AIR PLANTS
Tillandsia species
Though they’re called air plants and they do seem to literally live on air, these unique plants need more than air to survive. They don’t grow in soil like most plants. Instead, they usually call some other object home, such as a tree branch or even a telephone wire. But they have essentially the same needs as terrestrial plants—light, air, and a place to anchor themselves. And perhaps most importantly, air plants need water. If you drive through warm, tropical climates, you’ll observe air plants growing just about everywhere. Did you know the Spanish moss often draped over tree branches in these places is actually a type of tillandsia?
When air plants live inside our homes, they need very specific care. First, tillandsias need bright light. A good rule of thumb is if the air plant is silver in color, it needs more light and can be watered less often. If the air plant has green, thin leaves, it needs water more often and can be in a lower-light situation, yet a medium to bright location is still needed. These plants cannot live only on air. They need to be soaked thoroughly on a regular basis.
Misting them in between thorough soakings is beneficial, but misting should never be an air plant’s primary form of receiving moisture. If your plants have good light, they should be soaked once a week. Completely submerge them in water for 30 to 60 minutes. It won’t hurt them if they are in the water longer. After soaking, remove from the water, give them a good shake to remove the excess, and let them dry upside down. Species like Tillandsia xerographica, T. tomentosa, and other silver ones do not get soaked as often. I only water those every 2 to 3 weeks. After your plants are dry, return them to their growing areas.
MEDICINE PLANT, BURN PLANT
Aloe vera (Barbadensis)
Have you ever had a burn from the sun or a hot stove? You probably have. That’s why keeping a burn plant, or aloe vera, in the house is a good idea. The sap inside the leaves soothes burns and is used in many creams and beauty products. Though it has small spines on the edges of the leaves, it’s not a cactus, but rather a succulent. The foliage of aloe vera sits on top of the growing medium and produces a lot of babies called offsets. Let these baby plants grow a few inches tall, and then you can cut them away from the mother plant and pot them up individually. They are perfect for sharing with friends and make great gifts.
Aloe vera can grow leaves up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall, and if it has enough light in your home, they may send up a flower stalk of yellow tubular-shaped flowers. These plants are pollinated by hummingbirds in their natural habitats. Grow them in a well-drained potting medium, letting it almost completely dry out between waterings. (I use the word “medium” in place of “soil” as, most times, indoor potting mixes contain no actual soil. However, the words “medium” and “soil” are interchangeable.) If you repot your aloe, make sure that you plant it at the same level it was originally. Because the leaves naturally sit on top of the soil line, if they’re planted too deeply, they may rot. These plants are easy to grow as long as they have bright light and are not overwatered.
FAIRY WASHBOARD
Haworthiopsis limifolia (syn. Haworthia limifolia)
This diminutive native African succulent plant is one of my favorites. Unlike most other succulents, it doesn’t need high light to thrive indoors. A medium to bright light is sufficient for Haworthiopsis. No bright south exposure? No problem. If your plant turns red instead of its normal green color, that’s an indication it’s receiving too much sun.
The common name of fairy washboard refers to the ridges on the leaves that resemble those of a tiny washboard. If you aren’t familiar with a washboard, it was a board with ridges on it that people used to scrub their clothes on before electric washers became a thing. The fairies, I’m sure, still use these. (They don’t have electricity, after all.) If you have an indoor fairy garden, this plant is a must! Fairy washboard plants are in the shape of a rosette, and as they get older, the leaves begin to grow in a slight spiral fashion. With enough light, it may send out a long flower stalk and produce small, bell-shaped, white flowers.
Use a well-drained cacti and succulent potting mix for this plant, and don’t let it stand in water. Water thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage hole and then allow the potting medium to become almost completely dry before watering it again. Eventually your plant may produce offsets or babies, which can be potted up and shared with friends.
