If you're constantly on the run, chances are you don't want to add gardening to your list of things to do. However, plants do add a lot of character to any small space... especially an apartment. Joan Bingham, author of The Handbook for Apartment Living, published by Chilton Book Company, provides a descriptive list of plants for the lazy apartment gardener.

1. Airplane Plant - These look marvelous hanging at windows. Easy to grow, the Spider plant has trailing, spiky leaves and long stems that end in baby plants complete with roots. You only need to buy one because they keep having babies which supply you with all the new plants you can use.

2. Aspidistra - This lives through temperatures ranging from 45 degrees to 90 degrees F. It doesn't need frequent watering. You can stick it out-of-the-way in a dark nook, or you can put it in the direct sun.

3. Begonias - Their large blossoms floating in a shallow dish with a few leaves make an exotic centerpiece. The rhizomatous and fibrous rooted begonias are better suited for indoor display than the tuberous variety. None are partial to direct sunlight. Summer sun simply wilts them.

4. Cacti - These plants need strong, direct sunlight. As long as you have that to offer them,they need little else. If you water them every other week during growing season, they are content with water every six weeks or so in the winter months. Plant them in light soil with good drainage. They can't survive if their roots are standing in water.

5. Fittonia or Nerve Plant - The striking thing about this vine-like plant is its colorful veins, red or white depending on the variety you choose. Fittonia likes shady spots. If the only windows you have in your apartment face north, try growing one. It should do well for you. It likes moisture, so keep the soil damp. Put it in a humid setting if possible.

6. Palms - Palms come in many varieties, all of which prefer a filtered, natural light. They can be moved out to the patio in summer if they're not subjected to hot glaring sunshine, which will wilt them fast. Palms love a good soaking about once every five days. Never let them dry out. If you want them to grow fast, feed them about every two months, year round. But if you're satisfied with the size of your palm, don't feed it at all.

7. Purple passion plant - This plant, which looks wonderful in a hanging pot, owes its name to the tiny purplish hairs that cover its many small, pointed green leaves. Since it needs direct sun, hanging it in a southern window is ideal. Unfortunately, it has a tendency to attract mealybugs. Don't over-water your passion plants; they can't take soggy soil.

8. Weeping Fig - Bright, indirect light is the choice of the weeping fig, but it will survive in dim light. It has small, shiny dark green leaves and grows into an attractive little tree, even though its drooping leaves give it a woebegone look. Grown in sandy soil, and kept evenly moist, this tree does well in most apartments.

These are just a few of the plants featured in Joan Bingham's book, and they're all ideal for the lazy apartment gardener. Talk to your local nursery to determine which of these plants best suits your individual needs.

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Published: October 13, 1999

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