Houseplant Care Guide

Aechmea

Aechmea (cins) · Houseplants

An epiphytic bromeliad species, meaning it lives on trees in nature. It collects water in the funnel (rosette) at its center, and it is watered from there. It likes bright environments without direct sun and an airy potting mix (such as orchid mix).

African Violet

Saintpaulia spp. · Houseplants

A popular flowering houseplant that likes bright but indirect light, high humidity and well-drained soil. Wetting the leaves should be avoided and bottom watering, the best method, is preferred; regular feeding is needed for continuous flowering.

Areca Palm

Dypsis lutescens · Houseplants

A popular indoor palm with yellow-green cane-like stems and feathery leaves. It needs bright indirect light and humid air; the leaf tips turn brown in dry air.

Baby's Tears

Soleirolia soleirolii · Houseplants

A delicate houseplant that forms a dense cushion of tiny, bright green leaves. It likes bright but indirect light, high humidity and constantly moist soil; the soil must never be allowed to dry out.

Begonia

Begonia sp. · Houseplants

Likes bright places without direct sun, and high humidity. It should be watered as the soil dries out; avoid overwatering and wetting the leaves. It is grown for its decorative leaves or flowers.

Bird's Nest Fern

Asplenium nidus · Houseplants

It receives medium-to-low levels of indirect light and likes high-humidity environments. Water should not be poured directly into the rosette (bird's nest) in the center of its leaves. It is a stylish living-room plant, ideal for humid spaces such as bathrooms.

Cabbage Palm

Cordyline fruticosa · Houseplants

A tropical indoor plant grown for its brightly colored, sword-like leaves. To keep its vivid colors it needs plenty of light without direct sun, high humidity and constantly moist soil; dry leaf tips are usually caused by chlorine/fluoride in tap water or low humidity.

Calathea

Calathea sp. · Houseplants

A tropical plant that needs high humidity, known for the patterns on its leaves and for their upward movement in the evenings. It should be protected from direct sun, cold drafts and chlorinated/chalky water; brown leaf tips are usually a sign of low humidity or incorrect watering.

Cast Iron Plant

Aspidistra elatior · Houseplants

Known for its exceptional tolerance of low light and neglect, which is why it is called the Cast Iron Plant. A low-maintenance, slow-growing plant that is excellent for shady interiors.

Chinese Evergreen

Aglaonema spp. · Houseplants

Likes indirect, bright light and well-drained soil. It should be protected from direct sun and drafts. A decorative, air-purifying houseplant.

Coleus

Plectranthus scutellarioides · Houseplants

An easy-care, fast-growing plant grown for its colorful leaves. For vivid colors it needs plenty of bright but not scorching direct sun, moist soil and regular pinching of the tips.

Croton

Codiaeum variegatum · Houseplants

A tropical plant grown for its striking colored leaves, but its care demands sensitivity. To keep its vivid colors it needs a spot with plenty of light, high humidity and a steady temperature, and it hates cold drafts; sudden changes of location can cause leaf drop.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen · Houseplants

A tuberous plant that flowers in winter and prefers bright, cool spots without direct sun. It sheds its leaves in summer and goes dormant; it should not be watered during this period.

Cymbidium Orchid

Cymbidium · Houseplants

An orchid species that likes cool conditions and has long-lasting flowers. To bloom it needs a day-night temperature difference in late summer and autumn, and it is never grown in ordinary soil.

Dracaena

Dracaena · Houseplants

A popular, easy-care houseplant that tolerates low light. The most important care rule is to avoid overwatering; the soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings. Browning at the leaf tips is usually caused by chlorinated/fluoridated tap water.

Dumb Cane

Dieffenbachia · Houseplants

A popular houseplant grown for its showy leaves. It likes places without direct sun and humid environments. The plant sap is poisonous, and swallowing it or contact with skin is dangerous; keep it away from children and pets.

Elephant Ear Caladium

Caladium sp. · Houseplants

A tropical tuberous plant grown for its showy, colorful and patterned leaves. During the growing period it needs a bright, humid environment and moist soil, and in winter a dry and warm rest period (dormancy).

False Aralia

Plerandra elegantissima (syn. Dizygotheca elegantissima) · Houseplants

A decorative houseplant with graceful, fine-textured leaves. It likes bright but indirect light, high humidity and well-drained soil; it is sensitive to dry air and overwatering.

Flamingo Flower

Anthurium spp. · Houseplants

WARNING: The plant's sap is poisonous and irritates the skin. It is grown for its bright, colorful, long-lasting flowers (spathes). It needs plenty of bright but indirect light, high humidity and an airy potting mix (such as orchid mix).

Gloxinia

Sinningia spp. · Houseplants

A tuberous tropical houseplant grown for its large, velvety flowers. Success depends on striking the right balance between moist soil during the growing period and a completely dry tuber during the rest period; water should not touch its leaves.

Golden Pothos

Epipremnum aureum · Houseplants

The easiest-care indoor vine, trailing or climbing, with variegated leaves. It grows fast in indirect light; water when the top of the soil dries out.

