Plant Info The Stromanthe Triostar is a wonderfully-vibrant cultivar (cultivated variety) of Stromanthe sanguinea, in the prayer plant family. Quick note: Marantaceae is called the ‘prayer plant family’ (and the individual species are called ‘prayer plants’) because of a phenomenon called nyctinasty, where in response to nighttime, prayer plants will fold their leaves up (to varying degrees), “as if in prayer”. Nothing to do with religion, as some assume! The most commonly-known prayer plants are likely either Calatheas or Marantas — the latter of which includes the arrowroot! Back to the Triostar: dark green, oblong leaves are painted with chunks of creamy white or off-white, sometimes covering most of the leaf; the undersides are a rich red wine colour, which can sometimes be seen through the leaf with enough light, giving the creamy variegation a pink undertone. It’s a bunching plant, frequently sending up new stems, which grow like swizzle sticks, in a tightly-rolled cylinder, before they fully unfurl in all their glory. Common Name(s) Stromanthe Triostar, Stromanthe Tricolor, Calathea Triostar Botanical Name Stromanthe sanguinea ‘Tricolor’ Botanical Family Marantaceae, the prayer plant family Mature Size Medium – can grow up to 3′ wide/tall with the right care! Lighting Watering Humidity Soil Mix Flowers Rare; small, white flowers often held under the leaves Hardiness Tropical; keep above 10C/50F. Native Region Stromanthe sanguinea is from the Brazilian Amazon! Toxicity Completely safe for ingestion (by pets and people, though I wouldn’t suggest tasting it) Stromanthe Triostar has a bit of a reputation as a diva — as all prayer plants do — but I’ve personally found it to be among the hardiest of all my prayer plants, able to withstand drying out a lot more than most, and even better than some of my “medium watering needs” plants, in a pinch. It’s bright, cheery, and very in-your-face in the best way. And yes, if you caught it in the above table — the botanical name is not a typo! Despite the common name being ‘Triostar’, the officially-registered cultivar name is ‘Tricolor’! This has led to ‘Tricolor’ being an occasional common name that’s used. I’ve also seen it listed as ‘Calathea Triostar’, though, which is just plain incorrect. Medium-bright lighting is best for your Triostar! Brighter light will mean more creamy variegation, bigger leaves, and faster growth; too bright light, however, will dry out your plant way too quickly, and will leave the leaves nice and crispy. For the best-looking plant, it’s best to find that sweet spot — not quite bright indirect light, but medium-bright. Make sure to check out our general article on lighting! This is why prayer plants are considered divas… their watering needs. Prayer plants, including the Triostar, must be kept consistently moist. Letting them dry out — sometimes practically at all — will mean brown, crispy edges on your leaves (or just brown and crispy leaves, depending)! That having been said, the Triostar is one of the most forgiving prayer plants, and can withstand drying out for a couple days past when it’s thirsty. You still might see some brown edges — it happens to all of us — but you’re less likely to lose the entire plant. Also, there’s a handy visual cue for when it’s really getting thirsty, and your time is running out — the leaves will curl up, forming little tacos instead of flat leaves! That’s a good sign to break out the watering can, and to water a little bit sooner next time. Make sure to check out our general article on watering! If watering is the reason Triostars are considered divas, then humidity is the key to bringing them down to earth a little bit. High humidity means that you won’t need to water nearly as often, because water isn’t able to evaporate from the soil or the stomata (or leaf-pores) as quickly. This means that you’re far less likely to see dead leaves or even browning edges, if your Triostar is kept in high humidity. Keep it near a humidifier if possible, or group it with other plants to create a humid microclimate. Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths! Stromanthes are found on the rainforest floor, and unlike many common houseplants, are not epiphytic — they’re terrestrial, like we normally think of plants! This means that we don’t need to add as much chunkiness to the soil — some is always a good thing, since it aerates the soil for the roots, but you don’t need as much, since their roots are adapted to the soil. As well, you want it to drain well enough that the roots aren’t waterlogged, but retain a good amount of moisture, so that you don’t need to water as often! Suggestion: Start with 2 part peat-based potting mix of coco coir, and then add 1 part of perlite or vermiculite. Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes! Stromanthe Triostar’s unvariegated form, Stromanthe sanguinea, is also a relatively easily-found houseplant! They’re the same plant, except the Sanguinea doesn’t have creamy variegation on the tops of the leaves. Unfortunately, you can’t propagate a Triostar by cutting a piece off — at least, not easily! The reason for this is that the stems are actually underground, called rhizomes, that shoot up leaves every so often, so taking a cutting of a leaf doesn’t leave you with the right tissues to grow anything! The easiest way to create new plants is division. To do this, simply carefully remove the dirt from around the roots of the plant, and separate the clumps. You may need to use a sharp, clean knife to cut the clusters of leaves apart (which is, technically, taking a cutting). Arguably, you could separate each and every leaf into its own chunk of rhizome, and grow more plants that way — which is actually how they’re generally propagated commercially! The biggest issue is always, always underwatering, though you need to be careful of overwatering as well! All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more… but the wonderful Marantaceae have a particular affinity for spider mites. Check regularly — it can feel like they spawn them sometimes. Look under the leaves for black, red, or white dots, and check the bottoms of the leaves for webbing. Not really. It does mean that you can move it to a slightly lower-light position, and you’ll be able to water it slightly less, though — so it can be a warning sign of potential future crispiness, in a way. If all the leaves come in all-white, that’s a problematic thing. All-white leaves don’t contribute any significant energy to the plant (since they lack chlorophyll, the main photosynthesizing chemical — there are some other photosynthesizing chemicals, but chlorophyll is the main one, and the less green a leaf has, the less chlorophyll)! So a plant that keeps producing all-white leaves can eventually die from a sheer lack of energy… but this is uncommon, since the basal leaves will still have green in them, and those will still produce energy. You’d have to have a LOT of all-white leaves to create a problem. In a word: no… with possible, limited exceptions. Prayer plants as a whole have a particularly bad rap as far as water quality goes, with many people suggesting that you only water them with distilled water, RO water, or rain water. This is only necessary for carnivorous plants, which will eventually die from too many nutrients in tap water. Often, this is blamed on the chlorine in tap water — people say that it causes the crispy brown edges. Chlorine does not do this at levels found in tap water. If your tap water is considered safe for you to drink, then it’s safe for all plants, as far as chlorine levels go; the chlorine levels would need to be multiple times any legal limit in order to harm your plants. Since the chlorine is not dangerous, you also don’t need to leave tap water out overnight (which likely does nothing anyway)! If you’re experiencing crispy brown edges, odds are very good that you’re underwatering, the humidity is too low, or both. Don’t bother changing the water — nurseries and botanical gardens use tap water, and their plants are always lush (since they have experts tending to them in near-ideal conditions). It’s a myth. Plant Info Hoya pubicalyx — often found as the “Splash” version, which has silvery spots over some or all of the surface — is a fairly commonly-found species of hoya, with long, elongated leaves that are otherwise similar to the common Hoya carnosa. “Pubicalyx” is a combination of two Latin words: “Pubes”, meaning “downy” or slightly furry, and “Calyx”, which is the outermost whorl of a flower; the flowers of this hoya are a little furry! Like all hoyas, the pubicalyx is an epiphytic climber — meaning that it’s rare to find a hoya that’s growing out of the ground! Hoyas grow on trees, rocks, telephone poles — whatever’s around — while they climb, twirling their vines in search of more light. Because of this behaviour, sometimes houseplant hoyas will send out long, leafless tendrils, in search for more support; once it finds this support (my suggestion: give it a trellis!), it’ll start growing leaves along the vine, so don’t chop ’em off! Common Name(s) Hoya Pubicalyx, Hoya Pubicalyx Splash, Waxvine Botanical Name Hoya pubicalyx Botanical Family Apocynaceae, the dogbane family Mature Size Vines can grow very long, up to 10-15′! Lighting Watering Humidity Soil Mix Flowers Pink clusters of small, star-shaped flowers will appear on mature vines with enough light Hardiness Tropical; keep above 10C/50F. Native Region Hoya pubicalyx is native to the Philippines! Toxicity Completely safe for ingestion — the nectar of the flowers is reportedly tasty, in fact! Hoya pubicalyx is a succulent vine that can grow very long in the search for more and more light. New leaves will come in, depending on the cultivar, anywhere from pinkish-tinged to so dark purple they’re almost black; as they grow and harden off, the colour will fade down to a dark, rich green, often with silvery spots covering some or even most of the leaf. These silver flecks are perfectly normal and natural, just some variegation; vines with a lot of variegated specks are often called “Splash” or even “Super Splash”, but there’s no real difference between them on a botanical level, so it’s ultimately up to you whether your vine counts as “splashy” enough! Leaves will fill in along the vines in pairs opposite each other, and are elongated, coming to a point, and can grow up to 10cm long, and a few cm wide. Don’t worry if it grows a long runner vine without any leaves at first — it’s searching for support, and once it finds it, it’ll quickly fill in with leaves to capture that light! As with all hoyas, it’s not just the foliage that Hoya Pubicalyx is grown for — but the flowers, as well! Flowers will appear in clusters at the end of short stems called peduncles — they’re pink (light to dark, depending on cultivar), star-shaped, sweetly-scented, and produce a lot of nectar (which is both safe for human consumption and reportedly tasty)! Don’t cut off the peduncles when the beautiful flowers fade, though — they’ll rebloom from the same spot year after year! You’ll want to give your Hoya Pubicalyx a decent amount of lighting — even a bit of direct sun, particularly if you acclimatize it to direct sun slowly over a couple weeks, is perfectly fine, and your Pubicalyx will thank you. Hoyas are from the rainforest undercanopy, so they’re not used to full, direct sun — so your Pubicalyx is able to tolerate medium lighting situations pretty well, and even low lighting will often be okay, though this will stunt growth. That having been said, more lighting will make your Pubicalyx grow faster — and will also encourage more blooms, quicker! Make sure to check out our general article on lighting! Watering a hoya is super simple — because they store water in their succulent leaves, they come equipped with a handy tool to determine when it’s time to water! It’s called the taco test — when you’re checking your plants to see if each one needs watering, simply grab a leaf close to the soil, and try to gently fold it in half like a taco. If there’s any resistance — stop immediately! You can, if you’re not careful, snap a leaf in half doing a taco test when it’s not ready to be watered. If there’s no resistance, and the leaf is fairly bendy, then there isn’t much water in the leaves — and it’s time to water! In general, Hoya Pubicalyx has low watering needs! Make sure to check out our general article on watering! Hoyas definitely want higher humidity than the average household will have — ideally, provide it with higher humidity by either running a humidifier, or by grouping it closely together with other plants. If you can’t, though, don’t fret! It won’t be the happiest it can be, but your Hoya Pubicalyx will acclimate to your household humidity. Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths! Hoyas are epiphytes, meaning that they generally don’t grow in the soil in the ground — their roots will grow nestled in the crooks of trees, or even sometimes on rocks (or telephone poles, or houses…)! This means that they need very well-draining substrate with lots of air around their roots, and lots of chunky bits for their roots to grab on to — but also means that they don’t need very large pots, since they’re used to small spaces in the wild. Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 2 parts orchid bark. Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes! There are a number of different cultivars of Hoya Pubicalyx out there (including “Royal Hawaiian Purple”, which seems to be one of the more common ones); often, you won’t be able to be 100% sure what cultivar you have until it flowers for you! Luckily, they all have pretty much exactly the same care requirements, so this guide is applicable to all of them. As we mentioned before, there are also plants called “Hoya Pubicalyx Splash”; this isn’t a true cultivar, just a description of the plant (as in, it has more silvery variegation on it)! The splashier vines are often worth more, but tend to grow more slowly as well. Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants! Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming! Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods! Hoya Pubicalyx’s most common issue is definitely related to overwatering — remember that it doesn’t need much water at all. Use the taco test to make sure before giving it a drink! All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. Hoyas aren’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest! There are two parts to a hoya flowering: maturity and lighting! If your hoya is still pretty young, have patience; if it’s a few years old, make sure it’s getting as much light as it can! It’s also commonly said that hoyas flower most quickly when they’re slightly root-bound; this is likely due to a stress response, though, so we don’t recommend keeping hoyas (or any plants!) root-bound to encourage flowering. Short answer: That’s completely normal in high light situations — they’ll fade to the normal green over time! Longer, more science-y answer: New leaves need protection from harmful UV rays; until they’ve hardened off, when the plant can detect that it’s getting a lot of light (and therefore, in nature, a lot of UV rays), Hoya Australis will cover the leaf surface with anthocyanins, a type of chemical that protects against UV rays… and happens to appear purple! (In this plant, at least; they can also appear reddlish or orangeish, depending on the species of plant.) Once the leaf is matured, the anthocyanins aren’t necessary anymore, and the natural chlorophyll green takes over!
