The Ligustrum genus is part of the olive family of plants and has more than 50 evergreen and deciduous subspecies and cultivars with a diversity of leaf colors and forms. It’s an excellent choice for gardeners who are new to cultivating bonsai plants.

Caring for Your Ligustrum Bonsai

• Light: This is a plant that loves its sun, so make sure that you position your plant where it will receive full sun for at least part of the day.
• Water: Getting the balance right for your bonsai involves making sure they get enough water without overwatering. Make sure they are in well-draining soil to avoid root rot. Saturate thoroughly and then allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings.
• Humidity: Bonsai like higher levels of humidity, so you can supplement your watering scheduled by misting the leaves every few days.
• Temperature: This plant needs warmth as well as sunlight. Typically room temperature is ideal, but avoid placing your plant near a window or door when the temperatures drop.

It’s interesting how many plants have common names that remind you of creatures that live in the water. Heliconias are known as “lobster claws” because their flowers have that shape. Then there’s the String of Dolphins. Today’s fish-as-a-plant is the Goldfish Plant.

Columnea gloriosa features dark green leaves and flowers of red, orange and gold that do look a lot like goldfish.

They are an easy plant to grow and care for and are also great for propagating. Plus, they make quite a splash (sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves) with their colorful flowers.

Caring for Your Goldfish Plant

Goldfish plants want a lot of light, but direct sun will burn them so make sure it’s indirect. They also grow well under artificial light in the winter.

These plants love humidity, so make sure that their soil never fully dries out and if you have them in a hanger, mist them on a pretty regular basis. (And mist them with room temperature water, not cold, which can damage the leaves). If you want a really happy Goldfish plant, you might want to consider the bathroom, where they’ll thrive on the steam from the shower!

You’ll want to fertilize on a regular basis during the growing season (spring and summer). Controlled release pellets are a good choice.

Other tips

• This is a long-living plant, and will thrive if you repot it every couple of years.
• You can easily propagate this plant. Pick a stem a few inches long without a flower bud and they will take root very easily.
• Also look out for aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs as these are common pests on this tropical plant.

Alocasias are considered some of the most striking houseplants available because of their eye-catching foliage. Native to the subtropics, they have close to 80 varieties with a wide range of looks. 

This week we are focusing on Alocasia Polly, which is also known as Alocasia Kris or the African Mask plant, because of the leaves resemblance to traditional ceremonial masks. The leaves of this plant are such a dark green as to almost look black and are contrasted dramatically with highly visible white striping along the veins and edges.

Alocasias can be a little tricky with their light, humidity and temperature needs.

They require bright, but diffuse lighting. In nature, these plants thrive beneath tree canopies and direct sun will lead to the leaves getting burned. They are also used to high humidity, so don’t place them in a place where they will dry out easily, such as an air conditioner vent or a heater. Employ a pebble tray to keep the air around them humid or mist them with distilled water.

The preferred temperature range for this plant is 70 to 80 degrees, year round. With enough water they can survive extra heat, but your plant might get damaged if the thermostat goes below 60 degrees in your home. 

Allow the top 2 to 3 inches of the plant to dry between watering to ensure that the plant isn’t sitting in soil that is too wet. Make sure your soil has good drainage!

Although they have no flowers, the club moss or Selaginella, is a charming, easy-to-care-for houseplant whose beauty comes from its foliage. 

Colors can range from green to gold and some species feature new growth that is white, which makes them look like they are frosted.

They also can be placed in a variety of containers, working well in pots and terrariums.

Caring for Your Club Moss

• Soil – If planting in a pot, start with good commercial potting soil, which is lighter than top soil and often contains a mild “starter” fertilizer.
• Water – Club Moss likes moist but well-drained soil. Check the soil moisture with your fingertips. If the top two inches are dry, or the plant is wilted, you need to water it.
• Fertilizer – Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly.
• Temperature – The Club Moss is a native of sub-Saharan Africa and loves humidity. If you want to make this plant happy, place it in the kitchen or bathroom. Avoid placing in drafty, hot, or high sun locations.

You’ve got to love this leaf. The golden hue of neon philodendron’s heart-shaped foliage makes it a stand out addition to your home’s décor. Additionally, those bright leaves mean that your Neon will work well in a variety of light and with minimum fuss.

Here are some guidelines when cultivating your Neon Philodendron.

Light: While her golden-lime leaves tolerate lower light than other philodendrons, brighter light will reward you will more baby leaves during the growing season, which are even more beautiful (if you can imagine that) with a blush/golden color. No direct sunlight, however, or those leaves will burn.

Water: Neon likes deep drinks of water, so drench the soil and then let it dry out. When the top two or three inches of soil dry out, give Neon another good soak – although you can let your plant dry out almost completely between waterings during the winter.

Soil: A good, fast-draining soil is best. You don’t want your plant sitting in water.

Humidity: Another area where this plant is easy-peasy is its humidity requirements. However, Neon is a plant native to tropical Brazil, so it does slightly better with more humidity and will probably give you larger leaves. Consider periodic misting, which will also help you clean off any dust on your plant.

Fertilizer: You can feed your Neon while it’s growing, but scale back during the winter.

Probably the easiest of the ficus plant species to grow, ficus triangularis (or triangle fig) offers all the beauty of most ficus plants, but it’s the least fussy. This makes it a perfect plant for beginners.

The name comes from the plant’s triangle-shaped leaves that are typically variegated with dark, waxy green centers morphing into cream-colored soft edges. This striking combination makes this plant a highly decorative addition to your indoor decor.