Guzmania

Guzmania lingulata · Houseplants

A tropical bromeliad with colorful, showy flower bracts (leaves) that last for months. It likes bright but indirect light, high humidity and an airy potting mix; watering is done by filling the funnel (rosette) in the center of the leaves with water.

Madagascar Jasmine

Stephanotis floribunda · Houseplants

Needs a spot with plenty of light but no direct sun, and high humidity. The soil should be kept constantly moist, but no water should be left standing in the saucer. It should not be moved once it starts budding.

Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum · Houseplants

It has very delicate, fine leaves. It likes spots without direct sunlight that are bright, highly humid and free of drafts. Keeping its soil constantly moist is critical.

Nerve Plant

Fittonia albivenis · Houseplants

A tropical, spreading plant known for its leaves with colorful veins. Its most important need is high humidity, so it is ideal for terrariums or bathrooms. It should be protected from direct sunlight and dry air.

Orchid Cactus

Epiphyllum · Houseplants

A forest cactus generally known for its giant, fragrant flowers that open at night. It should be protected from direct sun and likes a bright environment with well-drained soil. It needs a cool, dry winter rest period in order to flower.

Ornamental Asparagus

Asparagus spp. (ornamental) · Houseplants

Likes bright places without direct sun (indirect light) and a humid environment. A popular houseplant known for its air-purifying properties, used in pots and hanging baskets.

Parlor Palm

Chamaedorea elegans · Houseplants

A popular houseplant known for its tolerance of low light and easy care. It should be protected from direct sunlight and the top of its soil should be allowed to dry between waterings; dry indoor environments increase the risk of spider mites.

Peace Lily

Spathiphyllum spp. · Houseplants

It likes bright but indirect light; direct sun can scorch its leaves. It prefers airy, humus-rich, well-drained soil. It is a popular air-purifying plant.

Pineapple

Ananas comosus · Houseplants

A tropical plant of the bromeliad family that produces a single fruit from the center of its leaf rosette. It loves plenty of sun (6+ hours a day) and very well-drained soil; overwatering the soil leads to root rot.

Rhaphidophora

Rhaphidophora spp. · Houseplants

A tropical vine that likes bright, indirect light, high humidity and well-drained soil. It should be protected from direct sunlight, which scorches its leaves, and encouraged to climb a support such as a moss pole.

Rubber Plant

Ficus elastica · Houseplants

A popular and hardy indoor tree with large, glossy leaves. It likes bright, indirect light and is very sensitive to overwatering; the soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings. It does not like being moved.

Shrimp Plant

Justicia brandegeana (syn. Beloperone guttata) · Houseplants

A shrub of tropical origin grown for its showy, shrimp-like flowers. It likes bright places without direct sun and well-drained soil; it gains a bushier form with regular pruning.

Spider Plant

Chlorophytum comosum · Houseplants

One of the easiest-care houseplants; it likes places with plenty of light but no direct sun. The soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings; browning at the leaf tips is usually caused by minerals in tap water.

Spiderwort

Tradescantia spp. · Houseplants

A popular, easy-care, fast-growing houseplant with colorful leaves. It needs regular pruning to stay full and bushy. Its colors are at their most vivid in bright, indirect light.

String of Hearts

Ceropegia woodii · Houseplants

An easy-care, trailing succulent with marbled, heart-shaped leaves. It needs plenty of bright light without direct sun and a soil that dries out completely between waterings; its worst enemy is root rot caused by overwatering.

Tree Ivy

x Fatshedera lizei · Houseplants

A hybrid of the Japanese aralia and ivy; it has large, glossy leaves and is a hardy houseplant that generally needs a support. It likes bright, indirect light and well-drained soil.

Umbrella Plant

Cyperus alternifolius · Houseplants

A bog-origin plant that loves plenty of water; its soil must be kept constantly wet, and there should even be water standing in the saucer at all times. It likes spots with bright, indirect light.

Umbrella Tree

Schefflera spp. · Houseplants

A popular foliage houseplant that likes bright, indirect light and well-drained soil. Regular pruning is important for a full, branching shape; overwatering leads to leaf drop and root rot.

Wandering Jew

Tradescantia zebrina · Houseplants

A very easy-care, fast-growing houseplant known for its silver and green striped leaves with purple undersides. It needs regular pruning to stay full and bushy. Its colors are at their most vivid in bright, indirect light.

Wax Plant

Hoya spp. · Houseplants

A succulent-like vine with waxy leaves and clusters of usually fragrant flowers. Never prune the flower stalks (peduncles) on which it blooms again; it likes bright, indirect light and well-drained soil, and prefers its pot to be snug.

Weeping Fig

Ficus benjamina · Houseplants

One of the most common indoor trees, with weeping branches and small glossy leaves. It drops leaves in response to relocation and drafts; it needs a fixed spot in bright indirect light.

Zebra Plant

Aphelandra squarrosa · Houseplants

A tropical plant striking for its white-veined, glossy green leaves and yellow flower clusters. It needs plenty of bright but indirect light, high humidity, a warm environment and constantly moist soil; it is very sensitive to cold drafts.

ZZ Plant

Zamioculcas zamiifolia · Houseplants

One of the hardiest indoor plants, content with little light and little water. Its tuberous roots store water; overwatering is its only serious enemy.