A very large trailing Ivy plant, this Pittsburgh Ivy or sometimes called English Ivy variety has wonderful shaped leaves with subtle striped variegation. A classic plant seen in every quintessential garden whether it is creeping up walls or hanging from atop. This will grow fast if you let it, but regular pruning can keep it in check. It loves wet and humid spots so a bathroom is a great spot or any location up high (with regular misting) so you can see its wonderful trailing vines. Light and Water Keep it in a bright spot with lots of indirect light to encourage but keep it rather cool so not on a sunny windowsill or near radiators as this can cause its leaves to drop. Keep the soil moist, watering when the top two inches of the soil has dried out.
The Howea Forsteriana or more commonly known as the Kentia or Thatch Palm is a relatively slow growing palm eventually reaching up to 10m in height with 3m fronds. This size makes a perfect addition to any home offering longevity over the years before you need to think about repotting it. They are one of the best at re-moving air toxins such as formaldehyde, ammonia and carbon monoxide from the air, this makes it an ideal home and office plant. It is native to Lord Howe Island in Australia. Light and Water The plants are quite forgiving and tolerant of low light conditions but do prefer an area that receives indirect light indoors. Good locations are living rooms, bright corridors or offices near but not in front of windows as direct sunlight can be harsh on the plants. You can also choose to keep your plant outdoors during the warmer months in a somewhat shaded location. Kentia palm plants are fairly drought tolerant, although they do not like to be overly dry, or for that matter overly wet. Water only when the top inch or so (2.5 cm.) of soil starts to dry out. Mist indoor Kentia palm occasionally to provide some humidity and to remove any dust build-up. Palms, in general, require minimal pruning. Over pruning may cause irreversible damage to the trunk. You should, however, remove old leaf bases by gently pulling; do not force them off, which can cause permanent scarring or open up injury for trunk rot disease.
Juncus ‘Pencil Grass’ originates from Africa. It is suitable for home and garden, and a great addition along a pond edge. Very graceful plant with deep green round grass stalks. While these exotic plants look hard to grow, they’re fairly easy to grow indoors and out! Indoors, use juncus to add flair to your desk at work or school, or as a dramatic accent in your kitchen, living room, or den. Its grey-green leaves are a lovely neutral colour, making it work with just about any interior colour scheme. Outdoors, Juncus is perfect for garden beds and borders, as well as adding fantastic texture to container gardens. Light and Water If the roots are able to sit in shallow water, it can tolerate full sun, but partial shade is ideal for this plant when it is displayed indoors. Because this is a marginal aquatic plant, soil should always be kept moist, Water the plant liberally as it likes moist soil. In fact, it's tough to overwater this unusual houseplant! Juncus appreciates fertilizer once or twice a year. You can use any houseplant fertilizer, following the directions on the product packaging. Outdoors, grow juncus in sun or shade. It does best in evenly moist or even wet soil. While it doesn't require fertilizer outdoors, you can fertilize juncus with any general-purpose fertilizer. Follow the directions on the product packaging. Pruning typically isn't necessary. To ensure constantly moist soil, pots that have drain-age may be partially submerged into another container filled with water, replicating the bog-like conditions in which this plant naturally grows.
The Kalanchoe/Bryophyllum Fedtschenckoi plant honours the late botanist Boris Fedtschenckoi but is more commonly known as Lavender Scallops. Identifiable from their unusual shapes and pinkish hue on the fringe of their compact foliage. Its perennial succulent with upright flowering stems which bloom into beautiful large flowers. Light and Water It’s a relatively easy succulent to grow as a houseplant with one need. The plant needs lots of strong sunlight (preferably full sun), whether grown indoors or outside, especially during the summer. So, place in a bright room with filtered light and ample airflow. When repotting, provide porous soil with adequate drainage, pots with drainage hole are recommended. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Water the plant infrequently. It’s easy to overwater this plant. Allow the soil to dry out between watering. As with all succulents, never let them sit in water and do not water on the leaves. If you water from beneath by letting the plant sit in a saucer of water, make sure to pour off any excess water after a few minutes. The hotter it is outside, the faster your soil will dry out, so you’ll need to water more often if you live in a hot area. Water with caution in winter, as the plant can lose its roots if the soil stays cold and wet for extended periods. Feeding helps encourage thicker, healthier growth. Feed the plant bi-weekly with a liquid fertilizer throughout the summer months. During the winter, stop feeding the plant. The plant also requires less water during the winter.