Complete Care Guide: Stromanthe Triostar
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
I got a leaf that came in all white. Is this a bad thing?
Does my Triostar need distilled water?
Complete Care Guide: Hoya Pubicalyx
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t my Pubicalyx flowering?
Why are the new leaves coming in purple?
General Information
The genus Dracula are commonly known as the “monkey faced” orchids due to the way their flowers resemble primates! These cryptic species are native to parts of South and Central America, with a large majority of the species being found in high elevation cloud forests in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Care Guide
These orchids are generally suitable for more knowledgeable and advanced orchid collectors, as their needs differ from a majority of other plant species, including other more commonly kept orchids in cultivation such as Phalaenopsis.
Lighting
Perhaps the easiest part in regards to their care, Dracula orchids are low light plants that true to their namesake, do best away from bright sunlight. They usually produce bigger blooms and grow better under low light so if you have an area that doesn’t get too much light, these might be suitable for you. Grow lights work fine under low-medium intensity as well.
Watering
Absolute moisture lovers. Draculas are thirsty orchids that appreciate staying moist at all times with some light drying but do not let them dry out fully. Their roots are known to quickly shrivel and dry up if allowed to dry fully for too long. As with many species in the Pleurothallid orchid alliance, pure water works best such as distilled or rainwater. Water with too many minerals often results in the plant sulking and the roots and leaves showing signs of burning. Potting mixes should consist of moisture retentive media such as new zealand sphagnum moss and can be mixed with fine bark or perlite for more airflow due to the risk of rot if kept without ventilation at the roots.
Humidity
Another important factor for cultivating Dracula orchids is humidity. Hailing from high elevation cloud forests, their natural habitat is always constantly foggy and moist. Aim for an ideal humidity of at least 80%. 60%-70% will suffice as well. They usually won’t adapt or grow properly in low humidity and slowly wither away if kept too dry.
Temperature
One of the reasons why Draculas are so difficult is due to their temperature needs. As they come from high elevations, they are adapted to grow in cooler climates. While their daytime temperatures can be on the intermediate to warm side, it is crucial to give them a proper cooldown at night to grow properly and bloom. Aim for a temperature range of around 20-25 C during the daytime and 10-15 C at night. Some species are more tolerant of warmth than others and there are some that can grow in the intermediate-warm range just fine. Others however are strictly adapted to cool temperatures. Here are a few examples for a variety of temperature ranges.
Cool Growers (Usually found in elevations of at least 2000 m and above)
-Dracula marsupialis
-Dracula ophioceps
-Dracula deltoidea
-Dracula nosferatu
Intermediate Growers (Found in elevations of around 1000-1500 m, might not grow as well in true warm temperatures but will tolerate them)
-Dracula gigas
-Dracula hirtzii
-Dracula bella
-Dracula saulii
Warm Growers (Found in elevations below 1000 m, these species can grow in warm temps and are suitable for those who cannot consistently provide a large drop in temperature at night)
-Dracula lotax
-Dracula cordobae
-Dracula mopsus
-Dracula rezekiana
Propagating
Dracula are sympodial orchids that grow along a rhizome, unlike orchids such as Phalaenopsis that are monopodial and grow vertically from a main growth point. You can split the rhizome to propagate these orchids if they are large enough to do so.
Common Issues
Due to them requiring both high humidity and being kept moist, it is easy to rot Draculas if they don’t have adequate airflow. These species should also be potted in full slotted net pots or baskets as their flower spikes often grow downwards and as such, will need to be kept hanging as well to display the blooms properly. Low humidity and inadequate watering also results in wrinkled growth and the buds often blasting. When these species start blooming, it is important to keep their conditions as consistent as possible as sudden changes in temperature or humidity in particular are known to make this species abort their spikes and buds prematurely. Heat stress on the cool growers often shows in yellowing from the base of the leaf and light stress will often result in dark spots developing on the leaves as well.
Conclusion
Draculas are such a unique genus of orchids and are well worth the effort of growing them if you are willing to provide their specific care needs. The main factors to growing them properly are making sure they receive the proper temperatures and maintaining adequate moisture. If you want to try growing some of the cool growing species and are worried about your temperatures being unsuitable, keeping them shaded when it gets too warm helps a lot in maintaining them in warmer temperatures. That being said, I would personally avoid growing these species out in regular household conditions in general. There are some people who have no trouble growing them in such conditions however this is not the norm and should not be expected to apply to every specimen. While it is true that not every plant is the same, one outlier is not enough to provide a basis that every single specimen will adapt the same way. If you’re up for a challenge, these monkey faced flowers will be a spectacular sight to see if grown properly.
]]>Complete Care Guide: Philodendron Jungle Boogie
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
First things first, to get it out of the way: Philodendron Jungle Boogie, Narrow, Narrow Escape, Tiger Tooth, and (most accurately) Henderson’s Pride are all the same plant — and you’re likely familiar with the often highly-variegated form called Ring of Fire, as well! (If you’re not, go check out our infographic for that one, too!)
Common Name(s) | Philodendron Jungle Boogie, Philodendron Narrow, Philodendron Tiger Tooth, Philodendron Henderson’s Pride |
Botanical Name | Philodendron wendlandii x P. tortum ‘Henderson’s Pride’ |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the Arum family |
Mature Size | Very large — 10′ tall and wide, at maturity |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small/insignificant, can happen any time, deep red |
Hardiness | Keep above 10C/50F |
Native Region | Both parents are native to South America |
Toxicity | Mildly toxic to pets and people alike! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
The leaves of this self-heading plant grow very large, often reaching lengths of multiple feet, borne on long petioles and forming out of a single growth point at the centre of the plant. They’re long, deeply lobed when mature, and a solid, gorgeous green, making this a huge statement plant that will quickly draw anyone’s eye!
Lighting
To draw out the nicest, largest, and most mature leaves, make sure to give your Philodendron Jungle Boogie a good amount of bright, indirect light — but if needs be, the large green leaves make it a good low-light tolerant plant as well.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
All philodendrons like to dry out a little between waterings — oxygen is necessary for proper root function! The Jungle Boogie is no exception, and it’s generally best to let the top 1/3-1/2 dry out between waterings.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
High humidity is always helpful, especially for unfurling leaves to give them a chance to open without damage — but if you need to have it in a space with normal humidity, it’ll acclimate pretty well.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Like most aroids (members of the Araceae, including pothos, philodendrons, and syngoniums, among many others), Philodendron Jungle Boogie is an epiphyte — this means that if it existed as a natural hybrid, it would take root in crooks of trees, growing towards the light. This makes it ideal as a houseplant — it doesn’t need much soil!
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
As I mentioned above, the variegated form is called Ring of Fire — it’s speckled with orange, cream, yellow, and occasionally pinks and reds!
Propagating
Your best bet as far as baby Jungle Boogie plants is to wait for your mother plant to give off an offset, or baby plant! You’ll see them pop up occasionally at the base of the mother plant. Once they have a half-dozen leaves on their own, you can take a sharp knife to sever the connection to the mother plant, and pot them up on their own!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issues, as with any houseplant, are watering issues (which can include a whole host of other related factors, of course — lighting, airflow, temperature, and more.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jungle Boogie rare?
Generally, yes — they’re becoming more common, for sure, but they’re still pretty rare.
Is Philodendron Jungle Boogie hard to keep?
Find a good spot, and figure out the best way to water it for you, and this will be one of your simplest philodendrons! It’s very forgiving.
]]>Complete Care Guide: Philodendron Painted Lady
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
A climbing philodendron, Painted Lady grows as a thick, fleshy vine that will eventually need support to keep growing upwards. Leaves, which are at the ends of long petioles, are narrow, elongated hearts that occasionally meet the petioles at strange-looking angles. New leaves will come in bright yellow with enough light, and then eventually, as they harden, parts of each leaf will darken to a light green, leaving a mottled, painted appearance with reddish-pink margins to each leaf. They come in protected by thin, red sheaths called “cataphylls”; when they leaf unfurls, the cataphyll will dry out and fall off (so don’t worry — that’s natural!). Even better, the stems and petioles are that same gorgeous reddish-pink!
Common Name(s) | Philodendron Painted Lady |
Botanical Name | Philodendron erubescens ‘Painted Lady’ |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the aroid family |
Mature Size | Quite large, up to 6 feet tall or more! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Insignificant and not what Painted Lady is grown for! |
Hardiness | Tropical; keep above 15C/60F. |
Native Region | Wild form of P. erubescens is native to Colombia |
Toxicity |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Philodendron Painted Lady is yet another cultivar of Philodendron erubescens, the ‘Blushing Philodendron’. P. erubescens has become somewhat ubiquitous in the horticultural trade — in fact, it’s very likely that you’ve encountered other cultivars of this same species before! (More on the specifics of that later!)
Remember that you’ll want to give your Painted Lady some support as she grows — the best support is always a moss pole, but you can even just use wooden skewers and she’ll appreciate it!
If she’s a happy Painted Lady, you may also find babies appearing at her base — these can be left in the pot for a fuller look, or separated once they have a few leaves of their own (more on this later as well).
Lighting
Philodendron Painted Lady will survive in low-medium bright lighting situations, but her variegation will be lower while she tries to get as much energy from the available light as possible. Brighter light will lead to faster growth, bigger leaves, and far more yellow on each leaf, as well as the bright pinkish-red margins — so give her as much bright, indirect lighting as you can!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Watering a Painted Lady is pretty typical for the average houseplant, including most philodedrons — you want the substrate to dry out a bit between waterings, but not dry out all the way (or else she’ll start to wilt and droop)! Ideally, let the top 1/3 to 1/2 of the substrate dry out inbetween waterings — there are a ton of factors that can go into how often this means, so it’s best to check your plant every few days to see if she needs a drink!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Philodendrons in general will appreciate higher-than-average humidity — and your Painted Lady is no exception — as it’ll allow the leaves to unfurl more easily, among other things! If you can, give her a humidity boost by running a humidifier or by creating a microclimate by grouping her with other plants.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Philodendron Painted Lady is an epiphyte like most philodendrons, meaning that the wild forms generally don’t grow in the ground but instead on trees! Roots need a well-draining mix, with lots of air pockets, as well as some chunkiness to hold on to.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There a million cultivars of Philodendron erubescens in cultivation — and I’m not entirely sure that that’s an exaggeration some days! Some examples other than Painted Lady include:
- Birkin
- McColley’s Finale
- Moonlight
- Pink Princess
- Prince of Orange
- Summer Glory
- Red Sun
- White Knight
- White Princess
- White Wizard
…and more! Not all of these are climbing vines, either — because of hybridization, some of them are called “self-heading”, and grow as rosettes instead!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
Even easier, though, is to keep your Painted Lady happy for a while and wait — eventually, with enough time and light/energy, she’ll start producing little babies at the bottom of her vine! Keep taking care of her as usual, and the babies (or pups) will grow alongside her — once they have a few true leaves, and are showing their mature variegation, you can separate them out! Simply take the plant out of her pot, and clear away as much soil as possible at the base of the baby; once you’ve uncovered the connection between mother and baby, simply take a sharp, clean knife to it! Make sure that the pup has roots of its own before separating, ideally — otherwise, you’re effectively rooting a cutting, and it has a chance of not surviving on its own!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
There aren’t really any common issues for the Philodendron Painted Lady — it’s a pretty easygoing, easy-care plant! All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more, but Painted Lady isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the new leaves on my Painted Lady yellow?
This is normal! New leaves come in mostly yellow, and then as they harden off, you’ll see parts of it turn green and the mottled, painted appearance will shine through.
Why does part of each new leaf fall off?
