If you are looking for a gift for someone you know that has a passion for plants, indoor plants and flowering plants make great gifts. A great way to say happy birthday, happy anniversary, get well soon, or just thinking of you, live indoor plants and flowers are a fantastic choice as a gift for any occasion.
So, if you need a gift for the Plant Person in your life, I have put together some of my favorites from an affiliate and put them together on my website. These are green gifts that can be delivered for you. Any person that you know who enjoys indoor plants would love one of these!
This post is about Asplenium nidus, or Birds Nest Fern. There are a few types of Birds Nest Ferns, the two most common being the Japanese and Victoria Birds Nest Fern. The Victoria has thinner, more ruffled fronds than the Japanese. As far as ferns go, this is one of my favorites, along with Button Ferns and Pteris fern.
Asplenium Nidus – Birds Nest Fern
One of the easiest ferns to care for as a house plant is the Birds Nest Fern or Asplenium Nidus. It is more likely to let you get away with a few mistakes than many other ferns. An added attraction is the leaflets that often fall from other ferns, creating quite a mess, are not present on Birds Nest Fern. This makes it a clean fern in my book, unlike the messy Boston Fern. With a Boston Fern, you may end up spend more time cleaning up after it than you do taking care of it! Not so the Birds Nest Fern.
Light green fronds surround a fibrous nest, explaining the name Birds Nest Fern. The fronds are long and blade shaped with a dark midrib. Birds Nest Ferns can grow quite large and the plant pictured here was well over 3 feet tall!
Do you have houseplants that seem to get out of control? I know some people like their plants to take over the room. They may feel that the bigger, the better. But, to be honest, I am not one of those people. I have learned over the many years working in the interior landscape industry that one of the best ways to keep most houseplants looking full and healthy, other than providing great lighting, is to keep them pruned and shaped.
Some houseplants do not really fit into this category. Palms and cactus need to be looked at in a different way, so do not apply anything in this post to them. I received an email from a person who has a Schefflera arboricola bush, what she referred to as an Umbrella Plant. Some people also call the Schefflera arboricola a Parasol Plant or Dwarf Umbrella Plant. Anyway, the email I received was this:
Hello, I’m just wondering how to prune an umbrella plant. My plant is getting out of control, growing upwards and I can’t seem to get it to grow like a bush. I’m afraid to cut it to shape cause I might kill it. I’ve had this plant for over 10 years and from the picture I sent you can see it’s still growing good. I just want to trim it down but I want to do it properly. Thanks!
My answer to her follows…
When pruning an Arboricola (umbrella plant), cut just the stem, just above a leaf node. I usually cut the tallest stem back into the center of the plant, leaving some leaf nodes below the cut for new growth to start. Doing this every once in awhile keeps the plant fuller and shorter.
You can cut the really tall stem that you have growing past the top of the door to maybe 12 inches or so in height. Cut just above a leaf node.
Cutting it should not kill it, it will just promote some new growth from the stem that you cut. It also keeps it from getting so tall that the stems start to fall over.
I usually cut anything that has gotten tall enough or leggy enough that it no longer can stay upright without some type of support.
Also, turning the entire plant/pot once a month will help to keep it growing evenly on all sides, resulting in full, even growth all over the plant. Hope this helps, send along any other questions.
Pretty easy to do. I have added a picture of the Arboricola plant that she sent with the email. The pink Xs are the two stems that I would cut back right now. It is hard to tell if the tallest stem is growing directly from the soil or is a side shoot from another stem. If it is a side shoot it can be removed from the stem it grows out of. The smaller green lines are where I would cut, approximately.
You should always use sharp, clean, if not sterile, pruners when you cut your plants. Just like people, plants can get bacterial diseases, viruses, and fungal disease and they can be spread through infected tools.
Keeping your houseplants pruned, trimmed, and shaped helps keep them fuller looking. When you remove part of a stem, it releases growth hormones below the cut and helps to promote new, healthy grow on your plant. An over grown plant can also be a big problem if it ever needs to be repotted.