Sometimes called split rocks or pebble plants, living stone plants are extremely drought-resistant and are widely popular in low-water gardens in desert regions. Lithops are fascinating little succulents. The living stone plant is very sensitive to the seasons of the year but can live for decades. Lithops have no true stem and much of the plant is beneath the soil surface. All that’s visible above the ground’s surface is usually a pair of fleshy, succulent leaves that look like stones, with a crevice between them. These leaves have window-like cells on the leaf surfaces. These transparent areas are filled with calcium oxalate, which creates a reflective facet that increases light penetration. They can be grown both indoors and outdoors, but outdoor growers should be careful that they don’t get too much water. They thrive in desert condition with infrequent moisture and intense sunlight. Therefore, mimicking Lithops growing condition is important to keep them healthy. Light and Water Indoors you can keep them anywhere from direct sunlight to partial shade. Be very careful, when growing living stones, not to overwater. These little succulents do not need to be watered in their dormant season, which is autumn to spring. During spring to summer, the trick is to water only when the soil is thoroughly dry (test by inserting a wooden skewer into the soil, and check if it's moist when removed). When you do, drench it and allow it to dry completely before watering again. If you feel like you need to water a little bit due to any signs of shrinkage in the leaves, its best to do a little at a time and in the mornings so it can evaporate if its overwatered.
Sometimes called the “Bunny Ear” Cactus due to its multi branching growths or the “Blind Prickly Pear”. This is a popular beginner cactus as it is easy to grow if a you can provide enough bright light, no over-watering, provide its winter resting period and average room temperatures. In short, keep it by a window and don’t water it for half a year. Simple! Light and Water This plant requires full light for growing for most of the year, except during the winter cycle. For the plant's health, light should be reduced to partial sun during this time. This Cactus is a desert species. It should be given water on a regular basis during its first season in a new pot. This will help it to create a strong root system. The soil should be kept moist, but not soggy. After the first season, more sporadic watering is required. During the winter cycle, the cactus should not be watered at all, with watering to resume in the early spring.
While its common name is Madagascar Palm, this is not actually a true palm but a but a succulent plant na-tive to South Africa and the island of Madagascar. The plant produces a single spiny trunk topped by a spray of long narrow leaves that give it the appearance of a small palm tree. Very decorative with a unique, sculpture-like appeal when grown as a single specimen indoors. Low-maintenance and an excellent choice for anyone new to growing houseplants making it a perfect quirky gift! It may not be the most popular plant to stumble across in the average nursery or garden shop, but for anyone who likes a unique easy-going indoor succulent, this could be your perfect match. Light and Water This is a sun-loving houseplant so always pick the sunniest spot you have. They'll still do pretty well in bright conditions, but anything considered "medium" light or lower should be avoided. These plants put out almost all of their new growth during the Summer. So, in theory, you could bring your plant indoors to a slightly lower lit location over late fall, winter and early spring before moving it outside to a sunny spot. If you want a thriving Pachypodium water yours liberally in the Summer months whenever the soil dries out. In Winter you should cut back to prevent the roots rotting in the cooler conditions, instead only water sparingly. Perhaps once or twice a month at most.
Native to South America dwelling in rain forests, the Peperomia ferreyrae is a perennial epiphyte semi - succulent plant species that differs very much in its appearance to many other peperomia species. This makes this plant a real talking point, as the slightly fleshy leaves look just like French beans. Light and Water Keep it in a semi-shaded or bright spot with protection from direct sun. Water moderately in summer - allowing the compost to get reasonably dry before repeating the process. Water sparingly in winter. Maintain temperatures above 10°C in winter.
