The Plant Guide

The Bird’s Nest Fern is a typical fern in that it likes moist but never soggy soil. Once per week watering is OK, or you can cut the amount of water but increase the frequency to twice a week. Avoid watering in the center rosette. They are happy in bright, indirect light.

Light: East or North Facing Window, close to light, but not direct sunlight

Water: Moist but never soggy! 2-3oz 1x per week for 4” pot, 4-6oz 1x per week for 6” pot.

Birds of Paradise - White Flower (Large Leaf)

The Bird’s of Paradise (white) is an excellent tropical statement. They prefer bright shade, like an east or south facing window that avoids direct light but is bright for a majority of the day. In direct sun, they take watering twice per week but in your house, once per week is adequate.

Light: South or East facing window. Bright Shade with early or late sun is perfect. Direct sun might crisp some leaves but will improve growth.

Water: Moist but never soggy! 1-2 cups once per week for indoor plants in a traditional 3 gallon pot (8”) is adequate.

Birds of Paradise - Orange Flower (Small Leaf)

The Bird’s of Paradise (orange) adds a wonderful, delicate touch with volume. They prefer bright shade, like an east or south facing window that avoids direct light but is bright for a majority of the day. In direct sun, they take watering twice per week but in the house, once per week is adequate.

Light: South or East facing window. Can take some direct sun

Water: Moist but never soggy! 1-2 cups once per week for indoor plants in a traditional 3 gallon pot (8”) is adequate.

Boston Fern

The Boston Fern is a classic fun loving fern - they prefer moist soil so can take an increased watering frequency but make sure they are never soggy. They prefer bright shade, direct light can crisp up the leaves. An east or north window is ideal.

Light: East or North facing window.

Water: Moist but never soggy! ½ cup once or twice per week is good. Make sure the soil drains completely in a 1 gallon 6” pot.

Bromeliad

Add a little pop of color with your tropical Bromeliad. They prefer relatively bright indirect light and a heavy, but infrequent watering. Place in a south facing window, or a bright east or west window. Depending on the drainage, bromeliads prefer south florida style watering - a “heavy rain” followed by a week or two of drainage. They do not like it too wet.

Light: South or bright east or west window.

Water: Heavy but infrequent. It does not like to sit in water. You can water it through the central cup but only fill it about halfway and rinse it out frequently.

Calathea

Definitely drama queens - but the leaves make it worth it. They raise their leaves at night and lower them during the day. They do not like bright light. Bright but full shade is best - indirect light. They need light but not a lot of it. Watering will be 1-2x per week depending on the soil. They like consistent moisture but never soggy.

Light: Indirect light - away from any window but close enough to still get some light

Water: 4oz twice a week for faster draining soil, 6-8oz once a week for soils that hold water better.

Chinese Evergreen

Can thrive in relatively lower light or bright spots and with so many colorful varieties, you can really find an amazing one for your style. The general rule is the more colorful the leaves are, the more light it needs. They like it moist but never soggy and hate sitting in standing water.

Light: Any - but the more colorful ones need more light to stay colorful

Water: Moist but never soggy. Around 1 cup of water once a week for the 6” and 8” pots.

Dracaena

A common landscaping plant in South Florida, there are dozens of cool varieties to collect. They can grow in lower light but prefer brighter shade / indirect light like an east window or just away from a south window. Wait to water until you can stick your whole finger in the soil and it is dry (at least 4 inches down is dry).

Light: Any but bright indirect like East or close to south facing window.

Water: Thorough water when top 4” is dry. Hates soggy!

Dumb Cane

To best care for your plant, rotate it regularly. Dumb Cane can tolerate lower light but thrive in moderate indirect light. Be careful as they do harbor some toxins, so make sure your kids or pets do not eat it and it is best to wash your hands after handling it. They can dry out between waterings but the leaves will droop when it is time to water. Yellow leaves mean you are waiting too long to water if the soil is bone dry.

Light: Any window, can do well in relatively low light corner

Water: Moist but never soggy! About 1 cup every 5-7 days for an 8” pot.

Fiddle Leaf Fig

The grumpy old man of the plant family. The Fiddle Leaf Fig is a very trendy plant and rightly so, the large fiddle-shaped leaves grab all the attention and the plant’s capacity to grow and fill a room is incredible. You can quickly go from a 5-6 foot plant to a 12 foot plant in a year. However, the show-stopper characteristics come with a bit of a high-maintenance schedule. Fiddle Leaf figs NEED bright indirect light. Put them in the brightest spot of your home that also minimizes direct sunlight burning their leaves. Watering too, you have to keep a good eye. Too much and they tell you, too little and they tell you.

Once you find a good location for your plant, do not move it. Fiddle Leaf Figs do not like to be moved too much. Because the plant is so picky, it is good to take daily pictures of your plant so you can always reference what it looked like and if any changes occurred.

Light: East, South or Southeast facing window in the brightest spot of your house. Avoid direct afternoon sunlight.