Keep your houseplants in shape and you also help keep them healthy and growing!
One of the most commonly used interior landscape plants is the Aglaonema Silver Bay. Easy to care for, the Aglaonema Silver Bay plant can be maintained at the lower light levels often found in the home or office environment.
New varieties of the Aglaonema houseplant are introduced quite frequently and the Aglaonema Silver Bay is one of many. There are many different varieties of Aglaonema plants, with colors ranging from green, silver green, gray, pink and red. Aglaonema is a very attractive foliage houseplant and makes a great plant for office or home.
There are many varieties of Aglaonema plants and it can be hard to keep up with them all. Let me just say, that along with Dracaena plants, Aglaonema Silver Bay is one of the workhorses of the interior landscape industry.
The most common Aglaonema plant varieties are the Aglaonema Emerald Beauty or Maria, Aglaonema Silver Queen and the Aglaonema Silver Bay. Aglaonema plants have a bush-like or clumping growth and, depending on the pot size, can be from 8 inches to 4 feet tall.
All varieties of Aglaonema are variegated to some extent. Variegated types of Aglaonema plants need more light than those with less variegation. Typically, the lighter the color of a plant, the higher the light levels it needs to maintain its color and variegation.
Aglaonema “Silver Bay” Houseplant
How to Water Aglaonema Silver Bay
If your Aglaonema Silver Bay is in high light, you can allow the potting mix to dry down 1/2 to 3/4 of the way out before watering thoroughly. In a lower light situation, allow soil to dry almost completely between watering. Please read the section on watering for more on the most important part of your houseplant care.
If you think you may be over watering or under watering your Aglaonema Silver Bay or any of your houseplants, you might want to try using a moisture meter. These can help you determine if your houseplants are getting too dry or are being kept overly wet. I often use one of these at work while caring for plants and they are especially helpful for checking plants that are in large pots.
Other Care Aglaonema Silver Bay
This is a great house plant for just about any location except full sun. Full sun, especially through glass, can scorch the exposed leaves. Aglaonema Silver Bay plants will survive in low light if carefully watered but will become thin and leggy over time.
To keep your Aglaonema Silver Bay plant looking as nice as possible, try to provide bright, diffused natural light or some artificial fluorescent lighting or grow lighting. The Aglaonema Silver Bay plant will do quite well with just artificial lighting. For this reason, the Aglaonema Silver Bay is ideal for use in professional office space.
Temperatures for Aglaonema Silver Bay should not be allowed to drop below 60°F. Aglaonema Silver Bay are NOT cold tolerant plants.
To keep your Aglaonema Silver Bay plant full and bushy, remove some of the new leaves as they appear. Do this by firmly grasping the stem the new leaf grows from and hold the new leaf near its base and gently pull. It should come out entirely and this is preferred.
There are a few problems you may encounter with this plant. Aglaonema Silver Bay is prone to stem rot and root rot if over-watered. This is especially true if your Aglaonema is in low light. The light your plant receives is one of the biggest factors in determining the watering of your Aglaonema Silver Bay.
Mealybugs are one of the insect problems that you may have with Aglaonema Silver Bay. An oval-shaped, somewhat flattened body and six legs distinguish this insect, although they can appear to have more legs because of their “antennae” and “tails”.
They also have a fringe around the body. A waxy, protective substance covers the body of adults and egg sacs giving them a cottony appearance. Normally mealybugs are found in hidden areas, undersides of the leaves or in the leaf axil. They also excrete a sticky substance called honeydew. Keep an eye out for this pest, especially when you first bring a new plant home from the store or nursery. Here is a picture of mealybugs on indoor plants.
Apply to top and lower leaf, stems of your house plants, being careful not to saturate the soil. You can clean by hand or use a spray bottle to apply your house plant cleaning solution. I use a sponge moistened with my cleaning solution to gently wipe the top and lower leaf surfaces. Cleaning of your houseplants should be a regular part of your houseplant care.