This variety of the Chinese Evergreen comes with beautiful white to dark green variegated leaves. With large air purifying leaves, it’s one of the lowest maintenance, indoor perennials. With a slow growth, this plant has a long lifespan. It’s a great plant for beginners to look after, it will survive in most light conditions. Light and Water Keep from anywhere from low light/shaded light to bright indirect light. Direct sunlight will scorch the leaves and develop brown spots. Similarly, too much shade can cause to lose its variegation on the leaves. This plant is easy to care for. Always keep the soil slightly moist. The soil can be allowed to dry out for short periods. Occasional dusting of the leaves with a damp cloth to prevent build up. Occasional misting will also prevent brown tips.
Nicknamed the “Cast Iron Plant” for being near indestructible, and it lives up to its near being an extremely hardy plant for any household. It is fully capable of dealing with poor light, murky conditions as well as poor air quality, warm or cold temperatures. The large paddle shaped leaves are often a dark shade of green and growing slowly it produces only a few new leaves a year. The main advantage of this is that it won't outgrow the location you choose for it for many years giving it potential for incredible longevity. Light and Water When it comes to the light requirements for an Aspidistra it's very easy to get right. Providing it can pretty much deal with any light it's given. While difficult to kill generally, it won't survive direct sunshine (bright light is fine). So, aim for a north facing window, or a shady / bright position deeper into a room with other facing aspects. The Aspidistra's cast iron nature means it will deal with sporadic occasional watering easily and can work around dry soil. This houseplant is not a cactus though, so to really thrive it does need a reasonable amount of water during the growing season, although you'll need to let it dry out between watering's. The soil should only ever be moist, never soaked or sodden. In the Winter months just enough is needed to keep it ticking over.
Aucuba Japonica, commonly called Japanese laurel or gold dust plant, is a shrub native to forest soils of moist valleys, streams and near shaded moist rocks in China, Korea, and Japan. The glossy green leaves are heavily dusted with beautiful golden-yellow spots making the ‘Gold Dust Plant’ a cheery house plant, and a beautiful accent among other foliage plants. Aucuba Japonica varieties include both male and female plants that produce clusters of tiny purplish flowers in spring. If pollinated, the flowers are followed by bright red berries carried on the plant through the winter. So, move them outside during spring and summer if wish for this to happen. Indoors, you'll have easy success with this compact, upright shrub because it adapts well to indoor conditions. In fact, it doesn't need much attention to thrive and it grows well in a pot. Light and Water Keep it in a spot with bright indirect light. Some cool, direct morning sunlight is fine. Bright, filtered sunlight will help Gold Dust Plant keep its variegation. Don't move it outdoors unless you have a cool, shady spot for it. Keep the soil evenly moist from spring through fall. Then, cut back on watering in winter when growth has slowed. For indoors, although slow-growing, Gold Dust Plants will get tall and leggy over time. Prune the stems back hard in spring to keep Aucuba Japonica a manageable size indoors and to encourage branching. Cut stems at a 45° angle, just after a node (the place where a leaf or branch is attached to the stem). Use sharp pruners to avoid tearing the stems. Clean those beautiful spotted leaves to keep them dust-free. Wipe them off with a damp cloth, this will unclog the pores on the plant allowing them to break and prevent brown tips.
Affectionally called the “Ponytail Palm” for its tall stalk and the wispy trailing leaves growing from its top or sometimes the “Elephant’s foot” for the way it branches once it reaches maturity. With multiple tufts of curling leaves, not only does this offer a talking point for its unusual looks, it's easy to care for! Suitable for home offices, desks, or any well-lit room that could use a low maintenance plant. A slow grower too, but over the years if kept well it can reach heights of 2m with multiple branches become a real statement piece! Part of what makes this plant interesting to look at is the bulb-like base that holds onto water (which means you don't need to water it very often). This Ponytail Palm does not need humid air, so copes well with central-ly heated rooms. Light and Water Place in a well-lit room with some access to direct sunlight. Water well, making sure the excess water drains away freely. These plants dislike overwatering, so let the compost get quite dry before repeating the process again.
