Houseplants as gifts

Tue. Dec. 18, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Houseplants as gifts

Now it’s not like giving someone a pet as a gift but sometimes giving houseplants can be a bit tricky too!

Weiner wrap!

 There are certainly some easy care plants but there are also some that SAY they’re easy care when they’re actually kinda picky.  

This plant is dramatically gorgeous and a bit picky! The Fiddle Leaf Fig! Say that a few times after some Egg Nog!

Fiddle leaf fig by White Flower Farm

In the wilds of its native Africa, the Fiddle-leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) can grow into a humongous shade tree.  The fig’s leaves are large and in charge!  Indoors in a pot, though, it won’t get close to that!  However, it does require lots of bright indirect light, those large leaves love the light!  Water when the top few inches of soil is dry. Another tip, take it out of a plastic pot and give it a  breathable one like terra cotta. Or be certain there are good drainage holes and don’t let it sit in water!  This woman really loves these plants!  If you’re still in to buying the Fiddle Leaf Fig, check out her information by clicking on the link.

The red Prayer Plant is pretty but picky, needing way more humidity than is typically in our dry winter homes! 

Red Prayer plant – It looked lovely … for a while

 I tried to grow one and, well, it needed more prayers to survive! It really is a lovely plant but likes moisture – not sogginess.  It also prefers bright indirect light.

Dracaenas are great houseplant gifts as they are pretty amenable to any indoor space, however they’ll thrive in bright indirect light, especially those with lighter leaves such as ‘Lemon Lime’ and  ‘Lemon Surprise’. Their leaves are chartreuse.

Dracaena ‘Lemon Surprise’ by White Flower Farm
dracaena fragrans – notice the vaseline for dry lips… it’s already dry inside!

The one thing you’ll need to watch for is their size. Some can grow up to 6 feet tall. And some can be pruned on top to keep them in check and make them a bit bushier! 

Some easy care plants include Zee plant, spider plant, philodendron …

Zee zee plant on top of cabinet – spider plant hanging
Philodendron

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