GOLDFISH PLANT
Nematanthus gregarious
This cousin of the African violet is a beautiful plant in the gesneriad family. One would never guess there are family ties as the goldfish plant has small shiny leaves that in no way resemble the fuzzy ones of an African violet. Its diminutive orange flowers resemble small puffy goldfish, thus its endearing name. The cultivar ‘Tropicana’, with dark-orange stripes on the flowers, is worth looking for. The natural cascading properties of the goldfish plant make it perfect for hanging baskets, which is usually how it is sold. In its natural habitat in Brazil it grows on trees, clinging to branches as an epiphyte, with no soil at all.
Full sun isn’t needed, but to produce the “goldfish,” it does need bright light. An east- or west-facing window is optimal. If no flowers appear, move it into more light, as light is what encourages the plant to bloom.
Keep it evenly moist to eliminate leaf drop, which may happen if it becomes too dry. Like a violet, the root system isn’t large, so don’t overwater. Be sure to plant it in a fast-draining potting medium containing some peat moss, such as an African violet potting mix (more on potting soils in section 2). Goldfish plants are easily propagated from stem cuttings, which can be shared with others (see section 3 on how to take plant cuttings).
LUCKY BAMBOO
Dracaena sanderiana
Though called a bamboo, this plant is not a true bamboo at all, but it does resemble bamboo with the raised rings that are prominent on its stems. Lucky bamboo originates in southeast Asia and has been used in the practice of feng shui for thousands of years. It’s thought to bring good luck and happiness. Most often sold growing hydroponically (in water), it is easy to grow, adding to its popularity.
Lucky bamboo prefers medium to bright light. If grown hydroponically, change the water often. Using water without chlorine or fluoride is best, so if you have these chemicals in your water, use bottled water or rainwater. These plants can be found in different forms, including curly and braided. Buying them in these forms is easier than trying to do it yourself, but, if you want a challenge, try it. For curly, allow the plant to grow toward the light, turning the plant gradually so it will grow toward the light in the other direction. Keep turning it until it’s the shape you like. This will take patience. If you want to braid the stems, buy the stems when they are young and pliable and braid them as they grow.
You can also grow lucky bamboo in potting medium like any other houseplant. Choose a well-drained brand and make sure they never stand in water. That’s ironic, isn’t it? Especially after pointing out that they usually grow hydroponically. But, plants grown exclusively in water or exclusively in soil have different types of roots and thus need to be treated differently. If the tops of your stems turn yellow, cut below the yellow area, and the plant should resprout from the cut end. Don’t mistake the brown parts at the base of the leaves as a problem or a “yellowing” plant. Those are old leaf sheaths that protected the new leaves as they emerged. You can easily peel those off if you find them unsightly.
MONEY TREE
Pachira aquatica
Wouldn’t it be nice if a plant could grow money? You can own a money tree, but unfortunately, you shouldn’t expect any money to appear. As the word aquatica in the botanical name implies, this plant likes water; keep it moist. In its natural habitat in Mexico, it grows in freshwater swamps and along riverbanks. While it may grow in standing water in nature, don’t let it stand in water in your home, because it could end up with root rot.
Money trees may attain a height of up to 60 feet (18 m) in nature, but expect it to only reach 6 to 8 feet (about 2 m) in your home. Place this plant in bright light, such as an east or west window.
In nature, money trees produce flowers, which in turn become fruit. The fruit is eaten raw, roasted, or ground into flour. Unfortunately, however, it most likely will not produce flowers in your home.
The practice of feng shui utilizes the money tree to bring good luck. The five leaflets that form each compound leaf are thought to represent the elements: water, metal, wood, fire, and earth. It is most often sold in a braided form and can be found for purchase as a large-specimen floor plant. If your money tree develops yellow leaves, it may be suffering from low humidity. Place it on a pebble tray filled with water to raise the humidity around the plant (more on this technique in section 2). If it has brown crispy leaves, that may indicate it is too dry. Though it won’t bring you monetary gain, it’s a beautiful plant to grow in your home.
FRIENDSHIP PLANT
Pilea peperomioides
One of many endearing qualities of the friendship plant is the large number of small plantlets it produces. Because of this, it is easy to share with others, thus the friendship moniker. Who doesn’t want to be friends with someone who shares plants? The friendship plant’s perfectly round, flat leaves give it its other common name: the pancake plant. It may also be referred to as the money plant.
