General Houseplant Care Archives

We get emails all the time asking “Should I repot plants after buying?” I don’t know why but homeowners seem to love the idea of stepping up or repotting houseplants.

Summary: When houseplants like a Dracaena tree, Janet Craig plant, airplane plant (aka spider plant), English ivy,  ficus tree, ficus benjamina or dieffenbachia amoena get too tall or big for

The Cast Iron Plant the common name for Aspidistra elatior. The Aspidistra is an old-fashioned, tough, leathery foliage house plant. It is an ideal indoor plant for cooler areas of

The Fittonia argyoneura plant also known as the nerve plant is a lovely tropical houseplant that grows in USDA hardiness zone 11. Fittonia does well in terrariums, hanging baskets and

The Swedish Ivy plant – Plectranthus australis (plek-TRAN-thus aw-STRAL-iss) is one of our most common house plants and popular hanging basket plants. It is one of the easiest to grow

The Aluminum Plant – Pilea cadierei [py-LEE-uh kad-ee-AIR-eye] is a bushy little plant with distinct markings on the leaves. Due to its compact size, it fits perfectly in almost any

The avocado is a great fruit. When they are in season avocados can be frozen for future use. One question we get asked often is how to grow an avocado

Have you ever been asked the best way on “How to clean leaves on houseplants?” Here’s the deal. The common houseplant is a great way to spruce up your home

The teddy bear vine – Cyanotis Kewensis [Sy-an-NOH-tiss Kew-EN-sis] synonym Cyanotis beddomei is a distinctive houseplant native to South Africa. It has trailing or spreading stems covered with unique fuzzy,

Cyclamen plants is a lovely perennial tuber from the Primulacaea family, native to Mediterranean countries such as the Greek Islands, Turkey and some parts in Europe. The name “Cyclamen” comes

I constantly get email asking “Where is the best place to buy indoor plants? or “Where to buy house plants?” One of the great frustrations commercial plant growers face comes

The Zebra plant – Alphelandra [af-el-AN-druh] is a genus containing about 170 different species. These flowering plants often have broad leaves with thick white veins. Native to the tropical regions

The black Bat flower plant – with the botanical name of Tacca Chantrieri has a wild, unusual looking flower. As exotic as it may look, the Bat Plant is not

Have you ever wondered what goes into coffee plant care and if you could grow a coffee tree at home? The answer is – Yes, you can grow a coffee

Aeschynanthus radicans [es-kee-NAN-thus, RAD-ee-kans] is also known as the Lipstick Plant because it’s bright red or coral colored blossoms resemble a tube of lipstick.  The lipstick plants genus name is

Radermachera [rad-er-MOK-er-uh, SIN-ee-ka] is a genus of flowering plants, containing about 17 species native to southern China and Taiwan and belonging to the Bignoniaceae family. The most popular of these

A well-grown Streptocarpus (cape primrose) is a joy. The many hybrids provide pleasing colors and dashing combinations in shades of crimson, pink, blue, violet and white.  Contrasting lines and blotches

Good plant culture prevents many house plant issues, but every indoor gardener needs to know the trouble signs, and how to deal with them. Keeping house plant leaves clean helps

Baby Tears plant aka Soleirolia soleirolii [so-ley-ROH-lee-uh, so-ley-ROH-lee-eye], is a plant in the nettle family (Urticaceae). It’s a creeping herb with bushy growth-producing many tiny white flowers (not to be

Caring for indoor houseplants is a – “learning to adjust process” that one can master with the appropriate amount of time. If you live in an area or house with

Pellionia pulchra (pell-ee-OH-nee-uh PUL-kruh) belongs to the Urticaceae family (along with the aluminum plant) and the genus Pellionia. It is native to South-East Asian countries, especially to Burma, Malaysia, and

Walk through a garden center and you’ll find all kinds of hanging baskets. Below is a collection of small plants, and how they can grow in all sorts of hanging baskets.

Strawberry begonia or Saxifraga stolonifera [saks-if-FRAG-uh sto-lo-NIF-er-uh] is a decorative plant that thrives in any home and potentially any climate. The name “stolonifera” means bearing runners. The long, hanging stems

Plectranthus oertendahlii is grown as a houseplant and also known as Emerald Green Swedish Ivy, Swedish Mosaic Ivy or the Candle Plant. Plectranthus [plek-TRAHN-thuss] is both the genus and common

The Persian violet – Exacum [EKS-uh-kum] is known for large mounds of foliage, small delicate flowers, and pleasant fragrances. The Exacum plant is native to Yemen and belongs to the Gentianaceae

The Araucaria plant (Norfolk Island Pine) – a seasonal indoor pine tree – care to guess if it’s really a pine tree? Many people think of only the poinsettia as

One big plus with houseplants is they can be enjoyed all year long. However, a few simple tips can let you enjoy them more… even something as simple as raising

In the microclimate of today’s modern home, houseplants can serve dual purposes – cleaning air plus adding beauty, color and life to a room. But, if you’re just getting started

With the holiday season approaching, one will undoubtedly experience an increase in stress. There is good news, though. Something as simple as an indoor plant reduce this stress. Research has

If you have ever been worried that there are too many environmental contaminants in your home or office, there is a simple, safe solution to this problem. How about using

While running some errands recently, I noticed a Chlorophytum – “spider plant” in a hanging basket. From a distance it looked great. Lots of foliage and “pups” hanging down. Looking

Recently, we’ve received some questions on house plants which stayed outside in the cold and what to do? The questions go something like this! Question: Our Ficus tree or Dragon

When Spring arrives trucks begin moving plants north to local garden centers and nurseries. In about a month we begin to receive a lot of the same questions dealing with

Homalomena plants are interesting tropical foliage plants that come in various leaf shapes, colors, and patterns.  One of the cultivars of homalomena is Homalomena ‘Selby,’ that is top on the

Indoor plant acclimation is more popular with homeowners when a new houseplant is brought home. Another time is when summer ends and indoor houseplant lovers who carried their plants outdoors

Question: When winter rolls around this question starts coming in. “It got cold last night and I forgot my usually hardy tropical plant – Ficus or Dracaena – sat outside

Question: What is the best potting soil to use with everything from African Violets to succulents and cactus, indoor houseplants to outdoor containers what’s best? What can affect growth, the

Have you ever woke up in the morning to see your plants – crying teardrops (guttation) – or dripping water from the ends of their leaves? Rest assured this is