The plant grows slowly, but can reach heights of four to eight feet, so the cute centerpiece on your table today could eventually grow into a nice floor plant with time.

Caring for Your Triangle Fig

Soil: Ficus triangularis requires a rich, well-draining potting mix.

Water: The triangle fig likes deep watering and then being able to dry out before being watered again. Wait until the top third of the plant’s soil is dry before watering. Do not allow your ficus to sit in standing water.

Light: Bright, indirect light year-round is perfect for this plant. If you find that your plant is dropping leaves or losing its variegation, it’s likely it’s not getting enough light.

Fertilizer: Feed once a month from spring through fall and refrain from feeding during the winter.

A relative newcomer to the houseplant scene, Geogenanthus ciliatrius (or “Geo” for short), is a stunner originally from the rainforests of Ecuador and Peru. Until recently, it was relatively hard to come by, but last year Geo became the “it” plant, getting a lot of press in articles with headlines like “The 12 Coolest New Houseplants of 2022.”

It’s easy to see what the buzz is about.

The plant has large, shiny oval-shaped leaves that are so dark they almost appear black (typically, they start out green with a purple stripe and as they age the purple takes over and grows deeper and deeper in color).

But they are a bit tricky to cultivate. They prefer low-light areas, so don’t stick them on a windowsill or in a bright room. As befits their rainforest beginnings, they like their soil moist and their air humid. Let the top inch of soil dry out and then completely drench the plant when you water. Geo will quickly decline if its soil gets too dry. Use an evaporation tray to provide the humid air it craves.

You can feed your plant during the spring and summer, but not when it isn’t actively growing. In fact, over-fertilizing can do more harm than good.

Finally, “listen” to your Geo, because it will let you know when it needs some tender care. Curling or limp leaves? Probably your plant’s soil is too dry. Brown leaf edges? Geo is telling you it needs more humidity. Brown spots are usually caused by your plant being hit with direct sunlight.

Lastly, those large lovely leaves can get dusty, and this not only diminishes the look of the plant, it can also interfere with its biological functions. Rinse the plant off or wipe the leaves with a clean cloth periodically to keep your Geo healthy and looking beautiful.

Although you typically see European Cypress outside, with their tall columns of dense blue green conifer leaves, it is possible to grow this plant as a houseplant.

Despite names that link it with the European continent (it’s also commonly known as an Italian or Mediterranean Cypress), the tree’s roots are firmly in Persia – modern day Iran. You can, however, find this cypress growing wild in places like Greece, Turkey and Israel.

The dwarf version of the European Cypress does very well as a container plant, but you’ll need to replicate some of the conditions it would get if it was planted outside in your garden.

That means a picking a sunny location in your home with at least six hours of brightness and good air circulation.

European Cypress will tolerate almost any type of soil, but your pot should have good drainage to prevent root rot. You want to keep the soil moist, but not heavily saturated. Don’t let the soil dry out completely.

Your plant would also appreciate a misting about once a month.

Keep your European Cypress happy and you can have the joy of bringing the beauty of the outdoors right into your home.

With St. Patrick’s Day arriving in a few weeks, we thought we’d turn our attention to what’s often called the Shamrock houseplant – but in truth is the woodsorrel known as Oxalis.

Boasting hundreds of varieties, you’ll usually see oxalis with green or purple clover-like leaves.

They are also a relatively easy houseplant to cultivate. There is one very important thing to keep in mind however: these plants tend to go into dormancy during the summer. Don’t throw them out! They’re resting, not dead.

Caring for Your Oxalis

Soil/Watering: Your Oxalis would like lightly moist soil and make sure to let it dry out between waterings.

Light/Temperature: Room temperature and good air circulation are perfect for the oxalis. It likes bright, but not direct light. (Except when it’s resting, as we’ll explain below.)

Food: Fertilize with a balanced houseplant food every few months.

I’m not dead, I’m resting: In late spring or early summer, the leaves will begin to die, but the plant is still okay. It’s just going into its period of dormancy to rest. Move the plant to a cooler, darker location, away from direct light and leave it alone – no water or fertilizer.  Just check on your plant every couple of weeks; dormancy can last from several weeks up to about three months, depending on the plant and external conditions.

When you see new shoots, your oxalis has woken up and would love it if you moved it back into the light and resumed regular care.

Not only are aglaonema plants beautiful, there are also very easy to grow, even if you are a novice gardener.

This tropical foliage plant, also known as the Chinese evergreen,  is one of the most durable houseplants you can have. As long as they are warm enough, they will tolerate poor light, dry air and drought.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to make your home hospitable to this lovely plant. If those leaves could talk, they’d tell you that they prefer bright, indirect light, some nice cozy temperatures and a bit of humidity (they are originally from the tropics of Asia, after all).

Caring for Your Aglaonema

• Light: Your Chinese evergreen does well in anything from low to bright, indirect light. The pink-veined variety is one of the few pink plants that can tolerate low light.
• Water: Let your plant dry out about 50% before watering again as too much liquid can lead to root rot. And keep this rule of thumb in mind: the less light your plant has, the less water it will need.
• Temperature: They do not like the cold. Keep temperatures in the 70- to 85-degree level, and make sure wherever they are the temperatures don’t drop by more than 10 degrees at night.
• Fertilizer: Feed older Chinese evergreens a couple of times a year with water-soluble houseplant fertilizer.
• Pests: Chinese evergreens are susceptible to spider mites, scale, mealybugs and aphids. Check the leaves routinely for signs of pests.