Caring for African Violets
Description:African Violets are very popular among plant enthusiasts. They’re low growing plants that produce small, dainty flowers year round with the right lighting, water and temperature requirements. They have soft, furry feeling leaves that are thick and arranged in a rosette and are either green or dark green in color. The underside of the leaves are usually either lighter green or a red violet color. Plant varieties include single, double and even ruffled flowers. Some African Violets will even have ruffled or serrated leaf edges and may even have variegated leaves. Leaf shape can range from long and thin to serrated or ruffled edges and some will have heart shaped leaves. Lighting: African Violets do best when they’re kept in bright indirect east or north sunlight. They will also grow very well with grow lights if you don’t have a area to give them natural sunlight. Bright light should be provided for 8-12 hours each day. If the plant isn’t receiving enough light it won’t produce any flowers. But, if you notice that the edges of the leaves are turning brown or you see some brown spots on the leaves, the plant is getting too much light. Watering: Over watering is one of the fastest ways to kill an African Violet. Don’t water them on a schedule, such as a certain day of the week. Feel of the top of the soil and water them when the it becomes dry. Avoid getting water on the leaves as this can cause the leaves to spot. African Violets are best watered from the bottom by setting them in the sink or a saucer. These plants don’t like water that is hot or cold, adjust the water to room temperature before adding it to the plant. Soil: Violets need a rich soil that will retain water yet that will also drain well. Potting soil especially for African Violets if widely available, but you can mix your own soil. When mixing your own potting soil it is recommended to use a half and half combination of peat and perlite. The best pot will have a drainage hole in the bottom. This will prevent overwatering and allow you to water the plant from the bottom. Fertilization: Feeding can be done every time you water the plants if you use an extremely diluted mixture. Or you can choose to only fertilize once per month with a mixture at half of what is recommended on the plant food label. Plant food that is specifically made for African Violets is highly recommended, although any type can be used. A plant food high in phosphorous will stimulate flowering. Propagation: Propagating violets is very easy through both division and leaf cuttings and can be done at any time of the year. Regular potting soil can be used, but a mixture of perlite and peat makes the best planting medium. Choose a good healthy, firm leaf and remove the entire leaf from the plant at the stem. Trim the leaf stem to about 1-1 1/2 inches long and plant the leaf into the soil and water thoroughly. Roots will generally begin to appear within 3-4 weeks and leaves should begin to grow about 3-4 weeks after the roots appear. Repotting can be done once the plant has several leaves which can take anywhere from 2-6 months depending on conditions. Plant division can be done on larger plants by carefully separating the plant into two separate plants. Be careful when dividing the plant to make sure that each new plant has it’s own root system. Toxicity/Poisonous: None Tips: To get more flowers on your African Violets, keep them rootbound. The pot should be approximately 1/3 the size of the plant itself. The suggested repotting time is twice a year, but they often will do very well with transplanting done on a yearly basis. There are two things that you can do to grow really large violet plants. While keeping the plant rootbound will increase blooms, allowing extra room for the roots will cause the plant itself to grow larger. You can also remove the buds to increase the plants size. To still have some flowers to enjoy, only remove part of the buds. But, if you remove all of the buds the plant will grow much faster. Common Name: African Violet Genus: Saintpaulia Plant Type: Perennial Origin: Tanganyika Blooming Time: Year round Humidity: Medium Temperature: 60-85*F Height: 6″ Color: White, lavender, purple, pink, red, yellow and bi-color Insects and Diseases: Mealy bugs, aphids and mites Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights...
