Photo: Jsch623 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Tony Atkin (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Nigel Jones (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Flowering plants have different nutritional needs than foliage plants, and the wrong fertilizer — or simply too much of it — can leave you with lush green leaves and few blooms. Here’s…
Photo: H. Zell (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: H. Zell (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: H. Zell (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Monstera deliciosa is a fast grower, and sooner or later every healthy specimen outgrows its pot. Repotting at the right time, with the right mix and technique, lets it keep thriving…
Not every room has a bright window, but plenty of houseplants have evolved to cope with dim conditions — many originate as forest-floor understory plants that never see direct sun in the wild. Here are reliable choices for low-light rooms, along with why each one tolerates shade so well. Best Low-Light Houseplants Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)…
When Your Plant Looks Sick but You Can’t Tell Why Often the cause is an imbalance in nutrient supply. Too much of a good thing can be just as harmful as too little. In this article, you’ll learn to recognize the most common deficiency symptoms and signs of overfertilizing, and how to treat each one…
Calathea, part of the prayer plant family, is grown for some of the most striking foliage patterns in the houseplant world – bold stripes, feathery patterns, and rich purple undersides on leaves that visibly rise and fold at night and lower again during the day, a movement called nyctinasty. Native to tropical rainforest floors, calathea…
Photo: User:WeFt (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Photo by David J. Stang (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Jamshid Nurkulov (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Why the ZZ Plant Is So Easy to Grow The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) has earned a reputation as one of the most indestructible houseplants available, and for good…
Few houseplants combine elegance and ease of care as successfully as the Phalaenopsis, or moth orchid. Its arching sprays of flat, waxy blooms can last for months, and unlike many orchids, Phalaenopsis is genuinely well suited to average home conditions once you understand a few key habits rooted in its life as a tree-dwelling epiphyte…
Dieffenbachia, commonly called dumb cane, is a bold tropical foliage plant with large, patterned leaves splashed in shades of cream, yellow, and green. Its common name comes from a distinctive and important safety consideration: the sap contains calcium oxalate crystals that can cause temporary swelling and numbness of the mouth and throat if chewed, historically…
Photo: Agnes Monkelbaan (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Ezhuttukari (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Wilfredor (CC0, Wikimedia Commons) Anthurium — Caring for the Exotic Flamingo Flower The anthurium, also known as the flamingo flower, is one of the most eye-catching flowering houseplants. With its heart-shaped, brilliant red bracts and striking yellow flower spike,…
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) produces some of the most spectacular blooms of any bulb, sending up thick, sturdy stalks topped with enormous trumpet-shaped flowers in red, white, pink, or striped patterns, often perfectly timed for the winter holiday season with proper planning. Planting the Bulb Choose a pot only slightly larger than the bulb itself, with good…
