In the evening, if you look at the beautiful Prayer Plant, you’ll get a clue as to how this hardy native of Central and South America came by its name. Each night the plant’s leaves close together, resembling hands folded in prayer.

Prayer plants are relatively easy to grow, but have a few specific items you want to look out for – including susceptibility to some common houseplant pests.

Caring for Your Prayer Plant

• Prayer Plants will tolerate low light conditions, but if you really want to see it thrive, give it bright, indirect light.
• This is a plant of the Central and South American tropics, which means it likes its humidity. Keep its soil moist but not soggy and give it a spritz with a mister a couple of times a week.
• It’s also a bit of a foodie, so satisfy its hunger with an all-purpose fertilizer every couple of weeks during its main growing time from spring through fall.
• In winter, you can stop fertilizing and let the soil dry out a bit as it will be dormant, but it still needs some misting to keep it happy. In fact, you might want to do it every day given how dry our heated homes can get.
• Prayer plants are easy to propagate through division or stem clippings during the spring. If part of your plant breaks off, dip it in some rooting hormone and place in distilled water. Change the water daily and when the roots are about an inch long, you can replant it.
• Unfortunately, Prayer Plants are prone to things like spider mites, mealybugs and aphids, so it’s a good idea to check on your houseplant for pests during watering and feeding intervals.

When we think of Sansevieria, we typically envision the plant popularly known as the “snake plant” with long slender leaves that are typically edged in green-gray or yellow.

But there is a rarer version of the species that is arguably even more striking. The “whale fin” or Sansevieria Masoniana takes its name from the wide, paddle-like leaves. Typically dark green with lighter mottling, these leaves can grow to a whopping four feet long by 10 inches wide. 

If grown in bright conditions, this plant will form a stalk of white flower clusters as well.

We say “if” because, like its snake plant cousin, the whale fin will tolerate a wide range of lighting conditions. Also like the snake plant, this is another easy to care for plant that is great for beginners.

CARING FOR YOUR SANSEVIERIA

• Allow soil to dry between watering and be careful to not overwater. The foliage will “pucker” when the plant is thirsty.
• Try to avoid getting leaves wet when you water.
• While they prefer bright indirect light, these plants are tolerant of a variety of light conditions – including florescent-only lighting!

We know what you are thinking – how could nature make a philodendron even better? It’s already an amazingly easy plant to grow, with lots of variations like split leaf, Swiss Cheese and Brasil.

But the Xanadu, also known as the “Winterbourn” philodendron might just exceed your expectations. It’s doesn’t require support as it isn’t a vining philodendron. It’s compact while visually striking. And, like most of us, it gets better as it gets older.

Originally, the leaves of a Xanadu start out like most philodendron (see picture above). As you plant gets older, however, these leaves start to create separate lobes, ultimately becoming more spikey and exotic in appearance, like this:

When mature, each shiny leaf will have about 15 or so lobes, and those leaves can grow to 16 inches long and 12 inches wide!

One note of caution, however: make sure these plants are someplace where your pets can get to them, as they can be toxic to dogs and cats.

Caring for your Xanadu Philodendron

Light: This plant prefers a little more light than most philodendrons in order to maintain its compact growth habit. Too little sun and the stems will elongate as it tries to reach more light. Too much direct sun will burn the leaves. Bright, indirect light is your best bet.

Water: Water thoroughly with good drainage and then allow about half of the soil to dry out before watering again. The leaves will yellow if it is too wet.

Humidity: A native of Brazil, this plant likes it’s humidity, but it’s tolerant of average indoor humidity.

Fertilizing: Use a well-balanced plant food (one that includes all the major macro- and micro-nutrients) monthly during the spring and fall and every other week in the summer. Do not feed in the winter.

Often called the “wax” plant because of its waxy leaves and star-shaped flowers, the Hoya is one of those plants that does better in bright, natural light. It will survive in medium and even low-light as well, but like most flowering houseplants, the more light it gets, the more blooms it will produce.

Caring for Your Hoya

This is a pretty easy going plant, but there are some basics.

• Your hoya would prefer being too dry instead of too wet. Water it when the potting mix dries out and make sure not to overwater as that will cause root rot.
• Although technically not a succulent, those thick leaves and stems do store water, so it will forgive you if you miss a watering.
• The plant doesn’t require fertilizer, but you can use any general purpose houseplant fertilizer to get it to bloom better. (Warner’s has several good options.) Just follow the directions on the packaging. 

We love the Zamioculcas zamiifolia (say that three times fast), better known as the ZZ, and right now we have one of the rarer versions of this plant – the Black Raven, with glossy black leaves.