Mother In Law’s Tongue
Common Name: Snake Plant, Mother In Law’s Tongue Latin Name: Sansevieria Family: Ruscaceae Plant Type: Succulent Origin: South Africa Blooming Time: Rarely Humidity: Low Temperature: 60 – 85*F Height: 4′ Color: Dark green, light green or creamy white Insects and Diseases: Thrips, scale Description: Mother in Law’s Tongue has thick, vertical sword shaped leaves. The leaves are dark green and are accented with lighter green bars going horizontal along the blade like leaves. Some varieties have a yellowish colored border along the leaves. Lighting: Bright indirect sunlight is recommended for Snake’s Tongue. The plant can survive in lower lighting conditions, but it will grow faster and have deeper colors when given brighter light. Watering: The soil should be kept barely moist, but not soaked. Watering can be done in sink or tub, to make sure that all the roots get water. But, make sure that there’s a hole in the bottom of the pot so that excess water can properly drain. Soil: Soil should retain water, but drain well to prevent root rot. A African Violet soil mixture will work very well when a little sand is added for drainage. To mix your own soil add 1 part garden soil, 1 part peat and 2 parts of Perlite or coarse sand. Fertilization: Snake’s Tongue should be fertilized once a month. Use a good quality water soluble mixture that is nitrate free. Fertilizer is only needed during the growing season and shouldn’t be given during the winter months. Propagation: Propagation can be easily done through leaf cuttings or division of the plant. Keep leaf cuttings in evenly moist soil, provide occasional mistings and place them in filtered sunlight. Toxicity-Poisonous: All parts of the Snake Plant are mildly toxic, but the plant has been used in herbal remedies in some areas of the world. While low doses of the plant normally don’t produce any symptoms, large doses can cause vomiting or nausea. The poison found in the plant can cause the tongue and throat to swell and be numb. In severe cases there may be distress in the digestive tract. Tips: Unlike most plants, Snake Tongue’s will droop when they’ve gotten too much water not too little! If the leaves have a wrinkled appearance or start to bend, the plant isn’t getting enough water! Snake’s Tongue plants like to be root bound, repotting should be avoided unless the plant gets too heavy for the pot and can’t remain upright. When repotting, select a pot that is just a few sizes larger than the current pot. Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights...
Dumbcane
Description:There are several varieties of Dumbcane with different veining and verigation in the leaves. The leaves can range from dark green to a lighter green with white, off-white and sometimes even yellowish verigations on the leaves. The plants leaves are ovate with pointed tips and grow on stalks that can actually grow up to 8′ or more. If left unpruned the plant will grow to resemble a palm tree. Lighting: Dumbcane’s prefer a medium to bright lighting source, but can do well even in low light conditions. An area that gets bright, but filtered light is the ideal location. Watering: The best way to water Dumbcane is too completely drench the soil and let it get moderately dry before rewatering. This method can only be used if you have a pot with a hole in the bottom so that excess water can properly drain. Let dry between waterings, but never allow Dumbcane to get bone dry for long periods of time. Soil: Dumbcane needs soil that will retain water, but also drain well. If general potting soil seems to pack tightly, add some Perlite or sand and a little peat moss for aeration. To mix your own soil add 1 part moist humus or peat, 1 part garden soil and 1 part Perlite or coarse sand. Add a light dusting of lime to the mix and use a pot that has a hole in the bottom. Fertilization: You should fertilize Dumbcane at least every two weeks. Use a good quality plant food that is lime free. Don’t fertilize during the winter months when the plants growth rate is slowed. Propagation: Propagation can be done through air layering, suckers and stem cuttings at any time of the year. Propagating should be done with a mixture of Perlite and moist peat. To air layer, cut the plant about half way through the stem with a sharp knife approximately one foot down from plant top. Place a toothpick or other thin object into the stem to hold soil mixture in place. Wrap some wet moss around the open cut and secure with plastic and rubber bands or strings. Once the roots have formed, cut the new plant off below the roots and pot. Toxicity-Poisonous: Dumbcane is considered one of the deadliest house plants. The sap from the plant contains calcium oxalate crystals. Ingestion can cause the mouth and throat to burn and swell. In severe cases the swelling can block airways resulting in suffocation. Ingesting the plant can cause an inability to speak, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation and head shaking. Immediate medical attention is recommended. Common Name: Dumbcane, Dumbplant, Leopard Lily, Spotted Dumbcane, Zebra Plant Latin Name: Dieffenbachia seguine Family: Araceae Plant Type: Perennial Origin: North and South America Blooming Time: Mid-spring Humidity: Moderate to High Temperature: 60- 85 *F Height: 8′ Color: Green, white, off-white Insects and Diseases: Mealy bugs, aphids, scale, whitefly, spider mites Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights...