This isn’t technically part of the leaf itself, but a protective leaf-sheath called a cataphyll. All philodendrons have them in some form or another, though in many philodendrons they’re part of the petioles of the previous leaf. In some philodendrons, the cataphylls are “persistent” — they stick around once the leaf has unfurled — but in Painted Lady (and most philodendrons), they’re considered “deciduous”, and once the leaf they’re there to protect has unfurled and is starting to harden off/mature, they’ll automatically dry up and fall off. No cause for panic!
]]>Complete Care Guide: Calathea Beauty Star
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
The Calathea Beauty Star is a gorgeous cultivar of the popular Pinstripe Calathea, or Calathea Ornata. The large, firm leaves still have the characteristic brush strokes of light pink fanning from the midrib to the margins of the leaves, but there are far fewer strokes, and they’re accompanied by watercolour patches of lighter green variegation behind them, which accentuates them in a wonderful way.
Common Name(s) | Calathea Beauty Star, Pinstripe Calathea |
Botanical Name | Goeppertia ornata ‘Beauty Star’ |
Botanical Family | Marantaceae |
Mature Size | Medium-sized and bushy; can over time grow to a few feet tall. |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small, often hidden |
Hardiness | Tropical; keep above 15C/60F |
Native Region | Calathea ornata is native to Colombia and Venezuela |
Toxicity | Non-toxic to pets and people! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Calathea Beauty Star, like most calatheas, has a bit of a reputation — a very finicky reputation. All calatheas earn that reputation to some degree; relative to other calatheas, though, the Beauty Star is fairly hardy and easy to take care of.
You’ll need to keep on top of watering, and to keep humidity up by adding a humidifer or by creating a microclimate with other plants — but in return, you’ll be rewarded with one of the brightest-patterned calatheas out there!
A lot of people say that calatheas are sensitive to the chlorine in tap water; as far as I’m able to tell with the research I’ve done, this is a myth — the “acceptable” levels of chlorine or chloramine (usually chloramine in larger cities!) is an order of magnitude too low to adversely affect any plant, no matter how sensitive. If your edges are crisping, it’s more likely a watering or humidity issue rearing its head!
Lighting
Calatheas are loved as low-light tolerant plants, and the Beauty Star is no exception; it can survive in practically any lighting situation you put it in, with the exception of direct, full sunlight — full sun will burn the Beauty Star’s delicate leaves.
Remember, though, that medium-bright indirect light will bring out the best colours in the patterns on the Beauty Star’s leaves! As well, as with all plants, brighter light will mean faster growth… and more watering needed!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Calatheas are very, very thirsty plants — and aren’t generally particularly forgiving plants if you slip up, getting brown tips and crispy edges at the first threat of a drought. Calathea Beauty Star is a bit better than most calatheas at giving you some leeway in its watering, but it’s still a calathea — don’t let the substrate dry out at all, or else you risk an angry plant. As soon as the top of the substrate is dry, you should add some more water. Depending on conditions, during the summer this could be as often as every other day.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Calatheas are also extremely finicky about their humidity — you’ll want to make sure that it stays above average household humidity levels, and aim for at least 60%RH. The two best ways to do this are to create a microclimate by bunching it with other plants, or by running a humidifier. (Calathea Beauty Star would also work very well in a terrarium, though may outgrow it!)
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
You can use a pretty standard potting mix for your Calathea Beauty Star! It’s always a good idea to add a little bit of perlite, but that’s about all that needs to be added to the mix.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and you’re done!
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
Calathea Beauty Star is a cultivar of the common Pinstripe Calathea/Calathea Ornata.
Propagating
Sadly, calatheas aren’t able to be propagated through cuttings the way a lot of plants are! Your best bet, if you want baby plants, is to divide a mature plant; use a sharp knife to separate the stems that you want to move to a new pot, ensuring both sections still have plenty of viable roots attached.
Common Issues
The most common issue for Calathea Beauty Star is related to underwatering, followed closely by humidity issues. That having been said, there’s a bit more bad news…
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. Calatheas, though, are spider mite magnets. Check the undersides of your leaves frequently, and treat any suspected mites quickly to avoid losing leaves!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calathea Beauty Star a low-light plant?
Yes! Calathea Beauty Star is fine in low light conditions, but can tolerate up to medium-bright.
Are Calathea Beauty Stars susceptible to spider mites?
Yes. Big time. Keep an eye out for them on the regular.
]]>Complete Care Guide: Hoya Australis Lisa
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
Hoya Australis Lisa is the variegated form of Hoya australis, interestingly far easier to get your hands on than the non-variegated, fully-green version of the plant. Like the name suggests, Hoya Australis — the non-variegated variety — hails from Australia, growing along the edges of rainforests and along rocky habitats.
Like all hoyas, Lisa is an epiphytic climber — meaning that it’s rare to find a hoya that’s growing out of the ground! Hoyas grow on trees, rocks, telephone poles — whatever’s around — while they climb, twirling their vines in search of more light!
Common Name(s) | Hoya Australis Lisa, Hoya Lisa, Waxvine, Waxplant |
Botanical Name | Hoya australis ‘Lisa’ |
Botanical Family | Apocynaceae, the dogbane family |
Mature Size | Vines can grow very long, up to 10-15′! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | White, sweetly-scented clusters of small, star-shaped flowers will appear on mature vines with enough light |
Hardiness | Tropical; keep above 10C/50F. |
Native Region | Hoya australis is native to Australia! |
Toxicity | Completely safe for ingestion — the nectar of the flowers is reportedly tasty, in fact! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Hoya Australis Lisa is a succulent vine that can grow very long in the search for more and more light. New leaves will come in scarlet red, so long as it’s in high enough lighting, and then fade through pink to a mottled green and cream pattern, looking almost like someone took watercolour paints to each leaf! Every leaf is different, but generally the inside is creamy yellow, and the outside of each leaf is a darker green. Lisas in higher lighting situations will have a higher proportion of the creamy leaf centre.
Leaves will fill in along the vines in pairs opposite each other, and are rounded — about 5cm/2″ wide, at their largest! Don’t worry if it grows a long runner vine without any leaves at first — it’s searching for support, and once it finds it, it’ll quickly fill in with leaves to capture that light!
As with all hoyas, it’s not just the foliage that Hoya Lisa is grown for — but the flowers, as well! Flowers will appear in clusters at the end of short stems called peduncles — they’re white, star-shaped, sweetly-scented, and produce a lot of nectar (which is both safe for human consumption and reportedly tasty)! Don’t cut off the peduncles when the beautiful flowers fade, though — they’ll rebloom from the same spot year after year!
Lighting
You’ll want to give your Hoya Australis Lisa as much lighting as you can — even a bit of direct sun, particularly if you acclimatize it to direct sun slowly over a couple weeks. Hoyas are from the rainforest undercanopy, so they’re not used to full, direct sun.
That having been said, more lighting will make your Lisa grow faster, as well as make sure there’s plenty of variegation on each new leaf! New leaves will come in bright scarlet if it’s getting enough light, and then slowly fade to a creamy white over time.
High light will also encourage more blooms, quicker!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Watering a hoya is super simple — because they store water in their succulent leaves, they come equipped with a handy tool to determine when it’s time to water!
It’s called the taco test — when you’re checking your plants to see if each one needs watering, simply grab a leaf close to the soil, and try to gently fold it in half like a taco. If there’s any resistance — stop immediately! You can, if you’re not careful, snap a leaf in half doing a taco test when it’s not ready to be watered. If there’s no resistance, and the leaf is fairly bendy, then there isn’t much water in the leaves — and it’s time to water!
In general, Australis Lisa has low watering needs!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Hoyas definitely want higher humidity than the average household will have — ideally, provide it with higher humidity by either running a humidifier, or by grouping it closely together with other plants.
If you can’t, though, don’t fret! It won’t be the happiest it can be, but your Australis Lisa will acclimate to your household humidity.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Hoyas are epiphytes, meaning that they generally don’t grow in the soil in the ground — their roots will grow nestled in the crooks of trees, or even sometimes on rocks (or telephone poles, or houses…)! This means that they need very well-draining substrate with lots of air around their roots, and lots of chunky bits for their roots to grab on to — but also means that they don’t need very large pots, since they’re used to small spaces in the wild.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
Hoya Australis Lisa is a cultivar of the regular green Hoya australis, which has a number of different natural varieties as well throughout its range, but Lisa is by far the most commonly found in cultivation!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
Hoya Australis Lisa’s most common issue is definitely related to overwatering — remember that it doesn’t need much water at all.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. They aren’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t my Australis Lisa flowering?
There are two parts to a hoya flowering: maturity and lighting! If your hoya is still pretty young, have patience; if it’s a few years old, make sure it’s getting as much light as it can! It’s also commonly said that hoyas flower most quickly when they’re slightly root-bound; this is likely due to a stress response, though!
Why are the new leaves coming in red?
Short answer: That’s completely normal in high light situations — they’ll fade to the normal patterning over time!
Longer, more science-y answer: New leaves need protection from harmful UV rays; until they’ve hardened off, when the plant can detect that it’s getting a lot of light (and therefore, in nature, a lot of UV rays), Hoya Lisa will cover the leaf surface with anthocyanins, a type of chemical that protects against UV rays… and happens to appear red! (In this plant, at least; they can also appear purplish or orangeish, depending on the species of plant.) Once the leaf is matured, the anthocyanins aren’t necessary anymore, and the natural chlorophyll patterning takes over!
]]>Complete Care Guide: Hoya Krimson Queen
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
Hoya Krimson Queen is one of two commonly-encountered variegated forms of the common Hoya carnosa, or waxplant. Krimson Queen has variegated edges to its leaves, while its sister (or, perhaps, daughter) plant, the Krimson Princess, has variegated centres and green margins. (“The Princess wears a dress, but the Queen wears a crown” is one mnemonic I’ve seen to help remember which is which, but I’ll be honest that it’s never truly helped me!)
As with all hoyas, Krimson Queen is a wonderful, low-effort houseplant that can thrive in a ton of areas around the house; because of the variegation, though, make sure that you’re putting it in a higher-light situation than you would a fully-green hoya.
Common Name(s) | Hoya Krimson Queen, Krimson Queen Waxplant |
Botanical Name | Hoya carnosa ‘Krimson Queen’ (or ‘Albomarginata’) |
Botanical Family | Apocynaceae, the dogbane family |
Mature Size | Vines can grow very long, up to 10-15′! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Pink and chocolate-scented clusters of small, star-shaped flowers will appear on mature vines with enough light |
Hardiness | Tropical; keep above 10C/50F. |
Native Region | Hoya carnosa is native to Pacific Asia (from Japan through Malaysia), Australia, and Fiji. |
Toxicity | Completely safe for ingestion — the nectar of the flowers is reportedly tasty, in fact! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Hoya is a genus of more than 1000 tropical epiphytic vines from tropical rainforests in eastern/southeastern Asia, as well as Australia and Polynesia. What this means is that they’re found in the canopies of those tropical rainforests, climbing branches and twirling around trying to find more and more light. (This will actually, if they grow a long vine, will twirl around in your home as well, looking for support — you’ll look back at it an hour ater you last saw it, and it’ll be in a completely different position!)
As with all hoyas, Krimson Queen (yes, that’s with a K) is grown primarily for its foliage, but also for its gorgeous flowers, which are tiny star-shaped flowers that will bloom in small clusters when a vine has matured long enough and is under enough light. When it does, the small stem that the flowers — technically an inflorescence — are borne upon is called a peduncle, and you should be careful not to cut old peduncles off! Hoyas will rebloom from the old peduncles year after year if you leave them on, and mature Krimson Queens can have a dozen or more blooms at once… and, bonus: they smell like chocolate!
Lighting
You’ll want to give your Hoya Krimson Queen as much lighting as you can — even a bit of direct sun, particularly if you acclimatize it to direct sun slowly over a couple weeks. Hoyas are from the rainforest undercanopy, so they’re not used to full, direct sun.
That having been said, more lighting will make your Krimson Queen grow faster, as well as make sure there’s plenty of variegation on each new leaf! New variegation will come in bright pink if it’s getting enough light, and then slowly fade to a creamy white over time.
High light will also encourage more blooms, quicker!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Watering a hoya is super simple — because they store water in their succulent leaves, they come equipped with a handy tool to determine when it’s time to water!
It’s called the taco test — when you’re checking your plants to see if each one needs watering, simply grab a leaf close to the soil, and try to gently fold it in half like a taco. If there’s any resistance — stop immediately! You can, if you’re not careful, snap a leaf in half doing a taco test when it’s not ready to be watered. If there’s no resistance, and the leaf is fairly bendy, then there isn’t much water in the leaves — and it’s time to water!
