| African violets |
Saintpaulia |
African violets need about fourteen hours of bright light a day |
| Aloe vera |
Aloe barbadensis |
Sometimes known as the 'Burn Plant', Aloe vera has other medicinal properties as well. Aloes are succulent plants. |
| Amaryllis |
Hippeastrum |
Amaryllis is not just a Christmas flower, it can be forced to bloom at any time of the year. |
| Bananas |
Musa nana |
Banana plants are easy and fun to grow from seeds or offsets |
| Begonia, Iron Cross |
Begonia masoniana |
This Rex type Begonia grows well with medium light and typical home terperatures, prefers high humidity |
| Begonia, Rieger |
Begonia hybrid |
Rieger Begonias need bright, filtered light, with maximum light in winter, cooler temperatures. |
| Bird of Paradise |
Strelitzia reginae |
Bird of Paradise grow best with at least four hours of direct sunlight a day, but should have bright light all day |
| Boston Ferns |
Nephrolepis exaltata |
Boston ferns like it cool, they would be very happy to have a 60 degree room, with bright light. Ferns thrive on humidity |
| Brazilian Plume |
Jacobinia carnea |
Brazilian Plume is a small (4 foot tall, 2 foot spread) indoor shrub which performs best when grown in the full sun of a south facing window. |
| Butterworts |
Pinguicula |
Carnivorous family of plants, Butterworts are suitable for growing in unsealed terarriums |
| Caladiums |
Caladium |
Caladiums are frost tender perennial tubers which are grown for their colorful foliage rather than flowers. |
| Christmas Trees |
|
Living trees take extra care, or they may not survive long enough to be planted in the yard. Living trees can only be kept indoors for ten days. |
| Citrus, Dwarf |
Citrus mitis |
Dwarf citrus trees such as oranges, lemons, and limes are living conversation pieces, providing year-round enjoyment with shiny foliage, bright fruits, and fragrant blossoms. Dwarf citrus trees are well adapted to container growing indoors. |
| Cobra Lilies |
Darlingtonia californica |
This carnivorous plant lures it's insect prey with a sweet nectar. Once inside, the insect becomes confused by the many transparent areas of the upper leaf surfaces... |
| Coffee Plant |
Coffea arabica |
The coffee tree is actually a tropical evergreen shrub which may live on for 60 years, has shiny dark green leaves and fragrant white flowers |
| Painted Nettle |
Coleus blumei |
Coleus plants are durable and easy to grow. They are best known for their bright colors, and variety of foliage forms. |
| Crown of Thorns |
Euphorbia splendens |
Because it has leaves, most people don't consider a Crown of thorns to be a succulent, but in reality it is. |
| Cyclamen |
Cyclamen persicum |
The most important criteria for successfully growing a Cyclamen as a houseplant are
cool temperatures, fresh air, and ample moisture. |
| Dieffenbachia |
Dieffenbachia |
Dieffenbachias do best in bright indirect light with temperatures above 55° degrees. The ideal temperatures are 70°-80° during the day and 60°-65° at night. |
| Easter Lilies |
Lilium longiflorum |
Easter Lilies prefer well-drained soil which is kept moderately moist, but avoid over-watering. Do not to let your plant sit in trapped, standing water. |
| Firecracker Flower |
Crossandra infundibuliformis |
Crossandras prefer bright, filtered light. Allow the soil to dry slightly before watering. |
| Flowering Maple |
Abutilon hybridum |
The flowering maple is not really a maple at all. The flowers resemble a cross between a Hybiscus and a Hollyhock |
| Gardenia |
Gardenia jasminoides |
Gardenia requirements are very exact, and to insure your plants continued bloom, these needs must be met. |
| Gloxinia |
Sinningia hybrids |
Gloxinias come in a wide range of colors, with variations in both foliage and flower forms. The blooming period lasts 3-4 months |
| Jade plants |
Crassula argentea |