Water: Water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. Make sure to water evenly around the plant - about 1-2 cups for an 8” pot - enough until you see it coming out of the bottom and then dump excess water. Or limit to 1 - 1.5 cups and just check the soil more frequently.

Monstera

The holes in monstera leaves are actually caused by indirect light placement as the holes allow light to filter to the lower layer of leaves. How cool?!? They prefer medium to bright indirect light in a north or east facing window close to the window, or back away slightly from a south or west facing window. They prefer a thorough soaking when the soil has completely dried out.

Light: Close to east or north, back away from a south or west facing window

Water: Thorough soaking when soil is completely dry

Nerve Plant

These little plants are very dramatic. It is normal to wake up one morning and see them completely wilted over. That is OK! Just give them a thorough water and they will perk up in no time. They like a well draining soil and to dry out between waterings but make sure to keep an eye on it. They perform best in indirect light.

Light: Indirect - away from east, south or west window, close to north window.

Water: Thorough soaking when she droops, let her dry out completely.

Parlor Palm

Parlor Palms are classic houseplants due to their compact tropical grace and easycare lifestyle. They prefer any type of indirect light and like being on the slightly moist side, never soggy.

Light: Any window, out of direct sunlight

Water: Keep the soil evenly moist. Water more in summer and less in winter (let soil dry)

Peace Lily

Peace Lilies are amazing low light plants and can handle being underwatered. In larger pots they can go over a week without water. If the soil is damp, do not water. They will actually droop when it is time to water them - if some turn yellow it is ok, just remove them it will grow more. They will flower more in bright, indirect light but can thrive in low light spots.

Light: Any - back away from south facing window

Water: Good water once the leaves droop. Do not like being too wet.

Peperomia

They thrive in a bright spot with infrequent waterings. Treat them similarly to succulents - it is ok to forget about them! There are a lot of varieties with some great colors. They are also amazing plants to propagate.

Light: Bright, indirect light (close to window or bright spot is a must)

Water: Water completely every 2 weeks - let the soil dry out completely.

Philodendron

Very similar to the pothos below, philodendrons are great indoor plants that can thrive in any light and be forgotten. They prefer medium indirect light but lower light is tolerable. Water when the leaves start to wilt (aka soil is completely dry). Smaller leaves or leggy vines are indicators it wants, but not necessarily needs, more light.

Light: Any window, or even interior walls

Water: Water thoroughly after soil is dry

Pilea

Such a cool plant to have and share with friends. This easy to care plant prefers bright light, but indirect light. In an east window or just back from a south facing window. Rotating them helps them grow straight up and evenly. They can handle drying out but do not forget them!

Light: Bright, indirect light - east window

Water: Thorough watering (let it drain out) once every 7-10 days (let soil dry out completely).

Ponytail Palm

This palm is not really a palm - but looks so cool none-the-less. It also has the nickname “Elephant’s Foot” which sounds like it is straight out of a Safari! They behave like succulents and only need water once a month since the “foot” stores lots of water, even in its preferred habitat of bright, indirect light.

Light: East window or just off a south facing window. Rotate it weekly for best results.

Water: Once a month, less if placed in a darker spot.

Pothos

This is the perfect plant for almost any space. You can get it with a range of natural colors or variegations and can do well in almost any light. They thrive in light but can do just as well in a dark corner. When the leaves just start to wilt, it is time to water (soil can be completely dry).

Light: Close to any window ideal, but can survive in low light

Water: Let soil completely dry and water thoroughly. About once every 7-10 days.

Snake Plant (Sansevieria)

The easiest and least picky house plant. Snake plants thrive in any light and can virtually be forgotten. They are native to the desert so minimal water is a must. The only way to really harm them is to water them too much! If you pay attention, you will see the leaves start to curl in a little when it really needs water. If the soil is moist at all, no need to water.

Light: Any

Water: Once a month.

Spider Plant

Spider plants like to be treated like a slightly more thirsty pothos. They make great hanging plants as little pups will shoot out of the mother plant when she is happy. You can even repot the little pups! Let the soil completely dry and then give it a thorough watering.

Light: Moderate indirect - close to a north or east facing window or back off from South or West

Water: Thorough water once soil is dry. About once a week

Traveler’s Palm

Traditionally landscaping centerpieces, Traveler’s Palms can thrive indoors in bright, indirect light like on a patio or porch. The prefer their soil moist, but never soggy and can dry out briefly between waterings. They store lots of water in the leaves.

Light: Moderate bright - avoid direct sunlight as it crips the leaves

Water: Less amount but higher frequency, never soggy!

ZZ Plant

The second easiest and least picky house plant is the ZZ Plant. Their pure green glossy leaves look fake. Really the only way to harm a ZZ plant is to put it in too much water. They are desert lovers and thrive on dry due to their potato-like underground water storage nodes. They do not need direct light, and do best in any indirect light.

Light: Indirect anywhere

Water: Once a month or even once every two months, Do not overwater!