Exploring Houseplants

Why houseplants?

•Produce oxygen and recycle interior air

•Filter out impurities

•Soften austere interior spaces

•Add color to a room

•Can lower blood pressure and have a calming effect

•Allow for 365 days per year of gardening, rain or shine!

Growing Better Houseplants

What do Plants Need?

Water

Sun

Carbon Dioxide

Mineral Nutrients

All living organisms require energy to maintain life

Sun light is the energy used by plants

Growing Better HouseplantsSun

Light Quantity – intensity or concentrationLight Quality – color or wave lengthLight Duration –the amount of time a plant is

exposed to the sun

•How much light is there really?

•What do I expect from this plant?

•How long will this plant remain in this room?

•How much care will this plant need?

Analyze Your Conditions

Aglaonema - Chinese Evergreen

•Old World topics•Do not tolerate temperatures below 50o F•Bright indirect light in the home•Not particular about soil•Relatively pest resistant, though can get mealybug, spider

mites, and soft brown scale

Aglaonema - Chinese Evergreen

Spathiphyllum

•40 species; tropical America and Southeast Asia•Bright indirect light to low light conditions•Not drought tolerant•Peak bloom February – September•Preferred Temperatures 65 – 90o F•Salt sensitive•Potting medium should be well drained,

but moisture retentive

Sansevieria

•70 species; tropical West Africa (S. trifasciata)•Bright indirect light to low light conditions•Very drought tolerant•Seemingly random bloom time•Minimum Temperatures 50o F•Potting medium should be very well drained

http://stayathomescientist.com/2012/07/06/cleanair/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sansevieria

Dieffenbachia

•Native to South and Central America•Best in bright indirect light to direct morning sun•Temperatures must be above 50o F•Potting medium well drained, but moisture retentive•Plant is extremely toxic•Spider mites are the most common damaging pest,

though mealybugs can be a problem

Philodendron

•400 – 900 species native to the tropical Americas•Three growth types:

Vining or scandent – P. scandens oyxcardiumSelf heading – P. wendlandiiErect – arborescent – P. selloum

•Mildly toxic•Prefer bright indirect light to dappled sunlight•Optimum temperatures: 75 – 100 o F•Potting medium should be free draining

and moisture retentive

Epipremnum aureum - Pothos

•Native to the Solomon Islands•Grows to 60 feet in nature with leaves getting

successively larger to 30”•Can be used to trail or trained to a totem•Prefers bright indirect light•Temperatures 70 –90o F•Moisture retentive potting medium •Mealybugs and spider mites

•36 species: tropical Central and South America•Woody vines to 30 feet in nature•Prefers temperatures 70 – 90o F•Bright indirect light to dappled sunlight•Medium, moisture retentive with moderate porosity•Toxic•Mealybugs, spider mites and occasionally whitefly

Syngonium

Ficus benjaminaWeeping Fig

•Native: south and southeast Asia and Australia•To 100’ in its native habitat•It grows in areas governed by monsoon conditions. As a

result it is prone to drop its leaves when allowed to dry out too much.

•Moisture retentive and free draining medium•quickly becomes pot-bound. Repot every twelve to

twenty-four months.•Direct morning sun to low lights levels are tolerated.•Allow to surface dry between waterings, avoid

standing water.•Pests include mealybug, soft brown scale, spider mites

and Cuban Laurel Thrips

Ficus benjaminaWeeping Fig

Wintergreen – standard of the industry. Better than species

•Monique – improved Wintergreen with wavy leaves and better resistance to leaf drop

•Midnight – darker green leaves, resistant to leaf drop•Golden Princess – older variegated variety with grey-

green and ivory leaves•Jacqueline/Gold King – improved (?) variegated form

Dracaena sp.

•40 species of trees or shrubs most native to Africa and Southern Asia.

•Shrubby species: D. deremensis, D. fragrans, D. marginata, D. reflexa, D. sanderiana, andD. surculosa

•Dracaena have been shown by the NASA Clean Air Study to remove formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air

•Spider mites, mealybug and scale insects.•All species root from stem cuttings, cut back overgrown

plants•Direct morning sun to bright indirect light. •Surface dry between waterings•Temperatures above 60o F

Dracaena fragrans – Corn Plant•Can grow to 20 feet in ground. Shorter in pot.•Can take a bit more sun than other species•Very drought tolerant•Massangeana has showy, yellow variegation•Other cultivars include: Lindenii, Santa Rosa,

Rothiana

Dracaena marginata Madagascar Dragon Tree

•Small tree growing to 15’ in nature•Sensitive to fluoride•Cultivars include: Tarzan, Tricolor, Colorama,

Bicolor and others

Dracaena sanderianaLucky Bamboo

•Rainforest understory plant growing to 4.5’•Often tortured into strange shapes and popular as an

ornament for Feng Shui•It is not an aquatic plant, though it can be found sold as

one•It is sensitive to fluoride and high salt levels

‘Elephant Ear’ Aroids

Colocasia, Alocasia, Xanthosoma, Caladium

Alocasia

‘Hilo

Beauty’