India Rubber Plant
Description: The India Rubber Plant is a very popular house plant that has large, dark green oval shaped leaves. Some varieties will often have a burgandy tint to parts of the leaf. The leaves are shiny and feel thick and almost pulpy and can reach 8 inches or longer under optimal conditions. Leaves grow inside sheaths that will drop off from the plant once the leaf has developed. Immediately inside the new leaf, yet another leaf is waiting to develop. Lighting: While Rubber trees can survive in a variety of lighting conditions, it will grow better if given bright, indirect sunlight. Placing your plant near windows or providing artificial light will keep it healthier. Watering: The soil should be kept moist at all times, but not soaked. And, the plant should never be allowed to sit in water. If you have a pot with a hole, generously water the plant until the water starts to drain out of the hole. Remove any standing water in the bowl after a few minutes. The watering time will vary depending on the humidity and other conditions of the room, so you should always touch the soil to check for dryness. Always use warm or room temperature water to avoid shocking the roots and damaging the plant. Soil: A general purpose potting soil works well with Rubber trees, but make sure that it is aerated. You can add some sand or Perlite to the soil to help with drainage. Soil should drain well, but retain moisture. When mixing your own soil add equal parts of coarse sand or Perlite, garden soil and peat or humus. The plant will thrive much better is you add just a slight amount of lime to the mixture. Fertilization: During the spring and summer months, a good quality water soluble fertilizer can be used every two months or so. If your plant is in a low light area, reduce the feeding times to about once every four months. Propagation: Propagation can be done with seeds, air layering or stem cuttings. Cuttings and seeds should be planted in a mixture of Perlite and peat and covered with a plastic bag to retain moisture and placed in indirect sunlight. After the new plant has gotten well established it can be re-potted in regular potting soil. For air layering, cut halfway through the stem approximately one foot down from the top of the plant with a sharp knife. Wrap the cut area with sphagnum moss and secure a plastic bag over the area. Once the roots have formed, cut the new plant off below the root area and plant it. Propagating new plants with the air layering method can take up to two months or more. Tips: If you need to re-pot your Rubber plant, it’s best to only do it in the spring when the while the roots are actively growing. The new pot should only be around 2 inches larger than the original pot. To keep the glossy shine to the leaves, frequently wipe them with a damp cloth or tissue. If the plants leaves get stains or hard to remove soiled areas, a mild hand soap can be used to wipe the leaves. Extended lengths of time in low light conditions will cause the Rubber plant to lose it’s bottom leaves. If your plant begins to drop it’s lower leaves move it to a sunnier location. Common Name: India Rubber Plant, Rubber Bush, Rubber Fig Plant Type: Perennial Origin: India Genus: Ficus Family: Moraceae Humidity: Medium Temperature: 60-85*F Height: 6 ‘- 10’ Color: Dark green, burgundy Insects and Diseases: Mealy bugs, whitefly, scale and thrips Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights...
Spider Plant
Description: Spider plants have long blade like leaves that form from the center of the plant and have pointed tips. The leaves or blades can get up to 3 foot long and resemble blades of grass. The plant can be found in solid green or green with white edges and white with green edges. Narrow stems grow from the plant and can reach up to 5 feet in length. The stems will produce small, dainty white flowers and baby plants that can be propagated. While mostly used in containers or hanging baskets, they can be planted directly in the ground. When planting in the garden or flower bed, they need to be sheltered from direct sunlight. Lighting: Spider plants can grow in a variety of lighting conditions, except direct sunlight. They do best when kept in indirect lighting and even grow well in artificial lighting. A Spider plant that receives at least 12 hours of bright, indirect light per day will produce more babies. Watering: Throughout the summer Spider’s should be watered regularly and soil kept evenly moist. But, during the winter months the soil should be allowed to dry out briefly between waterings. Water the plant on the soil surface and not on the leaves, water will just run off the leaves and not soak into the soil. Spider plants also like slightly warm or room temperature water, cold water could damage the roots. The plants long, tuber like roots store water, but are also the main problem with watering this plant. The roots quickly take up space in the pot and prevent water from soaking through to the center of the roots. To make sure that the plant receives enough water, you can sit the plant in a sink and allow the water to soak into the plant from the bottom up. Then let the plant drain before rehanging it. Most homes humidity is too low during the winter months for these plants. Frequent misting them will help keep an infestation of spider mites from attacking the plant. Soil: The perfect soil