Jade plants should be grown in very bright sunlight with low humidity, but will sunburn if they are suddenly moved from subdued lighting to full sun |
| Kaffir Lily |
Clivia miniata |
The Kaffir Lily is native to South Africa. They will not tolerate temperatures which drop much below 50 degrees F. |
| Norfolk Island Pine |
Araucaria heterophylla |
The beauty and symmetry of the plant and soft flowing texture of the foliage will make you want to use it for your living Christmas tree |
| North American Pitcher Plants |
Sarracenia |
These prehistoric looking carnivorous plants are characterized by leaves that curve into tubular funnels which catch and digest insects. |
| Orchids |
|
Orchids need 10-15 hours of good lighting from an east or west facing window, but must be shaded from direct sunlight. |
| Parlor Palm |
Chamaedorea elegans |
Parlor palms should be grown in indirect light or a north window |
| Passion Flower |
Passiflora incarnata |
The Passion flower, cultivated throughout most of the country is sometimes grown as a house plant. It was named by missionaries in the early 1500s. |
| Peace lily |
Spathiphyllum floribundum |
Peace lilies will grow and flourish in almost any well drained soil. They prefer bright filtered light |
| Philodendron care |
Philodendron |
Most Philodendrons are native to the jungles of tropical America and prefer the medium light intensity they would have on the jungle floor. |
| Philodendron, Elephant Ear |
Philodendron bipinnatifidum |
Elephant Ear Philodendrons are very tough and can take a lot of abuse |
| Pin Cushion Plant |
Nertera granadensis |
The Pin Cushion Plant is a fast growing tropical plant that produces an abundance of tiny orange berries just in time for halloween! |
| Pink Polka Dot |
Hypoestes phyllostachya |
The Polka Dot plant's name will pretty much tell you what this little dish garden plant is all about. |
| Poinsettia |
Euphorbia pulcherima |
In order to get Poinsettias to produce their flower bracts in December they must be kept at 50 degrees in total darkness for 14 hours a day beginning in mid September. |
| Prayer Plants |
Maranta leucoreura |
Prayer plants need very high humidity to thrive. They do best in a warm greenhouse or a terrarium |
| Prickly Pear Cactus |
Opuntia |
Easy to grow in a sunny window, yellow flowers with red centers |
| Purple Passion Plant |
Gynura aurantiaca |
Purple Passion Plants need maximum light for the brightest coloring but they must be protected from hot afternoon sun |
| Rosary Vine |
Ceropegia woodii |
The slender flowers resemble an inverted, small pink vase. The end of the tube is partly closed by delicate purple bars |
| Rubber Plants |
Ficus elastica |
Rubber plants like bright light, but never hot sun. When new leaves are emerging, even less light is advisable |
| Shamrocks |
Oxalis deppei |
Shamrocks are very easy bulbs to grow but they do have a few requirements. They like cool air, moist soil, and bright light |
| Spider Plants |
Chlorophytum comosum |
Spider plants are very easy to propagate. The ideal method is to allow the plantlet to root while it is still attached to the mother plant |
| Sundews |
Drosera |
Insects are attracted to an aroma secreted from the glands of small traps which cover the plant. The sticky nectar works like flypaper |
| Venus Fly Trap |
Dionaea muscipula |
When an insect lands on the fly trap seeking nectar touches a trigger hair the trap snaps closed, trapping the victim |
Helpful HousePlant Growing Articles |
| Cutting back Houseplants |
| Growing and care guides for Carnivorous Plants |
| Growing Plants from Seed |
| Jade Plant from Cuttings |
| Poinsettias in the garden |
| Propagating plants by Air Layering |
| Propagation by softwood cuttings |
| Propagation by root division |
Plant Identification Photos |
| Aechmea warasii, Tillandsia 'Creation', Neophytum albomarginata |
| Foxtail Fern, Lipstick Plant, Zebra Plant |
| Orchids! Dendrobium freesia, collage |