In general, Krimson Queen has low watering needs!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Hoyas definitely want higher humidity than the average household will have — ideally, provide it with higher humidity by either running a humidifier, or by grouping it closely together with other plants.
If you can’t, though, don’t fret! It won’t be the happiest it can be, but your Krimson Queen will acclimate to your household humidity.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Hoyas are epiphytes, meaning that they generally don’t grow in the soil in the ground — their roots will grow nestled in the crooks of trees, or even sometimes on rocks (or telephone poles, or houses…)! This means that they need very well-draining substrate with lots of air around their roots, and lots of chunky bits for their roots to grab on to — but also means that they don’t need very large pots, since they’re used to small spaces in the wild.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
Krimson Queen is a cultivar of Hoya carnosa; other common cultivars include ‘Krimson Princess’, ‘Compacta’ (also called ‘Hindu Rope’), and ‘Chelsea’, among others!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
Hoya Krimson Queen’s most common issue is definitely related to overwatering — remember that it doesn’t need much water at all.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. They aren’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t my Krimson Queen flowering?
There are two parts to a hoya flowering: maturity and lighting! If your hoya is still pretty young, have patience; if it’s a few years old, make sure it’s getting as much light as it can! It’s also commonly said that hoyas flower most quickly when they’re slightly root-bound; this is likely due to a stress response, though!
What’s the difference between a Krimson Queen and a Krimson Princess?
Krimson Queens are variegated around the margins of the leaves, while Krimson Princesses are variegated in the centres of the leaves! Remember: a princess may wear a dress, but a Queen wears a crown!
]]>Complete Care Guide: Hoya Curtisii
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
Hoya curtisii is a small-leaved, epiphytic hoya (which means it grows on trees and things, instead of in the ground, generally). It climbs by sprouting many roots along the length of the stem, and can grow to an impressive length. The leaves are olive green with a silvery pattern of variegation on them, spade-shaped, and about thumbnail size.
Common Name(s) | Hoya curtisii, Chain of Spades, Courtesy Hoya, Waxplant, Waxflower |
Botanical Name | Hoya curtisii |
Botanical Family | Apocynaceae, the dogbane family |
Mature Size | Individual vines can grow 2m/6ft long! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Appear in clusters on mature plant; often very fragrant, very showy. |
Hardiness | Tropical — keep above 10C/50F |
Native Region | Southest Asia |
Toxicity |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
This plant is a relatively slow grower most of the time, but in the right conditions, you’ll find seemingly random growth spurts throughout the year. Don’t be afraid to take cuttings to fill out your pot — they root easily, and cut vines very often branch out.
Flowers will appear on very happy hoyas, generally only on mature ones.To encourage blooms, make sure your hoya is getting lots of light and humidity, and spray it with orchid fertilizer. (There’s some indication that being root-bound is helpful in encouraging blooms, but that can stress your plant and stunt growth!) They are at the end of a small stem called a peduncle, which will persist after flowering — make sure not to cut it off, because it’ll flower from there again the next time! Inflorescences come in clusters of pink star-shaped flowers.
Lighting
To get the best growth and the best chance of blooming, give your hoya curtisii lots of bright, indirect light! A South-facing window with a sheer curtain (if you’re in the Northern hemisphere) is perfect. If you don’t mind slower growth and are growing it for the foliage rather than the flowers (which is valid!), it is also perfectly capable of handling lower light situations.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Generally, the advice for hoyas as far as watering goes is called the taco test. Basically, try to gently fold a leaf of your hoya that’s near the soil level in half lengthwise. (Gently.) If there’s a lot of resistance, then the hoya doesn’t need to be watered yet; if it’s particularly pliable, then water away! But I can’t stress gently enough — I’ve broken more than one leaf down the middle!
For the Curtisii, it’s a little more difficult to tell than on bigger-leaved hoyas. Try folding a leaf in half, the same way (gently). If there’s any resistance, stop folding — they are particularly prone to breaking this way. You need to let the soil dry out nearly the entire way between waterings — lift the pot, and if it’s light, then it’s due for a watering!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Hoyas definitely prefer high humidity — you’ll notice a faster growth rate and higher chance of blooming — but hoya curtisii will adapt to standard household humidity perfectly fine.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Hoya curtisii is an epiphyte, meaning that it grows attached to tree trunks by many short roots instead of out of the ground. To recreate this, make sure your soil is extremely well-draining and extremely chunky.
Suggestion: Start with 1 part peat-based potting mix or coco coir (cactus/succulent mix, if you have it), mix in 1 part perlite, and 1 part orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There aren’t really any different types of Hoya curtisii, but there are over a thousand different types of hoyas, not to mention cultivars!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming — often even after only a week!
Alternately, lay the vine on top of a wet substrate, and watch roots form along its length!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issue for Hoya curtisii is overwatering, by a wide margin — but it’s also possible to underwater it, so make sure you’re doing the taco test!
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t notably susceptible to anything specific!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put Hoya curtisii in a hanging basket?
Yes! In fact, hanging baskets or spilling over the edge of a pot and the shelf below it are pretty much the only two options for displaying Hoya curtisii!
Is Hoya Curtisii toxic to pets?
Nope! Like all other hoyas, Hoya Curtisii is perfectly safe to be consumed (though we still don’t recommend it) — but any plant can cause an upset stomach in pets, so still watch your pet closely!
]]>Complete Care Guide: ZZ Raven
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
The Insta-famous ZZ Raven (which goes by a number of other names, due to copyright) is a nearly-black cultivar of the well-known and well-loved ZZ plant. This plant is a bit deceptive — what it looks like stems growing out of potatoes, lined with pairs of small leaves, are actually technically single leaves, lined with leaflets! The “potatoes” in the soil are succulent rhizomes, underground stems that can hold a lot of water. Because of that, ZZ plants, including the Raven, are well-known as “set it and forget it” plants that don’t need much in the way of attention.
Common Name(s) | Zanzibar Gem, Aroid Palm, ZZ Raven, Raven ZZ, ZZ Midnight, ZZ Dowon, possibly others due to copyright issues |
Botanical Name | Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Dowon’ |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the aroid family |
Mature Size | Individual leaves can grow to 2′ long; plants will grow bushy and wide! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small and insignificant, as well as uncommon |
Hardiness | Tropical; keep above 15C/60F |
Native Region | Eastern Africa |
Toxicity |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
This is a very slow-growing plant, which can make it perfect to fit in those specific, hard-to-decorate areas of your house. New leaves will come in a stunning bright, light green, unfurl to their full length, and then gradually darken darken to the dark green that’s so dark that it looks black under most lighting. It doesn’t need much attention, either, and can survive in most places in your home — there’s no wonder that they’re well-loved!
Lighting
Lighting for the ZZ Raven can be a little tricky — ZZ plants are well-known low-light tolerant plants, and the same does hold true for the Raven… to an extent. Because of the dark green foliage, they need more light than the standard green ZZ plant, ideally, because the chlorophyll isn’t at its fullest strength like it is in the standard variety. That having been said, though, they will definitely survive well in low light situations — growth will just be minimal, possibly even none. On the flip side, if you provide bright, indirect lighting, then you’ll see more growth! They can even be placed in direct sunlight, if you acclimate them first.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
There’s an old joke with ZZ plants, where they’re called “rent plants” — as in, if you’re watering your ZZ more often than you’re paying your rent, it’s too much! This is a bit of an exaggeration — depending on your lighting situation and a number of other factors, you could easily be watering weekly. This is definitely a very low-water-needed plant, but remember to water based on the plant, and not the calendar (or the rent schedule)!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Unlike most houseplants, which come from tropical rainforests, the ZZ Raven’s wild counterparts don’t live in high-humidity areas, and your ZZ Raven will be perfectly happy in your household humidity — super-high humidity may even lead to complications, though that’s rare.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
ZZ Ravens need to have well-draining soil above all else, so that they’re not sitting in water, which can cause tuber rot!
Suggestion: Start with 1 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir — or, even better, a cactus and succulent mix — and mix in 1 part perlite for tons of extra drainage!
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
The ZZ Raven is a cultivar of the standard green ZZ plant; variegated types exist, but are extremely rare and extremely expensive.
Different cultivars of the ZZ plant include ‘Chameleon’, with neon green new foliage, and ‘Zenzi’, a dwarf variety.
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with a single leaflet (or with more of the leaf)!
Simply take a single leaflet off the stem, and then stick the pointed end in water or a moist substrate (such as sphagnum moss, perlite, or even just potting mix)! Keep the substrate moist, if you’re using it, and make sure to give it as much light as possible. Eventually, it will form first roots, and then grow a potato-looking rhizome. Once the rhizome has grown to a decent size, it’ll send out its first leaf stem!
Be forewarned, though — this is a LONG propagation process. It can take literally months for roots to form at all. You can speed it up by giving the leaf more light; by using a part of the leaf stem with multiple leaves attached instead of a single leaf; or by heating the substrate/water from below with a heating pad… but no matter what, it’s gonna be slow. Be patient!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issue by far is overwatering, since they’re quite susceptible to it. Other issues include etiolation — or stretching to find more light. Beyond that, this is a pretty simple houseplant!
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are ZZ Ravens rare?
Yes and no! They’re far more common at specialized nurseries than they have been in years past, for sure, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be found in every nursery all the time.
Are ZZ Ravens easy to care for?
Yes! They’re super simple plants that require little to no attention — just maybe dusting their leaves now and then!
]]>Complete Care Guide: Philodendron Burle Marx
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
Philodendron Burle Marx is a slowly-vining philodendron, with a peculiar growth habit — this bushy plant grows horizontally more than it grows vertically! Growth is quick, with new leaves coming in every week or two in ideal conditions, but internodes — the length of stems between the leaves — are short, resulting in a very short, climbing vine. The leaves are a fairly distinctive shape – almost a rounded spear-shaped leaf,. Mature specimens can sport leaves over a foot long!
Common Name(s) | Philodendron Burle Marx, Burle-Marx, Philodendron Burle-Marxii |
Botanical Name | Philodendron burle-marxii |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the aroid family |
Mature Size | Quite large — more horizontally than vertically! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small, cream, insignificant, and rare |
Hardiness | Tropical; keep above 15C/60F |
Native Region | South America, from Colombia to Ecuador and Brazil |
Toxicity |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
This is an extremely easy-to-care-for philodendron — one of the hardest parts of keeping it is dealing with its bushy, horizontal growth habit! Once you’ve gotten into its care routine — which is pretty typical of most tropical houseplants, with no surprises — you’ll find that it’ll constantly be pushing new growth for you as it chugs away happily.
Lighting
Like most houseplants, Burle Marx prefers bright, indirect lighting — direct sun is okay if you slowly acclimate the plant to it, as well. Brighter light will mean bigger leaves and faster growth, but Philodendron Burle Marx can survive in a wide range of lighting situations — including fairly low-light locations.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Philodendron Burle Marx is a pretty standard houseplant as far as watering goes — between waterings, make sure that the substrate has dried out to about 1/4-1/3 of the depth of the pot. There aren’t really any special considerations to take into account for watering!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Good news — while the Burle Marx prefers to have higher-than-average-household humidity (generally around 60-70% is ideal, where average households are between about 30-50%), and it can help with unfurling leaves, Philodendron Burle Marx will happily adjust to lower humidities pretty well.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Since Philodendron Burle Marx is naturally an epiphyte — growing as often in the crook of a tree as it does in the ground — it’s important to have a well-draining mix, with lots of chunkiness for roots to cling to and to aerate the mix.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
Variegated Philodendron Burle Marx have splashes of white and yellow across them — but are far rarer to come across!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, and in fact is quite resilient against them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Philodendron Burle Marx rare?
It isn’t necessarily rare, but you will likely need to go to a specialty nursery to find a Philodendron Burle Marx.
Do I need to use a moss pole for my Burle Marx?
As your Burle Marx grows, you may find that it needs a bit of support — a moss pole is a very good way to provide that support!