Do not apply anything to the leaves of your plant while it is in the sun or when the soil is dry. Water your houseplant first and then move to a shady location.
How to Prune Your Aglaonema
When your Aglaonema Silver Bay plant gets leggy and has lost many lower leaves, you can prune back the stem above a leaf node. Cut a few inches above the soil level and the stem will put out some new shoots from the side of the stalk. Be patient, it will take some time to grow a new shoot.
You can root the cutting in moist sand, using rooting hormone. Plant in potting media when the roots are a few inches long. You may need to support cutting with a small stake until the roots can do the job alone.
Houseplant Care Questions?
You can send a house plant question, free of charge, no sign ups required!
Thanks for visiting and come back soon as information on indoor plants, pictures and more are being added all of the time. I hope that your indoor tropical house plants and all of your plants and flowers are happy, green and growing because that is why I started this site, PlantAndFlowerInfo.com.
Philodendron has been in use as an indoor plant since Victorian times and is still a popular houseplant today. I have included it on my best indoor houseplants list because of its tolerance of lower light and ease of care.
While there are many different types of Philodendron, the most commonly seen and used indoors is the Philodendron Cordatum, sometimes called Sweetheart Vine or Heart Leaf Philodendron.
Philodendron Cordatum houseplant has heart-shaped, green leaves that are typically about 2-3 inches across although they can grow much larger outdoors. A trailing or a climbing plant, Philodendron Cordatum is the Philodendron variety most often used as an indoor houseplant.
Philodendron Cordatum Houseplant
Philodendron Cordatum houseplant is one of the vining, climbing types of Philodendron and is ideally used as a hanging plant or table plant. The small size of the Philodendron Cordatum also make it perfect for planting in dish gardens or terrariums.
How To Water Philodendron Cordatum
Philodendron Cordatum should be allowed to dry down almost completely in low to medium light but not to point of wilting. In bright light, allow soil to dry down at least 1/2 to 3/4 of its depth. Please see the sections on watering and lighting for your indoor plants, as these most affect your houseplants health and growth.
Other Care Ideas
Philodendron Cordatum will do best if placed in very bright, indirect light. Keep out of direct sun, bright diffused light is preferable. Most philodendrons plants will survive in lower light but, as with most other plants, will becomes leggy under lower light conditions. Additional light from a fluorescent light is suitable if available.
Philodendron Cordatum should be kept at temperatures between 65°F and 80°F, so normal home temperatures suit it well. While it will do well in normal home conditions, Philodendron Cordatum will benefit from having additional humidity. You can provide extra humidity by placing on humidity trays or grouping with other house plants.
Philodendron Cordatum is a trailing plant but can develop aerial roots and attach itself to wood, walls etc. and climb. This is most likely if there is an abundance of humidity in the air. It is a fairly fast growing plant if cared for correctly.
To keep it full, cut back the longest of your Philodendron Cordatum plant’s vines occasionally to encourage new growth. Remove any leaves that become discolored or faded. If you are watering properly and the light is good, you should get some side shoots to help keep your plant full.
Apply to top and lower leaf and stem surfaces of your houseplants, being careful not to saturate the soil. You can clean by hand or use a spray bottle to apply your houseplant cleaning solution. I use a sponge moistened with my cleaning solution to gently wipe the top and lower leaf surfaces. Cleaning of your houseplants should be a regular part of your houseplant care.
Never apply anything to the foliage of your plant while it is in the sun or when the soil is dry. Water first and move to a shady location. I hope this has been helpful as you care for your Philodendron Cordatum houseplant and that all of your flowers and plants are healthy and growing well.
Questions About Philodendron Cordatum?
If you have questions about your indoor plants, you can send an indoor houseplant question. You might also want to visit the PlantAndFlowerInfo.com Facebook Page, a great place to find a compilation of plant, flower, gardening and landscape information, trivia and even humor! Thanks for visiting…
The Peace Lily houseplant, or Spathiphyllum, is one of the most common indoor houseplants as they are often given as flowering gift plants. Peace lily is one of the few indoor plants that may continue to produce flowers, even under the light conditions available in most homes.