Despite it’s exotic looks, the Raven is a relatively easy plant to take care of.

This is one of the most forgiving plants you’ll find in our nursery. Miss a watering (or three) and it still shows off it’s glossy, feathery wings as its rhizomes hold a lot of water. It’s not particular about soil; anything that drains well will do.

It’s not even fussy about light, which makes it very popular in places where there’s little natural light, like an office cubicle, or cities where most days are overcast. (Although truthfully it thrives best in bright indirect light.)

It also has no identified pest or disease problems.

No wonder this beauty is the star of so many Instagram posts!

In the rainf‌orest, the Ric Rac Cactus lives on tree trunks as an epiphyte, its dramatic serrated leaves cascading down. But much like bromeliads, orchids and air plants that hail from the tropics, it’s possible to successfully cultivate a Ric Rac Cactus in your home.

The name comes from the zig zag decorative trim that you often see on curtains and clothing. In fact one of the other popular names for this plant is the “zig zag cactus” and also the “fishbone cactus.”

Because its distinctive leaves cascade beautifully, this plant looks fabulous in a hanging basket. 

Caring for your Ric Rac Cactus
Your Ric Rac needs porous soil. Warner’s has a mix designated for cacti that you can purchase, or make your own with a mix of three parts potting soil to one part pumice.

This cactus loves a warm spot, but protect it from direct sun rays which can burn the beautiful leaves. 

Because it is a tropical plant, the Ric Rac likes a little more humidity than your typical cactus. It should grow in average household conditions. It can tolerate drought, but to keep your Ric Rac in tip top shape, make sure it gets a drink when the top inch of soil dries out.

Give it some food once a week during the spring and summer growing months and then cut back during the winter. A liquid fertilizer similar to one for orchids works well. 

If the leaves get very long, you might want to give your Ric Rac a trim, but be careful! This is a cactus and it has some small (but sharp) thorns.

A hardy houseplant with uniquely shaped leaves, the Arrowhead plant is actually a vine, although you won’t see that early on since it grows very slowly. It works well as a hanging plant or in a standing pot and is also very easy to maintain.

Not only that, an established and healthy plant is easy to propagate with cuttings.

So what is the Arrowhead (also known as a Nyphthytis) looking for in its home?

• Let your plant dry out between waterings. 
• It likes a little humidity, particularly in the winter, so misting the plant daily or placing it on a pebble tray will help it thrive.
• Make sure its soil drains well (if it’s too wet, it will lead to root rot).
• Make sure your lighting is right. Arrowheads actually come in different shades and while green leaves will enjoy low or medium light, plants with pink or white leaves want bright, indirect light.
• In either case do not place directly in the sun, which can bleach out the leaves.

Variegated leaves in a strong greens, yellows, reds, orange, creams and pinks are the calling card of Codiaeum variegatum or the Croton plant. In more tropical areas, these beauties are grown outdoors, but they are also popular as lovely houseplants.

Here’s the first thing you need to know about these plants: They are finicky about being moved. So if you take home your plant and find that it loses a bunch of its leaves within a few days, don’t panic. It’s not that it’s a bad plant or you somehow “failed” it. Basically, it’s gone into shock. It will recover pretty quickly with some regular plant care – the right amount of light, proper watering and good soil.

Caring for your Croton

So let’s talk about lighting first. In general, Crotons like a sunny location; lack of sufficient light can even cause new leaves to be less colorful! But there’s a wide range of Crotons, so be sure to check the specific lighting needs of the variety you purchase.

Crotons also like their humidity; they are, after all, a tropical plant. A pebble tray or regular misting will keep your plant looking good.

Crotons should only be watered only when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Then, they should be watered until the water flows out the bottom of the container. They like to dry out between waterings, so a soil with good drainage is a must.

The plant should also be kept away from drafts and cold, as it cannot tolerate temperatures below 60 degrees.

Often called the mini Monstera because of its resemblance to the Monstera deliciosa, the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is having its moment in the sun as the “it” plant trending on social media with its peek-a-boo leaves.

Well, maybe not fully in the sun; just like Monstera and Philodendron, this plant doesn’t like direct sunlight. It flourishes when it has dappled, filtered light. An east-facing room where it can catch the morning rays and be in shade the rest of the day would be perfect. 

Rhaphidophora likes to be moist but not waterlogged, which – as in so many cases of overwatering – will cause root rot. On the other hand, don’t wait so long to water that it dries out. Check that the top part of the plant’s soil has dried out; water it until you see water draining from the bottom and empty its tray to prevent the plant from standing in water.

One special item you might want to get for your Rhaphidophora is a sturdy climbing support as it does like to climb.