7 Plants With Velvet Leaves That Can Beautify Your Home

Plants with velvet leaves’ origins are traced back to 2000 B.C. in China being used as fiber. The velvet leaves are named after their characteristic of being lengthy, soft, and covered in short hairs.

The leaf plant does not exceed seven feet in height because they are shrub-like. The velvet leaf can also be referred to as the velvet weed, buttonweed, China-jute, and Indian mallow.

To know more about these plants read this article.

A List of Plants With Velvet Leaves To Add to Your Home and Garden

There are various species of plants with velvet leaves which can be indoor plants and some that are for outdoor purposes such as in the garden. To learn more about the types of plants with velvet leaves and their uses and care tips, follow the tables below.

1. Philodendron micans

Benefits	Acts as an indoor air freshener Helps reduce stress levels Traps dust with its hairy long leaves
Uses	Used for medical purposes Used for decorations Acts as a sound barrier
Distinguishing characteristics	Has vine-like characteristic Produces green-white flowers
Care	Needs a pole or anything to support it as it grows upwards Maintain the temperature of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit Requires 50 percent humidity

Philodendron micans is also referred to as the velvet leaf philodendron. The popularity of this plant has made it scarce locally, so to find it you need to search online. The plant is cheap and long-lasting even with little care. The velvet leaf philodendron makes a huge difference in your households or gardens.

2. Alocasia Black Velvet

Benefits	Cheap maintenance Easy to grow
Uses	Used for ornamental purposes Leaves are edible Used for medicinal purposes such as anti-cancer
Distinguishing characteristics	Has a unique pattern on the leaves drawn by the silver veins Has dark foliage The leaves are arrow-shaped
Care	Light requirements are about three to four hours of indirect sun Requires water once a week Grows in a pot size of four inches

These originate from the South East. Too much water in the plant pot will lead to the rotting of the plant roots. It is mostly grown for its leaves that have many uses. The black velvet is also called the Little Queen Alocasia or Black Velvet Elephant Ear.

3. Purple Passion

Benefits	Reduces anxiety Helps with sleeping disorders Reduces stress, allowing the mind to relax
Uses	Used to cure diseases such as neoplasm Edible leaves
Distinguishing characteristics	Purplish color on the leaves Orange flowers which form in the winter
Care	Temperature between 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit Needs too much indirect sun Needs a humid environment of between 40 to 60 percent

The purple passion is also known as Gynura aurantiaca, which comes from a Greek name that is a combination of female and tail. The plant is commonly known as the velvet plant and is native to southeastern Asia.

4. Calathea Jungle Velvet

Benefits	Helps resolve dry skin issues Improves productivity
Uses	Leaves used as food wraps Used for thatching roofs
Distinguishing characteristics	Ability to close leaves at night A unique green pattern which has deep purple undersides
Care	Requires medium light Needs little fertilizer Use a water meter to water the jungle velvet because it needs moderate amounts

The velvet plant is commonly known as the prayer plant. It was named the prayer plant due to its ability to close its leaves at night making it look like it’s praying. There are many species of the Calathea velvet plant. Calathea warscewiczii originates from South and Central America.

5. Philodendron gigas

Benefits	Adaptive Easy to look after Good to use in public spaces because it is scent-free
Uses	Removes formaldehyde from the air Used for decoration and ornaments
Distinguishing characteristics	Giant, as the name suggests Shiny copper leaves for new leaves
Care	Needs well-draining soil It doesn’t like direct sunlight Needs a temperature between 55-88 degrees Fahrenheit

Philodendron gigas is a giant vine-like plant that is native to Panama. This is one of the outdoor plants with velvet leaves. The plant was discovered in 1997 and that is when its popularity grew. It thrives best in most humid areas so it is advisable to keep it within such spaces.

6. Velvet Leaf

Benefits	Edible seeds Its oil is used to heal inflammations People use it to treat dysentery
Uses	Makes fiber Used to make ropes Used to make boats
Distinguishing characteristics	Is a weed-like plant Has round leaves The stem has soft hairs
Care	Requires well-drained soil Requires a lot of direct sunlight and a little shade

The velvet leaf was originally introduced for fiber uses but its edible parts made it flop as a commercial fiber plant. It is now being used as a food crop to produce noodles, flour, and spices.

The velvet leaf was discovered in China 3000 years ago and this plant grows up to three to eight feet tall. The plant belongs to a class B noxious weed class and it is normally grown on farms, unlike the rest of the plants with velvety leaves, which are common flowers.

7. African Violets

Benefits	Cheap because they are easy to find They are not toxic to pets and children They bloom all year round giving your house a very beautiful and warm look
Uses	Helps release adrenaline from the body Increases the flow of oxygen to the brain
Distinguishing characteristics	Different flower colors Round shaped leaves
Care	Not suited to cold temperatures The plant needs to be exposed to indirect light for at least 18 hours to bloom Do not use chlorinated water for watering

The beautiful velvet is found in Eastern Africa. This is a cheap plant because it is readily available and requires low maintenance. The plant needs pruning and propagation here and there and the beauty part of the plant is it blooms all year round. You should consider having one for your bedroom.

References

Frances Case. Purple Passion Fruit. Britannica.
Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/plant/purple-passion-fruit
Velvetleaf, Abutilon theophrasti. University of Wisconsin-Madison Division.
Retrieved from https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/velvetleaf-abutilon-theophrasti/
Velvetleaf. Britannica.
Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/plant/velvetleaf
Velvetleaf. Michigan State University.
Retrieved from https://www.canr.msu.edu/weeds/extension/velvetleaf
Velvetleaf – Abutilon theophrasti. Michigan State University.
Retrieved from https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/velvetleaf-abutilon-theophrasti

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