The Peace Lily plant can be anywhere from 12 inches tall to over 5 feet tall, depending on the variety. It has an upright, clumping growth and, with the right care, will produce white flowers, or spathes, throughout much of the year. Additionally, when not in bloom, the Peace Lily makes a fantastic foliage plant and is an easy to care for indoor houseplant.
I have included the Peace Lily plant in my list of the best indoor houseplants and the Peace Lily is a great plant for indoor use. Peace Lily often requires a little more attention than other houseplants on my list and it is prone to dramatic wilting if the soil is allowed to become too dry.
Peace Lily Houseplant
Place Peace Lily in the brightest, indirect light you have available. It should not be positioned in hot, direct sunlight for extended periods of time as your Peace Lily will most likely fade and scorch. Some morning sun would not be harmful and provide bright light throughout the rest of the day.
The more light you can provide the Peace Lily the more likely it is to continue flowering. You can keep a Peace Lily in lower light but it will require less frequent watering and it will also be unlikely to flower much, if it flowers at all.
To help keep your Peace Lily flowering, keep it a bit pot bound. Removing older foliage and flowers as they begin to fade is also beneficial. Occasionally allowing it to dry out almost completely is going to help keep the root system and the plant healthy. A healthy plant is going to produce more new growth, including flowers.
An occasional application of water soluble plant food will also aid in flower production. Use sparingly as it is easy to damage a plant, especially a potted plant, with too much fertilizer. Never apply fertilizer to a dry plant, always water first then feed. I always use less than recommended amounts.
How to Water Peace Lily
Peace Lily plant should be watered thoroughly and then allowed to dry down at least 1/4 to 1/2 of the soil depth. Do not allow to dry completely. It will wilt dramatically if allowed to do so. Keep your Peace Lily’s potting mix more moist in the spring and summer, allowing to dry somewhat more in the fall and winter. Please see the sections on watering and lighting for important care information.
Other Care Ideas for Peace Lily Houseplant
Remove flowers from your Peace Lily as they begin to discolor, fade or spot. The older leaves of the Peace Lily tend to yellow and get black or brown tips over time, so I make it a habit to remove a few of these older leaves every month. Removing older growth on most plants will help promote new growth and will help keep your plant pretty, green and gorgeous. Keep the wide leaves clean and dust free by wiping them gently with a dry cloth.
Removing the pollen producing spike in the center of the flower will prolong flowering. It will also eliminate the messy pollen that would otherwise fall. This is one of the few flowers that makes me sneeze and I am not allergic to anything else. So if you have allergic reactions, you should cut this part of the flower out before it begins to release pollen.
White Flower, or Spathe, on Peace Lily Houseplant
Like any other plant, the Peace Lily can have insect problems. I have seen them with fungus gnats, mealybugs, mites, scale, thrips, aphids and white fly. A mild solution of water and dish soap to wash off the pests should be effective. You can even put your houseplant in the shower and wash it off.
It is a good idea to quarantine any new additions to your house plant family for a few weeks just to be sure there are not any insects that were not noticed at first. Wash down your new house plant with a mixture of water and mild dish detergent. I like to add a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil or Orange essential oil to my houseplant cleaning solution. Just my preference, and the citrus and Eucalyptus oil may help to repel insects.
Apply to top and lower leaf and stem surfaces of your houseplants, being careful not to saturate the soil. You can clean by hand or use a spray bottle to apply your houseplant cleaning solution to the leaves of your Peace Lily plant. I use a sponge moistened with my cleaning solution to gently wipe the top and lower leaf surfaces. Cleaning of your houseplants should be a regular part of your houseplant care.
Philodendron has been in use as a houseplant since Victorian times and is still a very popular indoor plant today. Most commonly seen is the Philodendron Cordatum, sometimes called Sweetheart Plant. A long-time favorite, it has heart-shaped, green leaves that will trail off the edge of a shelf or climb, using its aerial roots.