]]>Complete Care Guide: Alocasia Silver Dragon
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
Alocasia Silver Dragon is a cultivar of the regular Alocasia Dragon Scale (also called Alocasia Baginda), with large, uniformly silvery leaves atop light green petioles. Most Silver Dragons top out at 4-5 leaves at once, but particularly happy Alocasias can have seven, eight, or more leaves at once quite happily! These leaves are mostly bullate, or shield-shaped, with the veins extremely prominent — they’re a significantly darker and deeper silvery-green. An extremely well-cared-for plant may also flower, small peace lily-like flowers that are a creamy light green, hidden behind the foliage at the base of the plant; if you’d like, you can cut them off so that the plant doesn’t invest any energy into them!
Common Name(s) | Alocasia Silver Dragon, Alocasia Baginda Silver, Alocasia Silver Dragon Scale |
Botanical Name | Alocasia baginda ‘Silver Dragon’ |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the aroid family |
Mature Size | Potentially a few feet in any direction! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small creamy-green, insignificant. |
Hardiness | Tropical – keep above 10C/50F |
Native Region | Alocasia baginda is native to Kalimantan, Indonesia |
Toxicity | Mildly toxic to pets and people! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Like most alocasias, Silver Dragons have a tendency to lose an older leaf every time they shoot out a new one — this is actually caused by a nutrient deficiency! The plant is reabsorbing the nutrients out of the older leaf to be able to push out the new one. Alocasias are known as ‘heavy feeders’ because of this, and should be frequently fertilized during the growing season — even, weakly, every single watering.
Lighting
Alocasia Silver Dragon doesn’t need to be in your brightest spot, but because of the silvery sheen to the leaves, it can always use the energy boost that comes from being in bright, indirect light! East or west-facing windows are perfect — or a South window, with a sheer curtain.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Most places will advise you to let alocasias dry out 1/3 or even halfway between waterings, similar to philodendrons; this is not the ideal situation by any means! While alocasia like the Silver Dragon can dry out a reasonable amount, they are happiest and grow their best without drying out, and actually prefer being kept consistently moist, but not waterlogged.
What this practically means is that you should water whenever the top of the soil is dry to the touch, but if you need to go on vacation for a few days, you don’t need to worry about it!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Alocasia need high humidity to be truly happy — either keep it in a microclimate next to other plants, or run a humidifier nearby!
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Alocasia baginda, including the Silver Dragon, are terrestrial aroids — so they need a lot of moisture retention while still maintaining good drainage, and some chunks to aerate the roots properly.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1 part orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
Alocasia Silver Dragon is itself a cultivar of the Alocasia Dragon Scale, but it comes in a very rare, very prized variegated form itself!
Propagating
Unfortunately, propagating an alocasia isn’t quite as simple as a stem cutting — but fortunately, it’s a thousand times cuter!
Alocasias will occasionally send out shoots below the soil’s surface that end in corms — very similar to bulbs. Given time, either attached to the mother plant or detached and placed in a new pot, these corms will grow new plants, right from their very first leaves! All you need to do is place the corm in moist substrate — or even water — and it will begin to grow! Check out our article on growing Alocasia from corms here!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issue, other than watering issues, is for old leaves to die off every time a new one comes in; as discussed above, it’s a nutrient deficiency!
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. Alocasias, including the Silver Dragon, are particularly susceptible to spider mites — even appearing to spawn them sometimes! You should check your alocasias frequently for spider mites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alocasia Silver Dragon rare?
The answer to this will always depend on time and location, but overall they are not as rare as they used to be!
Why are the leaves on my SIlver Dragon yellowing?
This is almost always a watering issue, if they’re yellowing uniformly. Unfortunately, it can be caused by either under- or over-watering!
]]>Complete Care Guide: Aglaonema Silverado
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
Aglaonemas, or Chinese Evergreens, have a reputation for being extremely easy-going amongst plant lovers, and the Silverado is no exception! Similar in appearance to the more common Silver Bay, the SIlverado has elongated silver leaves with a dark green, choppy margin and flecks of darker green throughout the leaf. They come up from the top of the stem, rolled up tightly, and tinted slightly with a light green.
Common Name(s) | Chinese Evergreen, Aglaonema, Silverado |
Botanical Name | Aglaonema ‘Silverado’ |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the aroid family |
Mature Size | Large and bushy |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Typical aroid flowers — cute, but not the reason to grow it! |
Hardiness | Tropical – keep above 15C/60F! |
Native Region | Parent plants are native to southeast Asia |
Toxicity | Mildly toxic to plants and people alike! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
This is a fairly large, bushy plant when it’s mature — watch for new shoots coming out of the substrate, which can be removed once they have a few leaves of their own. In this way, the plant will grow both up and out at the same time!
Lighting
The ideal for your Aglaonema Silverado would be bright, indirect light — direct sun is often a bit too harsh for these delicate leaves, and can lead to sunburn! You’re basically trying to replicate the dappled sunlight of the rainforest floor — some direct sun is okay, but only a little bit, and keep it to the early morning or late afternoon, avoiding the harshest time in the early afternoon. An east or west window, or a south window with a sheer curtain (in the Northern hemisphere) is ideal!
That having been said, as with most aglaonemas, you can pretty much put your Aglaonema Silverado in any lighting condition and it’ll be okay! Less light will mean less silver on new leaves (and thus thicker green margins), and less growth in general — you’ll be a lot less likely to get new shoots coming up!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Aglaonemas are a bit of a wonder-plant as far as watering goes — pick a watering type, and stick to it, and it’ll be happy! The biggest problem with aglaonemas comes when you go back and forth between keeping it moist and letting it dry out all the way — if you get it used to one or the other, it’ll be perfectly happy, though!
Our suggestion: keep it consistently moist, but not waterlogged, only letting the top of the soil dry out before giving it another small drink! They’re generally found near water in the wild, meaning that they’re used to being able to take up water whenever they’d like!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Aglaonemas are from the tropical rainforest floor, and thus are used to high humidity in the wild — but, yet again, they’re a wonderfully adaptable plant! Your Silverado would appreciate higher-than-normal humidity (group it with other plants, or put it near a humidifier), but you can keep it in average household humidity (30-50%) without any difficulties!
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
As a terrestrial plant, you don’t need to have as chunky a potting mix as you would for most epiphytic aroids like Monsteras or Philodendrons — but well-draining soil is always a good idea, and some mild chunkiness can help keep moisture present while still promoting drainage.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1 part orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There are probably thousands of different aglaonemas in cultivation, from natural species to cultivated varieties (also called cultivars), chosen and sold for different leaf shapes and textures — or primarily for different leaf variegation! Aglaonemas come in a ton of different fun colours and patterns, from cherry-red through pink, to creams and yellows, as well as (of course) silvers and greens — one cultivar to note is the Aglaonema pictum tricolor, which looks like a camouflage plant (check out our guide for it)!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
But — it’s even simpler to just wait and take care of your mother plant… and watch as she puts out babies! Aglaonemas form “offsets” — little baby plants that shoot off from the base of the mother stem, travel horizontally under the surface of the soil for a bit (if you’re lucky), and then pop up and begin growing leaves as a new stem! Once the new stem has grown at least 2-3 leaves, you should be okay to separate it from the mother plant, if you’d like a new baby plant; check under the surface of the soil to make sure that it has a few roots attached, then separate it with a sharp knife!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, though, and in our experience has proven extremely resilient against them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aglaonema Silverado rare?
While it’s not one of the most common cultivars of aglaonema out there, it’s not necessarily rare, either — more “underappreciated”!
Does Aglaonema Silverado need a lot of light?
More light will encourage more silver on the leaves and faster growth, but it’ll be fine in low-light conditions as well!
]]>Complete Care Guide: Croton Petra
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
The Croton Petra is the most common croton by far in cultivation, and is often just called the croton. Misleadingly, it’s not actually part of the genus Croton — it used to be, but got moved to a different genus to be more accurate scientifically… but the name stuck.
The leaves do the opposite of what happens in many plants; instead of coming in red and hardening off to green, they come in green, turn yellow around the edges and veins (and sometimes in splotches), then orange, and finally a rich red on mature leaves with enough light. The leaves — which are otherwise green — are large, leathery, and shiny, and all come from a whorl at the top of the stem.
Common Name(s) | Croton, Garden Croton, Variegated Croton, Fire Croton, Croton Petra |
Botanical Name | Codiaeum variegatum |
Botanical Family | Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family |
Mature Size | Large — 10′ tall! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Long stems with flowers along their length (racemes); almost like pussy willow or snake plant flowers; not attractive., but a sign of a happy plant |
Hardiness | Tropical — keep above 15C/60F |
Native Region | Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia |
Toxicity | Medium toxicity towards pets and people; contains sap that can cause contact dermatitis in some people. |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Crotons are actually shrubs (or even trees, depending on who you ask)! They can grow ten feet tall and make quite the statement in a bright room — though, of course, houseplants will rarely reach quite that height, usually topping out at about six feet or so. If you want it to branch out, the easiest way is to prune it regularly; otherwise they’ll often just grow as a single stem! (Don’t forget to root the cuttings to get more free plants!)
A word of caution — crotons have a milky sap in their branches that can be irritating to some people and cause contact dermatitis, and can cause problems if it gets ingested or into your eyes! It’s always best to be careful and use leaves when doing any maintenance on your croton, and to keep them away from nibbly pets.
Crotons have a reputation for being finicky, prissy divas… and while it can be somewhat deserved, their care is a lot easier than most would make it out to be!
Lighting
Crotons need consistently bright light to truly thrive — even direct sunlight is perfect, if you acclimate the plant slowly over time. Lower light will mean slow growth and dull colouration, as well as smaller leaves.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
This is where everyone gets crotons wrong, and where they’ve gotten their bad reputation! Crotons need to be kept consistently moist — do not let the substrate dry out. I’ve found that the best solution is frequent sips of water, rather than infrequent larger drinks.
If your croton dries out too much, it will immediately enact a stress response… by dropping leaves. Keep it moist, and the leaves stay on! (Well… hopefully. More on that towards the end.)
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Crotons prefer to have higher-than-average humidity — and, as a bonus, you’ll need to water less to keep them moist. Ultimately, it helps their leaves stay nice and big, glossy, and entire! Humidity also keeps pests like spider mites away — which can be a major concern for crotons!
Ultimately, though, if what you’ve got is average household humidity… what you’ve got is average household humidity, and your croton will adjust pretty well to it.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Unlike a lot of houseplants, crotons are terrestrial shrubs (or trees — there isn’t really a clear distinction), so they don’t need quite as doctored a soil mix as an epiphyte. Well-draining soil is never a bad thing, of course, since it prevents waterlogged soil near the root ball, but moisture retention is important as well! You don’t need to add too much to the standard potting mix for crotons.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite or vermiculite, and that’s all that’s truly needed!
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There are over 100 varieties of crotons, including “Oakleaf”, “Gold Dust”, and “Pie Crust”, among many, many others. They differ not only in leaf shape, but also growth habit, colouration, and even where on the leaves the colours are!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
NOTE: Remember to do this safely, due to the sap!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issue people complain about is the croton dropping its leaves — which is almost always due to one of two things: drying out too much… or spider mites.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. Crotons, however, are extremely susceptible to spider mites for whatever reason — they almost seem to breed them like alocasias or calatheas, and what’s worse, they’ll drop leaves if the infestation gets out of control! Before it does, check out our article on spider mites and get control of the situation!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are crotons hard to find?
This entirely depends on the variety you’re looking for — croton petras are not hard to find at all, but certain varieties will definitely need to be found at specialty stores.
Aren’t crotons just drama queens?
They definitely can be — but only if their needs aren’t met! Follow the instructions above, and you’ll be perfectly happy with your little drama queen.
]]>Complete Care Guide: Dracaena Jade Jewel
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
This is a relatively new cultivar to hit the horticultural scene, but it’s a stunner! It’s usually sold as a very small juvenile plant, just a whorl of gorgeous white-and-jade striped leaves, but like any other Dracaena fragrans, the lower leaves will eventually fall off to reveal a thin trunk. Because it’s actually a type of tree, it’s recommended to occasionally prune it as it grows, to encourage branching.
Common Name(s) | Dracaena Jade Jewel, Jade Corn Plant, Jade Jewel |
Botanical Name | Dracaena fragrans ‘Jade Jewel’ |
Botanical Family | Asparagaceae, the Asparagus family (yes, really) |
Mature Size | Very very large — this is a tree! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Extremely rare indoors, not showy |
Hardiness | Tropical – keep above 10C/50F |
Native Region | Tropical Africa (wild type) |
Toxicity | Mildly toxic to pets and people! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Draceana Jade Jewel is a whorl of long, straplike leaves, a rich deep jade colour with a central stripe of white, itself with a central stripe of a lighter, creamier green. This is a cultivar of the common “corn plant” — the same species, just a different variety.