Pilea peperomioides is so popular, it has social media accounts dedicated exclusively to its photogenic qualities. Even better, this plant is easy to grow, as long as it has bright to medium light and is allowed to dry out a bit between waterings. Because of its succulent stem, petioles (leaf stalks), and leaves, it can be treated somewhat like you would treat a succulent plant.
The leaves of this plant like to turn quickly toward a light source. Because of this, turn the plant frequently to make sure it grows in a symmetrical fashion. This plant will produce babies on its stems, as well as in the soil around its base. If you decide to separate the babies, remove them carefully with a sharp knife. The roots are quite delicate, so cut the plantlets out of the potting medium rather than trying to pull them out. Place both types of baby plants in containers of moist potting medium. Alternatively, the plantlets on the stem can be left there, creating a multi-stemmed, fuller plant. This plant may reach 3 to 4 feet (about 1 m) tall and may require staking to remain upright.
PEACE LILY
Spathiphyllum
The white “flowers” the peace lily sends up are one of the reasons for its popularity. This plant does not need full sun to bloom, nor does it want to be in that much light. Instead it prefers a medium light. It may bloom continually when in the correct lighting situation.
You might assume the elliptical- shaped appendage cupped around the knobby spike is a flower, but it’s not. It’s a spathe, and the actual flower is the knobby spike in the center (called a spadix). Often you will see white dust on the leaves of your plant. You may panic, thinking there are bugs or a disease present, but don’t worry. The spadix produces white pollen, and sometimes it falls on the leaves. If that dusty look bothers you, wipe it off or leave the spathe and cut the spadix off. The spathe will give you the look of a flower, and the messy pollen-maker will be gone.
Peace lilies let you know when they need water by wilting over the side of the pot. The good thing is, unlike many other plants, it will perk back up soon after you give it water. Do not use this as an indicator of when to water, though. It works, but the consequences will be yellow leaves and brown tips if it happens too often. Instead, always keep your peace lily moist, but not standing in water.
PONYTAIL PALM, ELEPHANT FOOT, BOTTLE PONYTAIL
Beaucarnea recurvata
It’s a good thing we have Latin scientific names for plants, because they can have many common names, as is the case with Beaucarnea recurvata. Most often, though, it is known as the ponytail palm—even though it’s not a palm at all. If you’ve ever seen one, it will be obvious why the ponytail name was chosen. The long, strappy leaves start out very tight together where they come out of the stem. They look as if they are tied together with an elastic band.
The swollen bulbous stem (called a caudex) resembles the leg of an elephant, especially as the plant ages. This large stem stores water like a camel’s hump, and because of this feature, this plant doesn’t need to be watered often. In fact, a ponytail palm should not be watered until the potting medium is almost completely dry. It is a light-loving plant originating in parts of the southwestern United States. If it’s placed in a low-light situation, the usually thick, leathery leaves may become thin and floppy.
In its native habitat, a ponytail palm can reach up to 30 feet (9 m) tall! But inside, it will only reach a few feet (less than 1 m) in height, and this over many years as it’s a slow grower. Use a clay pot when planting ponytail palms; it allows evaporation of water through the walls of the pot, helping prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged.
POTHOS, DEVIL’S IVY
Epipremnum aureum
Are you trying to attain the “jungle look” with vines scrambling up your walls and around the windows? If so, pothos is the plant for you! This iconic houseplant has been climbing walls and framing windows for decades. It can live in full sun, yet also will do well in a low-light situation. In our homes it will remain in its juvenile form, never producing the enormous leaves with splits in them, not unlike their relative, the monstera plant. Most often, the plant you purchase will have yellow markings on the leaves. If it’s placed in too little light, the yellow markings will disappear on the new growth. If that happens, place it in a location with higher light, which will help new growth again display the yellow markings.
Pothos plants also come in bright green, dark green, and variegated white forms, so there are many to choose from. If you have a low-light situation, choose the non-variegated, dark-green form; the variegated forms need more light.
