their outdoor areas, such as gardens or terraces, as well as for public areas, such as walks and parks, have many benefits for us, other animals and the environment. These are the main benefits of ornamental plants:
- They offer a landscape that makes the area more attractive and enrich the spaces.
- They improve concentration and help reduce stress.
- They increase happiness and the feeling of well-being by facilitating contact with nature.
- They are part of the culture of different parts of the world.
- Some are food and natural remedies.
- They help purify the air.
- Planted directly in the ground, they prevent erosion.
Where to buy ornamental plants
To have any of these pretty ornamental plantsYou will have to decide which ones you want at home, whether indoors or outdoors, and find a place where you can buy them. Apart from the fact that it can be given to you by a family member or friend who has several at home and has been able to reproduce them or can give you seeds, you can buy ornamental plants in this places:
- Plant nursery in your city or town.
- Garden or flower shop.
- Department stores that have an entire plant and garden department.
- Gardening fairs.
- Online stores specialized in plants, flowers and gardening products.
In these places, especially in nurseries and physical stores, in addition to acquiring plants of different sizes or their seeds, you can ask for advice not only to choose, but also to learn the care and attention that each specific species needs.
Ornamental Plants Videos
Finally, now that you know everything about ornamental plants, we will show you a list of videos of ornamental plants from our YouTube channel.
- 10 indoor hanging plants.
- 10 flowering shrubs for the garden
- +25 indoor plants that need little light.
- 10 plants with yellow flowers.
- 10 plants with white flowers.
- 10 sun plants.
- 10 plants that bloom all year round.
Also, here below you can see a video about 10 flowering houseplants, which are one of the decorative plants most wanted. We hope that, with all this, you have learned about the enormous variety of ornamental plants that exist. Keep researching until you find your favorite!
If you want to read more articles similar to Ornamental plants: what are they, types, names and images, we recommend that you enter our Decoration category.
