Houseplants

Learn how to poinsettia plants for the holidays including information on getting them to rebloom. Listen to podcast: I recently returned from a trip to India, and while visiting a friend in his garden outside Delhi, I was struck by one brilliantly colored, red plant. This five-foot-tall and -wide plant looked familiar. Upon closer inspection, it was a poinsettia. While we mostly know poinsettias as those potted holiday plants, they actually are a shrub in their native Mexico. The name comes from an American who brought them into the...

Sun Requirements Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) or devil's ivy is related to Philodendron, another vining, popular houseplant. They both grow best in bright, indirect light. Pale green leaves usually means too much sun. The loss of variegation and the leaves may reverting to all green can mean too little light. Bloom Period and Plant Shape Pothos is grown primarily for its heart-shaped leaves and long vining stems. Some types vine more aggressively than others. Mature Height x Spread The plant vines almost uncontrollably outdoors in tropical...

Sun Requirements Rubber tree houseplant (Ficus elastica) grows best in a bright room with lots of light, but no direct sunlight. A South facing window shielded with a sheer curtain is ideal. If your rubber tree starts getting leggy, it doesn't have enough light. Bloom Period and Plant Shape Rubber trees are grown for their large size and big, shiny, thick leaves. The plant grows in a tree shape, so you'll need to have enough ceiling space to grow this tree. Mature Height x Spread Rubber trees grow up 100 feet tall in their natural outdoor...

Sun Requirements Bright, indirect light, but will tolerate low light conditions. Bloom Period and Plant Shape Snake plants (Sansevieria) rarely boom indoors. They have stiff, vertical, sword-like leaves that can have a number of different colored edges depending on the selection. They are grown in tropical regions as a ground cover, often under trees and shrubs. They can become invasive in the wild. Indoors, snake plants are easy to grow houseplants. Mature Height x Spread Snake plants grow up to 4 feet tall in their native regions. In the...

Sun Requirements Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) grow best in moderate to bright, indirect light. Hot, direct light can burn the leaves and cause brown tips and spots. If brought outdoors in summer, hang the plant in a shady location. Bloom Period and Plant Shape Spider plants are primarily grown for the green and white variegated leaves and baby plants that hang off the mother plant on stems. This is a good hanging basket plant. They will occasionally flower indoors with sprays of small, white flowers. Mature Height x Spread Spider...