Philodendron Silver is similar to the Philodendron Cordatum but has thicker, smaller leaves with a margin of silver. The leaf surface of this lovely foliage houseplant is splashed with silver markings. One of the vining, climbing types of philodendron, the Philodendron Silver and can be used as a hanging plant or table plant. Its small size also makes it ideal for planting in dish gardens or terrariums.
Philodendron Silver Houseplant
Houseplant questions or problems? You can send a Philodendron Silver houseplant care question, free of charge, with no sign-ups required!
Place your Philodendron Silver in medium to bright, indirect lighting. Keep out of direct sun, bright diffused light for your Philodendron Silver is preferable. Philodendrons will survive in lower light but, as with most other houseplants, will becomes leggy and thin under lower light conditions. Additional light from a fluorescent light is beneficial, if available. Temperatures for Philodendron Silver should be kept between 65°F and 80°F.
Philodendron Silver is a trailing plant and will often develop aerial roots and attach itself to wood, walls etc. and climb. This is most likely if there is an abundance of humidity in the air. It is a fairly fast-growing plant if cared for correctly.
Philodendron Silver Plant Watering
In bright, indirect light, water your Philodendron Silver when the soil has dried down about half the depth of the grow pot. Houseplants will not do well if kept too moist for a long period of time. Be sure not to overwater. In low light, allow to dry completely before watering. Please see the sections on watering your indoor plants and lighting for your indoor houseplants for information on the most important part of your houseplant’s health.
Other Philodendron Silver Care
Help keep your Philodendron Silver houseplant full by cutting back the longest of its vines occasionally to encourage new growth. Remove any leaves that become discolored or faded. If you are watering properly and the light is good, you should get some side shoots to help keep your house plant’s foliage full.
Philodendron Silver houseplant is, for the most part, trouble-free but the most common problem would be mealy bugs. These insects can damage your plant and should only be a problem on a new plant or if your plant has been exposed to another plant with mealy bugs. Be sure to check plants before you buy them for any apparent problems.
It is a good idea to quarantine any new additions to your house plant family for a few weeks just to be sure there are not any insects that were not noticed at first. Wash down your new house plant with a mixture of water and mild dish detergent. I like to add a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil or Orange essential oil to my plant cleaning solution.
Apply to top and lower leaf and stem surfaces being careful not to saturate the soil. You can clean by hand or use a spray bottle to apply your plant cleaning solution. I use a sponge moistened with my cleaning solution to gently wipe the top and lower leaf surfaces. Cleaning of your house plants should be a regular part of your houseplant care. Read more about basic care for all of your houseplants.
Thanks for visiting and come back soon as information on houseplants, pictures and more are being added all of the time. I hope this has been helpful in the care of your Philodendron Silver plant and that all of your indoor tropical plants and all of your plants and flowers are happy, green, and growing because that is why I started this site PlantAndFlowerInfo.com.
Hi Plant and Flower People! I started my first job in the interior landscape industry in 1986. The main job in that industry is directly taking care of indoor, tropical plants. I have also done sales, installation, management, and warehouse/greenhouse work. That has been my full time employment for most of the years since 1986. In other words, my experience with indoor houseplants is hands on. I have cared for thousands of houseplants over the past 3+ decades.
Because I also have an interest in websites, build and design, I have taught myself some html, css and other related things. Since I have a website about indoor houseplant care, especially for beginners, I am curious as to what type of information is out on the internet about houseplant care.
I hate to find out that the Google search for “houseplant care” brings up as the top result a website that is giving out information that just is NOT accurate. In other words, made up or just plain false.
The “snippet” tells you that a houseplant is in “high light” if it gets any type of light for more than six hours a day. That is nonsense. The term high light (or medium or low light) is the intensity of the light, measured in foot candles or lumens, not the length of time the plant receives light. That would be called the day length or photoperiod. So the author is just making stuff up.
Be wary of following some of the information that you find on the internet. I know that most people assume that the top results in a search are the best information. Obviously not always true, the person running that site says he drinks beer and writes. That tells you a lot right there.
