Ficus trees are great house plants and very easy to care for after the initial trauma of being moved to a new location. They have a tendency to drop all of their pretty green leaves on the floor when you first bring them home as they seem to despise moving to a new environment. This is the Ficus benjamina or Weeping Fig.

This type of Ficus tree is notorious for being difficult to acclimate to a new environment. In fact, I would have included it on the list of best house plants if it were not for the problems many people have bringing a Ficus tree successfully through its transition to a new home.

Even those that work in the interior landscape business know the trouble that a new Ficus tree can be. However, on the positive side, if you know that it will most likely happen (some Ficus trees barely lose a leaf), you may be a little more prepared to deal with it when it does happen.

I find that most indoor plants are very adaptable as long as changes are made slowly, whether it is a change in location, lighting, or watering. This even applies to the Ficus tree. Ficus trees are often difficult to acclimate because they are quite sensitive to environmental changes and will often react by dropping most of their still green leaves quite suddenly.

Read more about the Weeping Fig Tree or Ficus benjamina acclimation and plant care…

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!

I receive a small commission for any completed sale and that is how I keep my site running! Thanks for visiting the website. Find some great plants and flowering plants to send as a gift…

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!

Read more about Asplenium nidus, also known as the Birds Nest Fern…

Dracaena Marginata is one of my favorite house plants. That might be because it is one of the first large indoor plants that I ever owned. I was caring for indoor plants at the huge Xerox Research Center in Palo Alto, California. A 6 foot tall Dracaena Marginata in lower light that was getting a little leggy and it was decided with my contact person, Gary, that it would be replaced with a brand new plant.

He did not want to keep the old Marginata plant and told me that if I wanted it, I should take it home. That is exactly what I did! Planted in a fairly large terra cotta clay pot, the Marginata did quite well at my house. It was placed next to a large sliding glass door in bright, indirect light. Ever since that time, Marginata has been one of my favorite house plants.

Dracaena Marginata plants are really easy to care for once you know how. And they are very beautiful and graceful plants when they are grown in the home. You can let them grow large or easily keep them at the size you want them by pruning back the stalks or “canes” every once in a while.

Read more about Dracaena marginata indoor plants and their care…

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!

Syngonium houseplant is a native plant of tropical Central and South America. Syngonium podophyllum is also known as Nephthytis plant. Other common names for the Syngonium plant are Arrowhead plant, Elephant Ear plant, Butterfly plant and Goosefoot plant. You can find Syngonium with an all green leaf, green and white leaf, a pale, almost white leaf, and a pink leaf. There are a couple of pictures of Syngonium plant leaves below.

If kept in a moist, humid environment Syngonium will produce aerial roots that may attach to surfaces much like a Pothos plant or Philodendron Cordatum plant. These aerial roots can also be set into the soil resulting in a nice ground cover plant. Use Syngonium in a terrarium, as a table plant, hanging plant, or a climbing houseplant.

Watering Syngonium

The soil of your Syngonium houseplant can be kept somewhat moist during spring and summer, allowing only the top inch or two of soil to dry. There should be a reduction in watering your Syngonium during fall and winter months, allowing the soil to almost dry. Do not allow to dry completely but also avoid constantly soggy soil. See sections on watering your indoor plants and indoor houseplant lighting for further information that will benefit the health of your houseplants.

Other Care for Syngonium

Bright light and high humidity will be beneficial to the Syngonium plant. It will become thin, weak, and leggy in low light so a spot next to a window with bright, indirect light is ideal. Some morning sun is okay but keep out of hot, afternoon sun.

Temperatures for Syngonium should be kept above 60°F. The Syngonium is not a plant to expose to cold temperatures.

Regular showers with room temperature water are great for Syngonium, helping to discourage insects. Water evaporates quickly from the leaves of plants so it is not very effective as a way to increase humidity in the long term.

A new plant can be somewhat prone to insect problems. I have seen Syngonium with mites, mealybugs, and thrips. Purchase healthy, insect-free plants to avoid these pesky problems. Always inspect plant roots and foliage before you buy. Distorted foliage, spots, or holes in leaves, brown soggy roots should all be avoided when purchasing a new indoor house plant.

To keep your Syngonium happy and pest free, use a spray bottle to wash down weekly with water, making sure to hit the underside of the leaves. This will discourage insects and help keep your Syngonium plants leaves free of dust.

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 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 house plant care.

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 houseplants and all of your plants and flowers are happy, green and growing because that is why I started this site PlantAndFlowerInfo.com.

If you have questions about the care of your houseplants, you can send an indoor house plant question. 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 again…

Indoor House Plants Care

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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.

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!

Before you send a question, please read this page and further information on watering your indoor houseplants, how to help keep your house plant’s root system healthy and lighting for your houseplants. These are most important for your house plant’s health and this is some of the information I may refer you to if you send an email.

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.

Indoor House Plants Care

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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 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…

Indoor House Plants Care

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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.

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.

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.

Peace Lily Houseplant Question?

Peace Lily houseplant care questions or problems? You can send a houseplant question but before you do, please read this information on watering your indoor houseplants, how to help keep your house plant’s root system healthy and lighting for your houseplants. These are most important for your houseplant’s health and this is some of the information I will refer you to if you send an email.

If you have questions about your indoor houseplants, you can send an indoor house plant question and be sure to visit the PlantAndFlowerInfo.com Facebook Page, a great place to find a compilation of plant, flower, gardening, growing, and landscape information, trivia and even humor! Thanks for visiting PlantAndFlowerInfo.com – Happy gardening and growing!

Indoor House Plants Care

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