will drain well, but also retain moisture. A good high quality potting soil or soil formulated for African Violets is a good choice. Fertilization: Spider plants don’t need a lot of fertilizing. It’s best to only feed them several times a month and dilute the feeding solution to half of the recommended strength. During winter months the feeding times can be reduced to once per month. Propagation: When the Spider plant babies form roots they can be cut off of the mother plant and planted in pots. They can also be rooted in water if you suspend the plant and just let the roots of the baby sit in the water. Small pots filled with soil can also be set beside the parent plant and the baby secured into the dirt. Once the baby has rooted itself into the soil, cut it away from the parent. Tips: Spider plants like to be root bound and will grow much better if there’s just a little extra room around the roots. Potting a small plant into a large pot can actually kill the plant! The soil moisture can let you know when the plant needs re-potting. If the soil is dry down to 1/2 inch within several days after watering, it’s probably time to re-pot. If the plants leaves begin to feel sticky it could be a sign that the plant is infested with either scale or aphids. Both of these plant pests secrete a sticky substance. Some varieties of Spider plants can be very sensitive to the chlorine found in tap water. And, sodium can also damage the plant. If you’d prefer you can water your plant with distilled water, filtered water or allow tap water to sit over night before using it. Common Name: Spider Plant, Airplane Plant, Ribbon Plant Genus: Chlorophytum Family: Agavaceae Plant Type: Perennial Origin: South Africa Humidity: Average Temperature: 65-75 °F Day 50-55 °F Night Height: 3 foot Color: Green, green and white Insects and Diseases: Spider mites, scales, aphids and whiteflies Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights...
Heartleaf Philodendron
Description: The Heartleaf Philodendron is a vigorously growing vine that is covered with glossy, heart shaped leaves. There are several varieties, some that have a yellowish or off white variegation and the original dark green variety. The vines can reach an almost unlimited length is well cared for. The heart shaped leaves are normally anywhere from 2-6 inches in width, but can reach as much as 12 inches on large mature plants. When kept in a hanging pot the vines will gracefully hang, but it will cling and climb if given a vertical support. Lighting: Philodendron’s can survive a wide variety of lighting conditions. They prefer indirect sunlight, but will often even thrive in low light areas of your home. Watering: Philodendron’s like moist environments and soil should be kept moist at all times, but not soaked. They need good drainage, soggy soil will cause the roots to quickly rot. The plant should be watered sparingly during the winter months, with the top 1/2 inch being allowed to dry before re-watering. But, during the growing season water as often as needed to retain soil moisture. Frequently mist the leaves and wipe with a damp cloth to remove any dust. Soil: A good quality, well draining potting soil will work fine with Philodendron’s. If you’d like to mix your own soil use equal parts of sterilized garden loam, coarse sand or Perlite mixed with 1/2 the amount of peat moss. Fertilization: A standard, high quality houseplant food is sufficient and can be used regularly. They should not be fed during the fall and winter months when plant growth is slower. Propagation: The Sweetheart plant is one of the easiest to propagate. Just snip the vines off below one of the leaf nodules, remove several leaves and place the stem in water. Roots are usually quick to appear and the plant can then be placed in soil. New plants can also be started by carefully dividing the root clump. Make sure that each new section has some well established roots for the best results. Toxicity/Poisonous: The leaves and juices of the Philodendron contain calcium oxalate and asparagine. The poison is in both the leaves and stems and general symptoms include inflammation and reddening of the skin and itchiness. More serious symptoms are slurred speech, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. There may also be swelling of the mouth and tongue and burning in the mouth, throat and eyes. In rare cases the throat may swell blocking airways. Home Care: Use a cold, wet rag to wipe out the mouth and wash any of the plant sap off of the skin. If the plant was ingested seek medical help immediately. Tips: The Philodendron will let you know if you’re watering it correctly. If the leaves start to turn yellow, you’re giving the plant too much water. If the leaves turn brown, it’s not receiving enough water! If the plant is kept in very low light conditions, the leaves will be spread out farther apart on the vines. And, the leaf colors won’t be as deep and glossy. Common Name: Heartleaf Philodendron, Sweetheart Plant Genus: Philodendron Family: Araceae Plant Type: Perennial Origin: Tropical America Blooming Time: Rarely blooms in captivity Humidity: Moderate Temperature: 60-85°F Height: Almost unlimited Color: Dark green, variegated Insects and Diseases: Generally pest free when grown indoors Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights...
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