If you have a difficult time with your houseplants, the Snake plant is the plant for you. This plant is great for a medium to high light situation and will do well with minimal attention.
The Sanseveria Laurentii is the most common variety of Snake Plant, with a broad, yellow edge on the thick, sword shaped leaves. The center of the leaf is cross-banded with pale markings. There are different varieties of Snake Plants with shorter, wider leaves, some with thin, long leaves and many with varied color combinations.
Snake Plant is great for cleaning the air, converting carbon dioxide to oxygen during the night and is often recommended as a houseplant for use in the bedroom.
Watering Your Snake Plant
Watering Snake Plant – Snake Plant has rhizomes that store water, so stay more to the dry side with this plant. In low to medium light, allow pot media to dry down 3/4 of the way or more. In higher lighting, allow to dry down 1/2 to 3/4 of the pot depth. You may need some type of soil probe or moisture meter in a really full plant to check for water needs.
When you do water your Snake Plant it is best that you do not pour the water in the leaf rosette as it may cause them to rot. Water the soil only and use room temperature water.
Other Snake Plant Care
Snake Plant is a durable plant and high light is best to keep the foliage full. It will survive in lower light provided it is allowed to dry but will become thin and leggy over time. Temperatures should be kept above 50°F.
Snake plant has upright growth and a shallow root system and is best kept somewhat pot bound. It has thick rhizomes that store water for a long time. While you may be able to keep a Snake Plant that is in high-light slightly moist, in low light the roots will rot and the leaves will turn mushy and smelly. Low light will also lead to a thin, weak plant. You should err on the side of less water with this house plant. In winter months, you can allow to dry completely.
Snake Plant can be found in different sizes and colors. Some are shorter, with a rosette type of growth such as the Sansevieria ‘Hahnii’. Sansevieria ‘Superba’ is somewhat larger but with wider leaves than the taller varieties. The Sansevieria ‘Laurentii’ is the most common coloration. Snake Plant can be found with pale silver-green foliage as with Sansevieria ‘Moonshine’. The ‘Black Gold’ has a dark leaf center, almost black, with a gold leaf edge. The Sansevieria ‘Zeylanica’ is more of a light silver-green with darker cross bands or mottling of the leaf.
Snake Plant – Sansevieria Laurentii
With the different growth types and unusual and beautiful colors, the Snake Plant has something for everyone who enjoys indoor tropical plants. And they are easy care, too! Keep your Snake Plant pot bound, don’t over water and place them in adequate light and they should be relatively trouble free.
If your Snake Plant does become root bound you can remove it from the grow pot and divide the plant to make smaller individual plants. Make sure when you do divide your Snake Plant that you plant the smaller plants into pots that fit them. Remember, Snake Plant is better pot bound. You can often place a cut leaf into moist sand or rooting media and get it to root and start a new plant that way. Have fun with your Snake plant.
While Snake Plant is usually about 2 to 3 feet tall, I have seen them at a height of 5 feet or more. This was a Snake Plant potted in a 14″ diameter grow pot in a very good light situation. It is unusual to see them that size indoors but it is possible to grow them that large.
Thanks for visiting and come back soon as indoor house plant care information, pictures and more are being added all of the time. I hope that your tropical indoor house plants and all of your plants and flowers are happy, green and growing because that is why I started this site PlantAndFlowerInfo.com.
Do you have indoor house plants that you would like to identify? There are many indoor plants that we use to grow indoors. Some of those houseplants are only available at a greenhouse or from a tropical houseplant grower but some of them are sold at your local home improvement store or local grocery store.
There are a few houseplants that most people have had if they ever tried to keep and grow an indoor potted houseplant. Pothos is a very common indoor plant and I see them everywhere as I am out taking care of plants in commercial interior landscape accounts. Peace Lily is another plant that many people have in their home or office.
If you have an indoor house plant that you would like to learn the name of and how to care for it, I have created a page on my website that shows pictures of the most common indoor houseplants for identification, their names and links to care pages for each plant.