Caladiums are often known as Elephant Ears from their large heart shaped leaves. Most varieties display colour combinations of red, whites, pinks and greens. This stunning plant is adorned with pink candy-striped leaves and will and beautiful pop of colour to any home. Traditionally an outdoor plant, they can be adapted to indoor with some effort, but it will be worth it at this will extend their foliar season so you can stare at those attractive leaves all year round. The plants love hot, humid weather and grow best in full to partial shade, though most varieties can also be grown in full sun if they get plenty of water. So, mist often and keep them warm. If they are outside in a hanging garden or container, bring them indoors during the winter months if you want to preserve the foliage, otherwise they will die back down to their tubers until the next growing season or die completely if exposed to frost. Light and Water Indoor Caladium plants require a medium light area with protection from midday sun, which will scorch the leaves. A northern or eastern window is usually the best exposure. Humidity is crucial to Caladium houseplant care as the tubers are native to South American tropical forests and produce seasonal foliage during the rainy, warm season. Keeping the humidity high in a heated home may be done with misting and by placing a saucer filled with pebbles and water under the container. The evaporation will moisten the ambient air and provide the humidity necessary for your Caladium. Keep your plant away from heating vents which will blow dry air and drafty windows or doors. Please note that these come to us as mixed plants so we cannot guarantee which variety will arrive to us. They will all be beautiful varieties with variations of red/pink/green/white leaves.
The Turtle Vine is a cute little trailing vine adorned with small round ‘turtle’ like leaves running along the length. Not to be confused with the similarly named “String of turtles” or Peperomia Prostrata, this vine is a cascading low-growing plant and has a lot more foliage which is densely packed. It grows quickly and is fairly hardy, needing monitoring when it comes to their water level. Light and Water Bright indirect light is best, avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun, especially in the summer. Always maintain evenly moist soil and average room humidity is acceptable. If you see any signs of dehydration, introduce more humidity with regular misting or a water tray. The Turtle vine loves moist soil - once the pot begins to feel light when lifted, it's time for another water. Under-watering symptoms include crispy/curling leaves, a grey, washed-out appearance, yellowing leaves and a lack of new growth. These issues are commonly down to either too much heat/light forgetfulness. Dehydration is the number one issue among growers, so always keep an eye out for drying soil. Over-watering symptoms, on the other hand, include yellowing lower leaves, little to no growth and a rotting stem or leaves. Never allow your plat to endure long periods of soggy soil or a dark location as both will significantly increase the chance of over-watering and death.
Love will be in the air, literally with its heart shaped leaves with this charming, trailing semi-succulent vine. The heart shaped leaves grow with a delightful green lace pattern that grow in opposite pairs along a trailing vine. The pinkish-purple undersides of the leaves and stems add a romantic hue. Not truly a succulent, but it does store water in its stems and plant care is very similar to that of a succulent. String of Hearts is extremely easy to look after and very tolerant of neglect. It is a perfect plant for for hanging baskets. These are suited to hotter climates so can live outdoors but also do better indoors in temperate or colour climates. It’s a fast grower so place up high and it will quickly cascade its vines down. Feel free to prune any vines which are not looking so good (long vines, little leaves) redistribute the plant’s resources away from sad growths as well as keeping the length in check. Light and Water They like most light conditions, do best in bright indirect light, but can also do well in moderate shade. Water when the soil dries out completely and when you do, make sure it drains completely as it does not suit its roots being waterlogged. Please note: String of hearts vines are coiled in the packaging by the growers to protect them in transit. On opening, we recommend gently unfurling the coils and teasing apart the vines around the pot. If you rush this stage, you risk losing a lot of your vines. Let the coils hang for several days before continuing to gently separate the vines (patience is a virtue). Some leaf loss is unavoidable; however, they are fast growing plants and will regenerate quickly.