Remember as it grows that this is also called a dragon tree!
Lighting
Dracaena Jade Jewel does well in most lighting situations, though it’s happiest with medium-bright light! That will make sure that you bring out the nice white stripes that really make it pop. If you need to fill a low-light space in your home, though, it’ll survive!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Here’s where Dracaenas like the Jade Jewel are a bit of an enigma — they’re close relatives of the common Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata), which need to dry out all the way between waterings… but the Dracaena Jade Jewel, while it can dry out pretty much all the way between waterings, actually prefers to be kept somewhat moist! You can let it dry out a bit between waterings, but don’t let it dry out all the way.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Bonus: because they exist in a range of habitats in the wild, Dracaena Jade Jewel doesn’t really care too much about humidity — it prefers higher, as do most leafy plants, but they’re perfectly content in average household humidity as well.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
This is a pretty unassuming plant as far as soil goes — remember that it’s truly terrestrial, though, so chunkiness isn’t as needed as it is for some others! Well-draining soil is a plus, as always, but it needs some moisture retention as well.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
This is a cultivar of the common corn plant, Dracaena fragrans! There are many different cultivars, including ‘Massageana’, ‘Lemon Lime’, and more.
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks and keep it moist, and you’ll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
There really aren’t very many common issues with Dracaena Jade Jewel — the most common is browning of the leaves from pests or watering issues!
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, though!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dracaena Jade Jewel easy to find?
While ultimately the answer to this question is always that it depends on your area, Jade Jewels will likely not be super easy to find outside of specialty garden centres. You’re far more likely to find its cousin, the Lemon Lime!
Why are my leaves yellowing?
If the leaves of your Dracaena Jade Jewel are yellowing uniformly, that’s almost always a symptom of overwatering! Repot immediately into fresh, dry soil, and then leave a bit more time between waterings moving forward.
]]>Complete Care Guide: Ctenanthe
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
The Ctenanthe — or, more specifically, the Ctenanthe Burle-Marx, but it’s the most common ctenanthe in cultivation — is a member of the prayer plant family with elongated leaves that are at the ends of long petioles. The leaves themselves are striped with light and dark green in a fishbone pattern, and the undersides of the leaves are a nice reddish pink.
Common Name(s) | Ctenanthe, Ctenanthe Burle-Marx, Fishbone Prayer Plant |
Botanical Name | Ctenanthe burle-marxii |
Botanical Family | Marantaceae |
Mature Size | Medium-large |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small, yellow, not particularly showy |
Hardiness | Tropical — keep above 15C/60F ideally |
Native Region | Brazil |
Toxicity | Safe! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Ctenanthes will spread horizontally once they reach their mature size, from rhizomes — horizontal stems that are just below the soil’s surface. In pots, this means that you’ll eventually need to upgrade to larger pots as the petioles reach the edges of your current pot (or earlier, as it gets root-bound, of course).
Like the rest of the prayer plant family, Ctenanthe leaves move every day — folding up at night, and returning to a mostly-horizontal position in the daylight. Botanists aren’t entirely sure why they do this, though the prevailing theory is to do with capturing nighttime rainfall.
Lighting
Like most prayer plants, Ctenanthes are more than happy to live in a low-light area of your home, and in fact won’t handle direct sunlight very well at all! They’re used to the dappled, indirect sunlight of the rainforest floor, after all. Brighter light will mean faster growth, however.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Ctenanthes are definitely thirsty plants! Keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. If they dry out, they will quickly go brown and crispy, so keep on top of watering them — the plant will likely survive if you miss it by a couple days, but you’ll lose leaves. In heat waves under bright light, this can even mean daily watering.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
A well-known problem for all prayer plants — including the Ctenanthe — is brown, crispy edges appearing on leaves. This is commonly attributed to a perceived sensitivity to chlorinated water, but in reality it’s most commonly a humidity issue — make sure to put your Ctenanthe near a humidifier, in a naturally-humid area of the house, or grouped together with other plants to create a microclimate.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Well-draining soil is nice for all houseplants, but the most important feature for Ctenanthes’ delicate root system is moisture retention! You don’t need chunkiness or any sort of grit.
Suggestion: Start with 2-3 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir and mix in 1 part perlite or vermiculite. That’s probably all you need!
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There aren’t really any well-known varieties of this plant, though there is a very similar-looking plant called the Calathea Freddie that is often misunderstood to either be the same as the Ctenanthe or a variety of it.
Propagating
Ctenanthes don’t propagate as easily as you might think — you can divide the rhizome, though, which is the simplest way for people to propagate on a smaller scale.
Common Issues
Watering issues — both over- and under-watering — are common with Ctenanthes, as well as having too low humidity.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more — but ctenanthes, like all prayer plants, are spider mite magnets. Check the undersides of the leaves regularly!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell if I’ve overwatered my Ctenanthe?
Leaves that yellow all at once are almost always an indicator of overwatering (or an old leaf dying naturally). If you start seeing these, repot it into dry soil immediately, and remove any rotten roots.
Does the Ctenanthe REALLY need high humidity?
Short answer: Yes! Longer answer: it depends — your Ctenanthe will survive with lower humidity, but you’re very likely to get brown, crispy edges on your leaves.
]]>Complete Care Guide: Syngonium
Picture!
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Picture!
Plant Info
The Syngonium — often mis-labeled as a Nephthytis, which is a related but distinct genus — is a wonderful and peculiar little houseplant. You’ll almost definitely buy the juvenile form, which has a bushy growth habit, with many stems arising from the ground, each with a triangular (or at least three-lobed) leaf on top — giving the plant one of its common names, the Arrowhead plant.
Common Name(s) | Nephthytis (wrongly), Arrowhead plant, Syngonium |
Botanical Name | Syngonium podophyllum (usually) |
Botanical Family | Araceae |
Mature Size | Long vines; can grow quite large |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small/insignificant |
Hardiness | Tropical; keep above 10F/50C |
Native Region | Central America, from Mexico to Bolivia |
Toxicity | Mildly toxic to pets and people alike! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
As your syngonium matures, first the leaf shape may change, often elongating; the leaves’ two back lobes may sweep back past the point where it meets the stem. Then, eventually, it will change its growth habit completely, becoming a long vine instead! People often cut them back at this point to keep the juvenile form, since it’s often considered more aesthetically pleasing.
There are a ton of different syngonium species and cultivars; this advice will be fairly general about the genus as a whole, since the care doesn’t vary too much between them! Just remember: less green on the leaves means more light is needed!
Lighting
Syngoniums in general are pretty happy in any lighting condition, especially if they’re mostly green; remember that (as with all plants) the less green on the leaves, the more light is needed. So pink syngoniums will survive in low lighting situations, but they won’t do well — whereas green syngoniums will be okay with low light, though they prefer bright.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Syngoniums can dry out some, but they generally prefer to be kept consistently moist. They can still be overwatered, though, so make sure that the substrate is moist, and not waterlogged. When in doubt, let the substrate dry out a little between waterings.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Syngoniums are from the tropical rainforest and definitely prefer higher humidity, but they adapt very well to average household humidity!
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Syngoniums in the wild climb over trees, clinging by their roots — so they’re used to having well-aerated, chunky, and well-draining soil.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There are tons of different cultivars of Syngonium podophyllum, as well as other species and hybrids, that you can find in cultivation. Two of the most common are often simply called “green syngonium” and “pink syngonium”, but are more accurately “White Butterfly” and “Neon Robusta”. Others include Mango Allusion, Confetti, Milk Confetti, Tri-Point, and a whole host of others! Cultivars vary based on leaf shape, variegation, and colour — ranging from pinks, to creams, to oranges and yellows in some cultivars.
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants! This, of course, works best when your syngonium has matured!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issue with syngoniums is, as with all houseplants, overwatering.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. Syngoniums seem to be a little more susceptible to spider mites than most, so keep an eye out for webbing between those leaves!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there rare syngoniums?
Extremely, and many varieties! Syngonium Milk Confetti is one that’s taken off in the plant influencer world, and is slowly becoming less rare.
Are syngoniums good terrarium plants?
Yes and no. They make good terrarium plants while young, but will eventually outgrow most terrariums.
]]>Complete Care Guide: Anthurium Pterodactyl
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
Anthurium Pterodactyl is a hybrid of two well-known anthurium species, and the combination is stunning — huge, heart-shaped leaves with prominent veins… though they don’t really resemble a flying pterosaur!
Common Name(s) | Anthurium Pterodactyl |
Botanical Name | Anthurium clarinervium x pedatoradiatum |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the Arum family |
Mature Size | Large, but reasonably compact! |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small/insignificant |
Hardiness | Keep above 15C/60F to avoid cold damage! |
Native Region | Both parents are native to Mexico |
Toxicity | Mildly toxic to pets and people alike! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Despite not looking like a flying reptile, these leaves are sure to attract a ton of attention! They are borne on long petioles (leaf-stalks) that radiate out from a central crown, creating a nice bush of heart-shaped leaves that work wonderfully in any medium-bright area of your house.
Lighting
Like mentioned above, the Pterodactyl needs medium-bright lighting — it’s fine without the brightest light that you can provide, but it won’t do super well in low light conditions.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
The Anthurium Pterodactyl needs to ideally dry out a little between waterings — but it prefers to be kept pretty evenly moist, at the same time! Let the top 1/4 or so dry out between waterings.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Higher than average household humidity will be appreciated, especially as those new leaves grow, but it’s not strictly necessary!
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
AS an epiphyte, the Anthurium Pterodactyl needs a well-draining, chunky mix, so that its large roots can breathe, but still have something to hold on to!
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There aren’t really any different types of this hybrid plant yet — with the exception of very rare variegated varieties!
Propagating
Propagating anthuriums in general — and the Pterodactyl specifically — is no easy task! A lot of commercially-grown anthuriums are grown from seed or tissue culture, which aren’t particularly accessible ways for the average person to try! It’s best to buy another if you’re looking for a pair.
Common Issues
This is a super easy-going anthurium, without many of the common issues to more expensive anthuriums!
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, though!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Anthurium Pterodactyl rare?
They’re still fairly rare, though they seem to be getting more common these days!
Why is it called Pterodactyl?
Mature leaves can sometimes be a bit stronger-lobed and triangular, and then they can sometimes resemble a pterodactyl… a bit.
]]>Complete Care Guide: Silver Sword Philodendron
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Plant Info
The Philodendron Silver Sword is a wonderful little plant that is an extremely fast grower. The baby leaves have a pretty standard “leaf” shape — but as the plant matures, especially if you give it some support, you’ll see the leaf shape change, ending with two lobes and a long spear-shaped leaf blade, which is what hastanum means!
Common Name(s) | Philodendron Silver Sword, Silver Sword |
Botanical Name | Philodendron hastatum |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the arum family |
Mature Size | Very large! Leaves can be 2′ long, vines can grow more than 10′ long. |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small and insignificant! |
Hardiness | Keep above 15C/60F to prevent damage. |
Native Region | Southeast Brazil |
Toxicity | Mildly toxic to pets and people alike! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
The leaves — especially juvenile leaves — have a wonderful silvery sheen to them that catches the eye easily, leaving this philodendron a great choice for a statement plant in a bright section of a room, so long as you give it some support to crawl up! Remember, in the wild, these philodendrons climb up trees looking for more light, and mature as they climb!
Lighting
Like most houseplants, Silver Swords need bright, indirect light! Unlike some, though, you don’t need to worry about super high lighting — a medium-bright spot in a room will do it fine!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Like most philodendrons, your Silver Sword needs to dry out 1/3 of the way, approximately, between waterings — oxygen is important!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
While, as with all houseplants, higher humidity will always be appreciated, your Silver Sword will do perfectly fine in household humidity.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
The Philodendron Silver Sword is (sometimes described as semi- or hemi-) epiphytic — meaning that it very often spends at least part of its life entirely in the trees, taking root in the crooks of trees. Because of this, their root systems aren’t generally very large, but they do need to have a lot of oxygen around their roots — so they need a well-draining mix (to give them that oxygen), but with things to grab on to.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There aren’t really any different types of Philodendron Silver Sword!