Keep this plant evenly moist. It is forgiving of occasional dry conditions but will develop yellowing leaves and may drop its oldest leaves, leaving bare stems behind. It is easy to keep the plant full by trimming the long stems back to the soil level. New shoots will arise from the cut stem, creating a fuller plant. Use a 4- to 6-inch (10- to 15-cm) piece cut off the end of the stem to propagate a new plant. This cutting can be planted on its own, planted back into the same container to keep the plant looking full, or shared with a friend (see section 3 for how to propagate plants via cuttings).
SHREK’S EARS, ET’S FINGERS, HOBBIT’S PIPE, TRUMPET JADE
Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’
This easy succulent will be a conversation piece in your plant collection. Depending on which movie you’ve seen, you may prefer to call it Shrek’s ears or ET’s fingers. It’s also said that the name Gollum came from Tolkien’s character from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Regardless of what you call it, this plant is a monstrose form of the original jade plant (Crassula ovata), which has flat leaves. Monstrose is the term used for funky forms of regular plants that come about through chance genetic mutations.
Shrek’s ears is an easy-to-care-for succulent, as long as it gets enough light. A bright south- or west-facing window is preferred. Because of its water-storing capabilities, it can survive for quite a while without water. If the leaves start to pucker, it needs water. Water thoroughly at that time but try not to let it get that dry again. Plant Shrek’s ears in a cactus/succulent potting mix to provide good drainage. Clay pots are a great choice for succulent plants as they are porous and excess water can evaporate out the sides of the pot. This plant could eventually grow up to 3 feet (91 cm) tall and 2 feet (61 cm) wide.
SNAKE PLANT
Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Bantel’s Sensation’
It may surprise you to know that the snake plant has received a lot of bad press in the past. Surprising because this plant has become a collectible, with new cultivars being created all the time. It also has the common name mother-in-law’s tongue because of the sharp edges of its leaves, which doesn't paint mothers-in-law in a good light. The snake plant is commonly used as a low-light plant, though it can often be found perishing in dark corners. While these African succulents will survive in low light for a few years, they much prefer high light. In enough light they may even send out bloom stalks, and their strong underground stems (rhizomes) may grow so zealously that they break the container they are growing in!
Snake plants are thick-leaved succulents. They’re quite drought tolerant and don’t want to be kept in a wet potting medium. If you feel it may need moisture but are not sure, err on the dry side to be safe.
Propagate your snake plant by cutting a single leaf in 2-inch (5-cm) increments and planting each piece in moist potting soil, first allowing the cut end(s) to callus over for a few days. (Please note: Bantel’s Sensation [shown] will not grow with the variegation from propagated leaves as it is a chimera plant. Dividing the plant is best.) A baby snake plant will appear as long as you make sure to plant the bottom side of the leaf in the medium. Your snake plant can also be propagated from offsets, separating the baby plants that will rise from the potting medium. You will need a knife to cut through the rhizomes.
SPIDER PLANT, AIRPLANE PLANT
Chlorophytum comosum
Many people have sentimental feelings toward the ubiquitous spider plant. Perhaps your mother or grandmother had one in her window. Some describe the dangling plantlets as “spiders,” while others call them “airplanes.” Both evoke pictures of plants in the air, whether soaring like planes or swinging from silken threads like a spider. However they are described, the appendages are captivating, adding movement to the plant. They are exceptional hanging plants, but also make a great “hairdo” for a face-shaped pot.
There are variegated and plain green forms, and both need medium to bright light or the leaves will stretch, become weak, and flop over. If they receive enough light, they will produce diminutive white flowers and multiple runners with baby plantlets.
Keep your spider plant evenly moist and the humidity high to prevent brown tips on the leaves. Fertilizer salt buildup or fluoride in municipal water sources can also cause brown leaf tips. Trim the brown ends when they develop, and remedy the situation causing them.
Spider plants have fleshy, tuberous roots that quickly fill the pot. They may distort a plastic pot or even push the plant up out of the container. When this happens, up-pot your plant to the next size container.