Cordyline ‘Mambo’ is a wonderfully colourful tropical foliage plant, with lovely glossy maroon tinged leaves that branch off a central stem. They form in a manner similar to Dracaena (they are both members of the same family), with their lower leaves dying to encourage new growth as the plant develops, so some light pruning will be needed throughout the year. Just tug at the dying leaves when they looked withered or brown, they should pull easily if it is their time to go. Cordyline's are great plants which brighten up any corner of a room or an office environment. Light and Water For best results, this plant requires free draining medium fertile soil and placed in a partial sun position, avoid direct sunlight. The plant does like light, but not strong, midday sunshine. In summer you can water freely and feed weekly but in winter water sparingly. This tropical plant needs very high humidity. That is why we spray the leaves at least once per week. This prevents the leaf edges from drying out. Always keep the potting soil moist, without letting the plant stand in water.
From the Ornamental Fig family, the Rubber Plant has been a popular houseplant from the Victorian times, but now there are newer and better varieties like this form with larger, and wider glossy leaves. Light and Water Although we recommend that it is grown in bright but indirect light, Rubber Plants will tolerate a couple of hours of morning sunshine. These are easy plants to care for as long as you are careful with the watering. Only water once the compost is dry to touch, and make sure that the plant isn't left standing in water. You can mist the leaves during the summer to increase the humidity. Occasionally wash the leaves with a damp sponge or cloth to keep the foliage glossy. Try to maintain an average temperature no lower than 12°C in the winter and avoid any sudden drops in the temperature and cold draughts.
The Weeping Fig is one of the most popular indoor plants, being somewhere between an ornamental tree and a shrub. It grows densely packed glossy leaves giving it a very stylish look. Very compact as well, it offers great value in the amount of green it brings to any space. Light and Water It’s very adaptable to differing light conditions, as it will tolerate most, but prefers bright indirect light. Avoid the extremes of direct sunlight (this can burn its leaves) and completely shaded areas. In terms of water, it likes humid environments and water when the top two inches of soil feels dry. So, frequent misting and a pebble water tray will help in keeping it humid, while checking the soil every 2-3 days to check for dryness. Do not let the soil dry out completely between watering as you always want to keep the soil moist. You can also encourage it to grow more strongly by giving it a feed with plant fertiliser once a month in spring and summer. It will grow naturally I a tree formation, but you can prune it to a desired shape as well.
The Fittonia family are sometimes called Mosiac Plants or Nerve Plants for the beautiful patterning it grows on its leaves. A tropically found plant the striking leaves come in combinations pink and green, white and green, or green and red. Foliage is primarily olive green with veining taking on the alternate hue. This variety is a classic of green with white “nerve/mosaic” lacing on its leaves. Light and Water Placed in a warm area, avoiding drafts with bright indirect or dappled light to mimic rainforest environments. Avoid direct sunlight and low to complete shade. As the nerve plant originates in a tropical setting, it flourishes within a high humidity environment. Misting may be required to maintain humid-like conditions. Alternatively, you can set up with a pebble tray and combine it with other high humidity loving plants to create the suitable environment. Fittonia nerve plant likes well drained moist soil, but not too wet. Water moderately and let growing nerve plants dry out between watering. Use room temperature water on the plant to avoid shock.
Graptopetalum are perennial succulent plants and native to Mexico and Arizona. They grow in a rosette. they are not frost hardy but in frost-free regions, make excellent rockery plants. This variety ‘purpureum’ is an un-usual species with thick fleshy cupped triangular leaves coloured maroon with a purple reverse. This creates a unique looking colouring on its leaves, a small but striking addition to any rare plant collectors. Like most succulents it likes to be dry, in well-drained soil. Light and Water Keep this plant in direct sunlight for best growth, it can also do well in bright indirect sunlight too. Water when the soil is fully drained, check the soil with your finger to see if it is dry several inches down or if the leaves are starting to look shrivelled. Overwatering can cause root rot so make sure it drains completely before watering again.