….Yet!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
As with most houseplants, the most common problems are
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest!
]]>
Complete Care Guide: Philodendron Florida Ghost
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
The amazingly-lobed leaves of the Philodendron Florida Ghost are not those created by nature – at least, not without some help.
Common Name(s) | Philodendron Florida Ghost, Philodendron Florida Mint |
Botanical Name | Philodendron pedatum x squamiferum ‘Florida Ghost’ |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the Arum family |
Mature Size | Very large — 10′ tall and wide, at maturity |
Lighting | |
Watering | |
Humidity | |
Soil Mix | |
Flowers | Small/insignificant, can happen any time |
Hardiness | Keep above 10C/50F |
Native Region | Both parents are native to South America |
Toxicity | Mildly toxic to pets and people alike! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
The parents of this gorgeous hybrid are both tree-crawling scramblers, so naturally the Florida Ghost has the same general habit — a crawling vine with large, lobed leaves to catch the sun’s rays. The leaves come in white (or almost white, which some enterprising dealers have started marketing as “Florida Mint”), then gradually darken to their normal dark, rich green as the leaf “hardens off”, or matures. You’ll want to make sure that your Florida Ghost gets as much bright light as possible — even full, direct sun if you acclimate it slowly — to bring out those bright, white new leaves.
Lighting
These babies need as much light as possible — if you don’t give them enough, the new leaves won’t come in that wonderful light colour. Beyond that, their leaves won’t be as large and those lobes won’t be as wonderful.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
All phildendrons like to dry out a little between waterings — oxygen is necessary for proper root function! The Florida Ghost is no exception, and it’s generally best to let the top 1/3-1/2 dry out between waterings.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
High humidity is always helpful, especially for unfurling leaves to give them a chance to open without damage — but if you need to have it in a space with normal humidity, it’ll acclimate pretty well.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Like most aroids (members of the Araceae, including pothos, philodendrons, and syngoniums, among many others), Philodendron Florida Ghost is an epiphytic climber — this means that if it existed as a natural hybrid, it would take root in crooks of trees, growing towards the light. This makes it ideal as a houseplant — it doesn’t need much soil!
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There are three major types (at least for now), though one is a little up in the air as to whether or not you consider it a type of its own.
First is the Florida Ghost — leaves come in white, then darken to a uniform green.
Second, the Florida Beauty — leaves are vareigated, and so will harden of with white and cream parts of the leaves as well.
And third (and a little iffy) — the “Florida Mint”, which is a Florida Ghost that doesn’t give off white leaves, just light green. In my eyes, this is a Florida Ghost with character, not a subtype of its own, but your mileage may vary!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few — easy with the leaves this large), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issues, as with any houseplant, are watering issues (which can include a whole host of other related factors, of course — lighting, airflow, temperature, and more.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Florida Ghost rare?
Generally, yes — they’re becoming more common, for sure, but they’re still pretty rare.
Is Philodendron Florida Ghost hard to keep?
It’s one of the trickier philodendrons, for sure, but it’s not super difficult! Once you get a good spot and care routine going, you won’t have any issue.
]]>The Domino peace lily, in particular, has a ton of white flecks across its broad, strap-like leaves — it creates almost a marbled effect.
]]> Plant Info All the various species of Spathiphyllum are called “Peace Lilies”, which is a holdover from when a vast number of plants were categorized as “lilioid monocots” — plants that they thought looked lily-ish enough! (I personally don’t see it for any aroid, including peace lilies!) Despite the common name, though, peace lilies are aroids (as shown by the distinctive flower) — one very close relative is the Monstera, believe it or not! Because they’re aroids, though, peace lilies have raphide crystals, which can cause mild harm to the digestive tract if eaten. Peace lilies are one of the few plants I do need to keep out of my cats’ reach, or they will think it’s a snack — but, luckily, because it’s not a true lily, it doesn’t share true lilies’ toxicity for cats. Common Name(s) Peace Lily Domino, Domino Peace Lily, Spathiphyllum Domino Botanical Name Spathiphyllum ‘Domino’ Botanical Family Araceae, the aroid family. Mature Size Can grow 6′ tall and 4′ wide Lighting Watering Humidity Soil Mix Flowers White, held above the leaves; one of the focal points for the plant! Hardiness Not frost-hardy; keep above 15C/60F Native Region Mexico (wild form) Toxicity Mildly toxic Peace lilies have a bushy growth habit — each leaf will pop out of the petiole of the previous leaf on that stem, grow, and then sprout the next one. It will also form offsets fairly frequently — these will appear as new leaves growing out of the substrate, and will grow into their own thick stem and bunch of leaves over time! The Domino peace lily, in particular, has a ton of white flecks across its broad, strap-like leaves — it creates almost a marbled effect. The peace lily is well-known as a low-light plant (which is only partially true, anyway) — but because of the variegation found on the Domino peace lily’s leaves, you’ll want to leave your Domino under bright, indirect light. Direct sun is still going to be too strong for it! Bright light will also encourage more blooms, so it’s a win-win! Make sure to check out our general article on lighting! Like any other peace lily, the Domino Peace Lily is a very thirsty plant — and it will play dead the minute it decides it’s thirsty! It’s not unheard of to go to bed one night with it looking fine, and wake up the next morning with it looking haggard and neglected; aim to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged, and if it’s being a drama queen, give it a good watering and wait! Make sure to check out our general article on watering! Since they’re tropical rainforest plants, Peace Lily Domino wants higher humidity than most households can give it without a humidifier running; it’ll mostly adapt to lower humidity, but you may see browning of leaf edges, leaf tips, and even flowers. Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths! Domino Peace Lily is a terrestrial plant that needs good drainage to prevent root rot, but for the substrate to also hold on to a good amount of moisture so that it doesn’t go thirsty. Balance is key! Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, then mix in 1 part perlite. Anything else is gravy — but make sure that you keep it balanced! Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes! Peace Lily ‘Domino’ is very similar to another variegated cultivar, the Jessica Peace Lily. There are even rarer variegated varieties, as well — but for anything other than a Domino, you’re likely to need to contact a specialty shop! The best way to propagate a peace lily, including the Domino peace lily, is to divide it during a repot, separating what was previously “one” plant into two more more chunks. You’ll need to wait for your plant to produce offsets or “pups”, smaller plants around the base that grow their own strong stems and bunches of leaves. Once a pup has a few leaves, you can take a sharp, clean knife and separate them! The most common issues for a Domino Peace Lily are watering-related — either too much, causing root rot, or too little — causing your plant to look just awful! Remember to aim for “moist, not waterlogged”. I give mine a small drink whenever the top of the soil is dry to the touch. All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, though! There could be two things at play here: first, after a period of blooming, most plants — including peace lilies — may decide to rest before blooming again! Flowers are “expensive” things to create, energy-wise, since they have no chlorophyll and don’t help pay for their own energy upkeep — it’s no wonder plants need to rest, too! Domino Peace Lily is an uncommon houseplant — it may occasionally appear in your local garden centre, but it’s unlikely they’ll always have it in stock. It is, however, the most commonly-cultivated variegated peace lily!
Complete Care Guide: 
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t my Domino Peace Lily blooming?
Is Domino Peace Lily rare?
Plant Info The Red Sun Philodendron is a compact, “self-heading” philodendron — it doesn’t vine or climb, but instead grows a very compact stem. It gets its name from the bright red of new leaves — though it only comes out properly if you have it in bright enough light. Common Name(s) Red Sun Philodendron, Philodendron Red Sun, Blushing Philodendron Botanical Name Philodendron erubescens ‘Red Sun’ Botanical Family Araceae, the aroid family Mature Size Leaves up to a foot long, up to 4′ tall and 2′ wide indoors Lighting Watering Humidity Soil Mix Flowers Small, insignificant, and rare aroid flowers. Hardiness Not frost-hardy; keep it above 10C/50F Native Region (Wild form) Colombia Toxicity Mildly toxic Your Red Sun Philodendron is a reasonably easy-going houseplant that will thrive in a bright corner! Self-heading philodendrons like this one thrive on (minor) neglect, so be sure not to love it to death! You’ll want to ensure that your Red Sun Philodendron has access to plenty of bright, indirect light. Direct sun might burn the delicate leaves — especially new ones — but otherwise, the brighter the better! Bright light will encourage bright red new growth. Make sure to check out our general article on lighting! Like all philodendrons, the Red Sun Philodendron has medium watering needs, so let around the top ⅓ dry out before watering again. I’ve personally found that my Red Sun isn’t as thirsty as some of the other philodendrons in my collection, though, and often will let the top ½ dry out instead! Make sure to check out our general article on watering! Coming from the tropical rainforest, it’s no surprise that your Red Sun Philodendron wants higher than average household humidity — but plants are adaptable, and the Red Sun Philodendron will work with average household humidity just fine for the most part. Still, it will be happier with a humidifier! Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths! This philodendron is happiest with a nice well-draining, chunky mix — it will make sure that there’s plenty of air around the roots, as well as chunks to grab on to. Your Red Sun Philodendron doesn’t need a moss pole, but it may benefit from a stake to support it as it grows. Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1 part orchid bark. Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes! There a number of similar cultivars of Philodendron erubescens with leaves that come in different colours, including Moonlight (yellow), Prince of Orange (orange), and McColley’s Finale (red-orange) — but there’s also another group of cultivars of Philodendron erubescens with a very different look and growth habit — including the famous Pink Princess, along with the similar White Princess, White Knight, and White Wizard. Want more baby plants? With self-heading philodendrons, the easiest way to propagate is to wait for an offshoot to appear — baby plants will grow next to the mother plant, and once they have a few leaves of their own, you can take a sharp, clean knife and separate out the babies from the mother, making sure the baby has some roots attached as well. Pot it up, and you’re done! The most common issues with Red Sun Philodendrons are overwatering and new leaves not coming in a bright red. Make sure to follow the care guide above! All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, though! This is an uncommon philodendron that might take a while to find available, depending on your area, but you probably won’t have to go to a specialist dealer. The pigments that cause the bright red colour — called anthocyanins — serve double-duty: they also provide UV protection, which is crucial for new, fragile leaves. As the leaves mature and ‘harden off’, though, that protection against UV rays is less needed, and the plant instead prioritizes the green of chlorophyll to maximize how much energy it can absorb.
Complete Care Guide: 
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Take a look at this care guide as an inforgraphic!
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Philodendron Red Sun rare?
Why do my new leaves come in red?
Plant Info There are over 1000 species in the Anthurium genus — but this one is the most common one in cultivation by far! If someone is talking about ‘an anthurium’, without specifying another species or variety… they’re almost definitely talking about this guy right here. Anthuriums grow from a very short stem — the leaves are vaguely arrow-shaped (and have a wonderful gloss), borne on long petioles. The blooms also sit on long stems, and can come in many colours and varieties; red, pink, and white are the most common. Common Name(s) Anthurium, Flamingo Flower, Flamingo Anthurium, Laceleaf Botanical Name Anthurium andraeanum Botanical Family Araceae, the aroid family Mature Size 12-18″ tall, about the same width. Lighting Watering Humidity Soil Mix Flowers One of the focal points! Many different colours, year-round in cultivation. Hardiness Not frost-hardy; keep above 15C/60F Native Region Ecuador, Colombia Toxicity Mildly toxic What you would think are flowers are technically not — they’re called the “spathe”, and they’re just modified leaves! The true flowers are lining the “spadix”, the long, thin part in front. Scientists believe that the spadix can serve as a “landing pad” for this Anthurium’s pollinators to land on. All aroid flowers are similar, but some have vastly different uses! All in all, the anthurium is a very easy-going, forgiving houseplant — one I personally avoided for far too long! In their natural habitats, they thrive in the shaded understories of South American’s tropical rainforests — direct sunlight can be too intense! Medium light is just fine, but bright (indirect) light will encourage more blooms! Make sure to check out our general article on lighting! Anthuriums are a little thirstier than a lot of houseplants, but I’d still classify them as “medium watering needs”. Instead of the top 1/3, let the top 1/4 dry out all the way before you water again, so it’ll be a little more often. The nice thing about anthuriums, though, is that even though they’re happiest when they’re kept on the moist end of things, they’re okay to dry out significantly more between each watering! So, if you’re not sure — wait! It’ll be fine in a few days when your decision will be clearer. Make sure to check out our general article on watering! Since anthuriums live in tropical rainforests, they definitely like it humid! Average household humidity will do, if you must, but you might get brown edges or tips to your leaves or even flowers — if you can, use a humidifier to bump it up! Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths! This anthurium is an epiphyte — meaning that generally, its roots aren’t in the soil, but instead it attaches itself to trees! Your mix needs to be airy and chunky for them to be happy and survive! Suggestion: Start with 1 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark. If you’re feeling brave, you can even leave out the peat/coir entirely, for a more orchid-esque substrate — it’ll dry out significantly faster, though, so beware! Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes! There are many different cultivars and varieties of the common Anthurium — the most common are red, pink, and white, but many other colours are found in cultivation — just expect to pay up for them! Ditto if you’d like a variegated one. Want more baby plants? Your best bet with this anthurium is to wait for a little baby offset, or “pup”, to appear! They’ll occasionally grow next to the mother plant, and when they’re big enough — have a few leaves and likely a root structure of their own — you can use a sharp, clean knife to detach it from its mother! Anthuriums are extremely easy-going and forgiving plants, with no common problems to speak of! All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, though. Yes! Anthuriums are epiphytic, meaning that they grow attached to other plants, instead of in the ground. Anthurium andraeanum — the subject of this care guide — is the most common anthurium in cultivation!