Homalomena

caerulescens

Alocasia nebula ‘Imperialis’

Alocasia ‘Black Velvet’

‘Elephant Ear’ Aroids

Colocasia, Alocasia, Xanthosoma, Caladium

•Native: Tropical Asia and South America•Light: low to bright indirect to a few hours of direct

morning sun•Temperature: Tropical – not below 60o F•Water: Some are winter ‘dormant’ – let go nearly dry, most

like evenly moist conditions•Propagation: runners, division•Pests/Problems: Spider Mites, Mealy bugs, scale insects,

root rot when kept to cool and wet.

‘Elephant Ear’ Aroids

Colocasia, Alocasia, Xanthosoma, Caladium

Alocasia

watsoniana

Alocasia

sanderiana

‘Nobilis’ Alocasia cuprea

Caladium lindenii

Begonia sp.

Begonia sp.

•Native: Old World and New World Tropics•Light: Low to bright indirect•Temperature: Tropical – not below 60o F•Water: Allow surface to dry between waterings•Propagation: Leaf, tip or root cuttings•Pests/Problems: Mealy bugs, spider mites, root rot,

powdery mildew•Notes: Obligate annual repot! Use commercial potting

soil augmented with fine orchid bark. Older plants will need rejuvenation every few years.

Begonia sp.

Begonia bowerae

Begonia

‘Mirage’

Begonia ‘Baby Perfection’

Begonia

‘Two Face’

Fittonia sp.Nerve Plant

Fittonia ‘Red Anne’

Fittonia albivensis

‘White Vein’

Fittonia albivensis

‘Red Vein’

Fittonia sp.Nerve Plant

•Native: South America•Light: Low to bright indirect•Temperature: Tropical – not below 55o F•Water: Allow surface to dry between waterings•Propagation: Tip cuttings•Pests/Problems: Seldom•Notes: Good terrarium plant, appreciates higher

humidity but not obligated.

Calathea sp.

Calathea

‘Medallion’

Calathea

‘Fasciata’

Calathea

‘Corona’

Calathea roseopicta ‘Rosy’

Calathea sp.

•Native: Tropical South America•Light: Low to bright indirect•Temperature: Tropical – not below 60o F•Water: Keep evenly moist, but not swampy•Propagation: Division•Pests/Problems: Spider mites, scale insects, root rot

when kept wet and cold•Notes: Some species will need higher humidity. Annual

repotting is beneficial.

Calathea sp.

Calathea

‘Dottie’Calathea

musaica

Calathea

macoyana

Calathea truncata

Guzmania

•Soft leaves, no thorns•Low light tolerant, will hold color for months•Prefer mid range temperatures – 60o F minimum•Allow medium to dry between waterings •Leave pups on mother plant until 1/3 the size of the

mother

ExoticRainforest.comFlowersUK

Aechmae•Mostly epiphytic•Harder leaves with thorns•Long lasting bloom•Prefer higher light levels, some can take full sun•Temps above freezing•Pups are produced on long woody stolons

A. 'Samurai' Jack’s Bromeliads

A. ‘Chantinni’ Black Jack’s Bromeliads

Neoregelia

•Inflorescence remains with in the ‘tank’•Very colorful, broad, flat leaves•65o F nights keep colors best, keep above freezing•Keep in bright light and turn frequently to maintain shape

Orchids

•Largest family in the plant kingdom: 35,000 species•Incredible diversity of form, color, and function•Inhabit all continents of the world•Epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial•Frequently utilize deception to insure pollination

Phalaenopsis

•Native to Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Taiwan•Direct morning sun, when grown on a windowsill•Allow medium to dry between waterings•Keep above 60oF•Flowers last eight weeks, spray lasts months

Oncidium Hybrids and Intergenerics

•New World in origin•Medium to high light (3-4 hours of direct sun on a

windowsill)•Mid range to cool temperatures – 55oF•Dry slightly between waterings•Spikes last 4-6 weeks.

Sources

Glasshouse Works,10 Church Street Stewart, OH 45779-4097 www.glasshouseworks.com/

Logee’s Greenhouse141 North Street, Danielson, CT 06239, www.logees.com

Black Jungle Terrarium Supply, www.blackjungle.com/370 Avenue A Turners Falls, MA 01376

Bob Smoley’s Garden World, 3720 SW 183rd Ter., Dunnellon, FL 34432 www.bobsmoleys.com/

Gardino Nursery PO Box 83-2024 Delray Beach, Fl 33483 www.rareflora.com/

Top Tropicals Botanical Garden, www.toptropicals.com/47770 Bermont Rd, Punta Gorda, FL 33982

The Violet Barn, PO Box 9, Naples, NY 14512 www.robsviolet.com/