To propagate your spider plant, remove the baby plantlets and place them in soil or water, roots down. You may also leave the plantlet on the runner attached to the mother plant, pin it to another container of moist soil with a piece of bent wire or a paper clip, and allow it to root while still receiving water and nutrients from its mom. After it begins to grow, cut it off the stem that attached it to its mother.
SWISS CHEESE PLANT, FRUIT SALAD PLANT
Monstera deliciosa
Imagine a plant so popular it has taken over social media one day a week. This is the plant that #MonsteraMonday is all about! Its lesser-known name of fruit salad plant refers to its fruit, which tastes like a cross between a pineapple and a banana. The unripe fruit is not edible, though, and may cause mouth and throat irritation if ingested.
This large plant was a fixture of mid-century modern decorating, and the lofty ceilings and open floor plans popular today have allowed this plant to come back into vogue. The enormous fenestrated (hole-filled) leaves are unique, and the holes help the plants cope with the strong winds and large amounts of rain they receive in the jungles they call home. You may be confused when you buy your plant, because its juvenile form doesn’t always have split leaves, but they’ll appear as the plant ages.
For additional moisture, monsteras send out aerial roots that also help stabilize the plant. In our homes, these roots attach themselves to floors or walls and leave marks when removed, so watch for them and cut them off, or place them back into the container. As your monstera grows in size, you may find a trellis will be helpful to support your plant (see section 3 for a DIY wooden plant trellis project).
Monstera can tolerate low light but prefers medium to bright light. In their native habitat, they start life on the jungle floor and scramble along until they find a tree to cling to, climbing to the top for light.
Keep this plant evenly moist, letting it get quite dry before watering again. All you need to propagate a monstera is a leaf attached to a small piece of the stem. It can be rooted in water or in a container filled with moist potting medium.
VENUS FLYTRAP
Dionaea muscipula
These carnivorous plants have specialized parts that attract insects, and after capturing them, the plant digests the insect and uses the nutrients they provide. Why do they need to eat insects, you ask? They live in such poor soil conditions, they need to find nutrients another way.
The modified leaves of the Venus flytrap are like a large mouth with hairs on the edges. The mouth is often red inside and contains nectar glands that attract certain insects. There are small trigger hairs on the inside of the trap, and when an insect lands inside and touches the same hair twice within 20 seconds, the leaf snaps shut. The hairs on the edge of the mouth become like the bars of a prison, keeping the insect in. Immediately, the plant releases enzymes that begin to digest its prisoner.
Venus flytraps need bright light, high humidity, and a highly acidic potting mix containing mostly peat moss. Yes, they make their own food by means of photosynthesis, but the nutrients the insects provide help the plant grow better. If you can direct some flies their way, it’s helpful, but the plant will survive without them. Contrary to popular belief, Venus flytraps shouldn’t be fed hamburger or other raw meats because the plant does not release the digestive enzymes unless the food source is moving around.
These plants go dormant for about 5 months during the winter season. Throughout this natural dormancy period, they need to be in a cold place, just above freezing. A garage or an unheated room works perfectly. With a little bit of extra care and some insects to eat, these unusual plants will thrive.
ZZ PLANT, ZANZIBAR GEM
Zamioculcas zamiifolia
If you have a low-light area and everything you’ve tried growing dies, you haven’t tried the ZZ plant! This East African native plant sports glossy, dark-green leaves that make a strong architectural statement and lend a modern vibe to any room. The leaves are upright and made up of many leaflets on each rachis (stem of a compound leaf), the actual “stem” being the underground tuberous rhizomes, not unlike a snake plant. The rhizomes develop leaves on top and roots on the bottom.
An unusual attribute of this plant is that new plants can be grown from an individual leaflet. However, patience is needed. Just place one leaflet in moist potting medium or water. It can also be propagated from an entire stem or divided by cutting through the rhizomes to separate smaller plants from the larger one.
Though the ZZ can do well in low light, it prefers medium to bright light and can become quite a large plant.
Because of its large fleshy rhizomes, this plant is drought tolerant and doesn’t appreciate an overly wet potting soil. If it’s in a higher light situation, it will need more water, and if it becomes too dry, it will drop leaflets.