Complete Care Guide: 
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Do anthuriums grow in trees?
What is the most common anthurium species?
Plant Info Scindapsus Exotica is a cultivar of Scindapsus pictus with large, boldly-patterned leaves on thick vines. In the right growing conditions, this is a fairly fast grower, but in suboptimal conditions, growth will slow to a crawl, and leaves will come out small. Exotica looks stunning spilling over the sides of a pot in a tangle — though I personally think the hanging baskets are best left to its smaller-leaved siblings! Note that despite many of its common names — most of which it shares with other cultivars like the common Argyraeus — Scindapsus Exotica is not a pothos, though it was once considered to be one, and it’s in a closely-related genus in the same family. Common Name(s) Silver pothos, Satin pothos, Silver satin pothos, Pothos Exotica, Exotica Scindapsus Botanical Name Scindapsus pictus ‘Exotica’ Botanical Family Araceae, the aroid family Mature Size Leaves: 6 inches Lighting Watering Humidity Soil Mix Flowers Small, rare, and insignificant aroid flowers; grown for foliage Hardiness Not frost-hardy; keep above 10C/50F Native Region India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and the Philippines Toxicity Mildly toxic Interestingly, the silver variegation seen on the leaves of all cultivars of Scindapsus pictus isn’t caused by a different chemical makeup — instead, there is a thin air bubble trapped within the leaf, and this distortion is what causes the silvery look! This is a cultivar, or cultivated variety — meaning that it doesn’t appear in the wild, but the wild form grows as long vines that climb up trees in search for more light. Since this plant is highly-variegated, make sure to give it pretty bright lighting! Sitting in front of a south window with a sheer curtain is perfect — that way, it’ll grow its leaves nice and large, with plenty of silver variegation! Make sure to check out our general article on lighting! Like other vining aroids, most Scindapsus have medium watering needs, and Scindapsus Exotica is no exception. Let the top 1/3 or so dry between waterings — but don’t worry, she’ll let you know if she’s thirsty by curling her leaves! Make sure to check out our general article on watering! Since this is a tropical rainforest plant, it prefers higher humidity than the average household will provide without some help! Add a humidifier or create a nice microclimate with other plants, if you can! Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths! Scindapsus Exotica is often epiphytic, meaning that it doesn’t grow in the soil — it can spend its whole life in the air! This means that its roots need lots of air and plenty of chunks to hold on to. Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark. Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes! There are many different cultivars of Scindapsus pictus, ranging from Argyraeus, which is even more common than Scindapsus Exotica and often just called “Scindapsus”, to Silvery Ann, which is much more softly-mottled and considerably rarer. Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants! Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming! Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods! As with most houseplants, the most common problem for Scindapsus Exotica is overwatering. If you’re not entirely sure it needs water, it’s best to hold off — underwatering is better than overwatering! Remember that it’ll tell you when it’s thirsty by curling its leaves. Otherwise, this is a very easy-going plant, and will happily chug along once you’ve found a home for it. All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, though! This means that it’s thirsty! There’s less water pressure to hold the leaves rigid, so they naturally curl up. Both Scindapsus Exotica and Scindapsus pictus ‘Argyraeus’ share the common name ‘Silver Satin Pothos’, among others!
Complete Care Guide: Scindapsus Exotica
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Vines: 20 feet longTake a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my Scindapsus Exotica’s leaves curling?
Is this the same plant as the other silver satin pothos?
Plant Info The silvery-blue leaves of the Cebu Blue catch the light in amazing ways. A close relative of the standard pothos varieties, Cebu Blue is a fairly fast-growing vine that looks stunning spilling over the sides of a hanging basket or climbing up a trellis. Like all aroids, it’s mildly toxic if ingested. Common Name(s) Cebu Blue, Cebu Blue Pothos, Blue Dragon Tail Botanical Name Epipremnum pinnatum ‘Cebu Blue’ Botanical Family Araceae, the aroid family. Mature Size Usually about 8′ indoors, up to 40′ outdoors Lighting Watering Humidity Soil Mix Flowers Insignificant and rare indoors Hardiness Not frost-hardy Native Region Philippines (Cebu Province) Toxicity Mildly Toxic Cebu Blue is native to the tropical rainforests of the Philippines, so for most of us in temperate regions, it needs to be grown as a houseplant. It’s not a heavy feeder, but appreciates some extra nutrients now and again. It has a bit of a reputation for being picky about its location and disliking being moved (though I haven’t found this, personally), but the glossy, compact leaves are well worth it! Since it’s a vine that climbs up trees and hangs from branches in dappled sunlight, Cebu Blue Pothos needs bright, indirect light. In the Northern hemisphere, a few feet from a sunny southern window would be great, or by either an east- or west-facing window; north-facing windows won’t give enough light to bring out the stunning coloured foliage it’s known for. Make sure to check out our general article on lighting! Like other Epipremnums – including its cousin, the common pothos – Cebu Blue has medium watering needs, needing to have the top ⅓ or so of the substrate dry out between waterings – though I’ve found that mine prefers a little more water than others from its genus. Remember, as always, to water based on the plant, not the calendar – there are many factors that affect how often a plant needs water! Make sure to check out our general article on watering! This plant is a tropical rainforest plant in its natural habitat, so average household humidity is a bit low; it will adapt pretty easily, but you may see some minor leaf damage if you don’t raise the humidity a bit! Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths! This is usually an epiphytic plant, which means it grows on other plants. This means its potting media needs to be pretty chunky and airy, with lots for roots to grab on to. Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark. Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes! Cebu Blue Pothos is not actually a variety of the common pothos (Epipremnum aureum), which are easy to tell apart if you compare the shapes of their leaves. It’s a close cousin, Epipremnum pinnatum – there are a few other varieties of E. pinnatum found in cultivation, most of them with significantly larger leaves; the most common is ‘Albo’, with white variegation marbled across the leaves. There is a variegated form of Cebu Blue Pothos, but it’s extremely rare and costly; expect to pay a pretty penny. Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants! Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you’ll see roots forming! Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods! Cebu Blue Pothos has a bit of a reputation for being a bit finicky, but I’ve found it an extremely easy-going plant that grows quite quickly in the right conditions. Some people say that once you’ve found a place for it, not to move it. All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn’t known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest! Cebu Blue Pothos used to be a fairly rare houseplant, but has become much more common recently; you can find it at most garden centres, but may still pay a premium. Cebu Blue is a fast-growing houseplant, growing a new leaf every week or two if conditions are right.
Complete Care Guide: Cebu Blue Pothos 
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu Blue Pothos rare?
How quickly does Cebu Blue grow?
Complete Care Guide: Philodendron Golden Goddess
Hey there! Remember that this site is still under construction — so you’ll notice a number of underlined phrases that aren’t links yet! Don’t worry, I’m working on them — check my social media for regular updates!
In this article, you’ll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
The Philodendron Golden Goddess is a lovely, quick-growing, upright philodendron whose leaves are a lovely bright chartreuse (or yellow-green). Unlike some plants, they stay that same bright colour as they mature! This is a natural mutation of a species of philodendron that’s native to the rainforests of Thailand and Indonesia, so while like many houseplants, direct sunlight can burn its leaves, it thrives with bright light and high humidity. A south-facing window with a sheer curtain would be perfect! This plant does have calcium oxalate crystals, or raphides, so it could hurt any too-curious pets.
Common Name(s) | Philodendron Golden Goddess |
Botanical Name | Philodendron domesticum ‘Golden Goddess’ |
Botanical Family | Araceae, the aroid family |
Mature Size | Tens of feet in the wild, generally 6′ indoors |
Lighting | Bright, indirect lighting |
Watering | Medium; let top ⅓ dry out between waterings. |
Humidity | Prefers high, but easily acclimates to normal household humidity |
Soil Mix | Standard houseplant mix. |
Flowers | Insignificant, creamy aroid flowers. |
Hardiness | Tropical; keep above 10°C/50°F |
Native Region | Thailand, Indonesia |
Toxicity | Mildly Toxic |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
As a tropical houseplant, Philodendron Golden Goddess needs to stay inside for most of us, and will never quite reach its fullest potential. But that’s okay — the brightly-coloured leaves will brighten up any room!
Lighting
Because it’s normally a plant that grows in the rainforest, climbing up trees in their search for the sun, Philodendron Golden Goddess needs bright, indirect light. In the Northern hemisphere, sitting it by an east-facing window, or a south-facing window with a sheer curtain, would be ideal. Remember that, because it’s a variegated variety – its leaves aren’t dark green – it needs more light than it otherwise would!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Philodendrons generally have medium watering needs, needing to dry out and let their roots breathe between waterings, but unhappy if they dry out completely! I’ve found that the Golden Goddess is one of the thirstier philodendrons in my collection, but remember there are many factors affecting this! And don’t forget, it’s always best to water based on the plant, not the calendar!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
This plant is a tropical rainforest plant in its natural habitat, so average household humidity is a bit lower than it truly will be happy with – but it’ll adjust to average household humidity fairly well! If you’re able to raise humidity by grouping it with other plants to create a microclimate, or use a humidifier, it’ll be happier.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
This is a hemiepiphytic plant, which means it can spend its life growing on trees, anchored to the soil, or do both at different stages of its life, depending on the circumstances. This means its potting media needs to be nice and chunky to create lots of air pockets and to give its roots something to hold on to.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite and 1 or 2 parts orchid bark!
Don’t know why you’re adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
Philodendron Golden Goddess is a natural variety of Philodendron domesticum, which is also occasionally seen in cultivation. There are two patented cultivars (cultivated varieties) of Golden Goddess, as well: Malay Gold, which has more golden leaves, and Lemon Lime, which has a more compact form and pink petioles (the leaf-stems). I’ve got both a standard Golden Goddess and a Lemon Lime, so you can see the differences below!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings – cut just above a node, where the leaf meets the stem, and put it into either water or a moist substrate of some sort. Keep it moist, and place in a bright location – in a few weeks, you’ll have roots!
Check out our articles on water propagation, “soil” propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
Most philodendrons are known to be pretty simple plants, and this is no exception. This plant is extremely easy-going – probably the most easygoing of all my philodendrons!
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. Golden Goddess isn’t particularly susceptible to anything, though – and, anecdotally, seems to weather damage from the occasional bug I’ve found on it extremely well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Philodendron Golden Goddess rare?
Philodendron Golden Goddess is an uncommon variety of philodendron – you won’t find it at every garden centre, but you won’t need to find a rare plant store to get your hands on one, either. They’ve become slightly more common recently, due to Costa Farms growing some!
How big do these leaves get?
In the wild, Philodendron domesticum can have leaves reaching nearly two feet long! Indoors, they likely won’t get quite that big. If you’re worried about the size, get a Lemon Lime for its more compact form.
Does Philodendron Golden Goddess need a moss pole?
Philodendron Golden Goddess is a climbing variety of philodendron; giving it some form of support will help keep it upright as it grows, and a moss pole has added benefits! It’ll need to climb to grow its full-sized leaves.
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