Glad you liked the ZZ plant @GardenerSuze, it will amaze you when it starts producing new leaves, they grow quite quickly! There's an excellent book by the RHS called Practical House Plant Book with plant profiles and notes on care, plus design tips - something else for your birthday list perhaps!
I grow a Sansevieria called S. cylindrica, which is also really easy to grow. I now have three plants from one original.
@Plantminded I have seen S cylindrica before but hadn't realised what it was, so have added it to my notebook. Just one last question how do you clean the leaves it is obviously a plant that you don't spray? Thanks
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I was advised by the house plant expert in my local garden centre to put the plant in the shower for a quick burst to clean and water it like in nature! I've never done this - I just water the compost around the edge when necessary and use a damp cloth to remove any dust. There's no need to mist houseplants - the benefits are debatable. It's more important to water them properly by not overwatering them!
Thankyou @Plantminded . It is interesting what you say about misting, my daughter has a bonsai, the leaves were going brown and we realised it was scorch from misting. Now it is fine. Like you I love my plants and it is exciting to find a new area to explore.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Hi, I think the whole sansevieria family needs the same care really. I have fernwood mikado, trifasciata (I just have the green cultivar but moonshine is a different colour one), zeylanica and there is one I can't remember the name of but it's often called whale/sharks fin.
I just wipe the leaves with a piece of kitchen towel that I dip in some rainwater. I live in a really hard water area and if I used tap water then you get horrible deposits on the leaves, if you have soft water then you can use tap. My mum just cleans the leaves with anti bacterial wipes and it seemingly does no harm, I have done it myself on my zz plant and they come up really shiny.
All sansiverias are easy, moonshine is one of my favourites!
I have phildendrons (climbing types) on a sunny south facing windowsill and they seem to like it. You could grow a rubber tree (ficus elastica) on the floor slightly back from the windowsill. Peperomias are good too, I like watermelon & ginny!
for your north facing sills maranta do well, as would a peace lily
@thevictorian Thank you for your help. I am starting to look at house plants with 'new eyes' Fernwood Mikado is another possible. I am making a note of all suggestions.
@zugenie I was very tempted with a peperomia yesterday, picked it up and put it back thinking I would wait for all the kind advice from everyone.
A few weeks ago I visited a nursery I have been to many times. I had no idea there was an indoor plant area. I would normally walk past heading for outdoors. Now things will change as I enjoy a new area of gardening
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Swiss cheese plant, Monstera deliciosa is easy to keep.
I inherited mine from a former occupant of my classroom. It lived for several years on a gloomy side bench, watered only when I got a moment to think about it, which is rare in a classful of special needs kids!
When there was a re-organisation and the school was closed, I was given early retirement and brought the monster home with me. Once he'd got his toes under the table he went from strength to strength and now he fills an entire corner of my sitting room
All he needs to keep him happy is indirect light, no bright sun for him, an occasional water and air that is not too dry. The pot is actually next to a radiator, not usually recommended, but it doesn't seem to have any ill effect on growth. He used to get a shower from time to time, which he enjoyed, but he and his pot are too big now to carry upstairs, so he has to make do with a duster or a misting. I get several new leaves each year and the plant looks lovely. The only downside is that you may have to move to a bigger house!
@Buttercupdays Just mentioned this to OH who remembers growing a Cheese plant called George. I guess as you describe they become one of the family. OH seems to recall George's roots damaged the carpet.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Yes in student digs we had a Monstera that attached itself to the carpet too. If you give them a pole they will attach themselves to that in preference. That plant took a lot of abuse - drought, neglect, being used as an ash tray... There's a similar plant called Rhaphidophora tetrasperma or "mini Monstera" that is like a smaller more well behaved version.
Although you can easily propagate a Monstera to limit the size.
I've never been great with houseplants but have had long term success with a Spathiphyllum, a peace lily. It flops when the soil is too dry, but perks up again after watering, which is really handy. It's become enormous and I should really divide it.
I've started to become interested in houseplants again, and have acquired a Hoya wayettii and an Epiphyllum. Both of these are supposedly easy care. The Hoya is particularly nice, the glossy little leaves dangle in a really neat and attractive way. I have both suspended in the North West facing kitchen window, in little hanging pots. (I really like them hanging, it reduces that sense of clutter). I think all of my plants prefer indirect light though, rather than hot, south facing windows.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
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I grow a Sansevieria called S. cylindrica, which is also really easy to grow. I now have three plants from one original.
I just wipe the leaves with a piece of kitchen towel that I dip in some rainwater. I live in a really hard water area and if I used tap water then you get horrible deposits on the leaves, if you have soft water then you can use tap. My mum just cleans the leaves with anti bacterial wipes and it seemingly does no harm, I have done it myself on my zz plant and they come up really shiny.
I have phildendrons (climbing types) on a sunny south facing windowsill and they seem to like it. You could grow a rubber tree (ficus elastica) on the floor slightly back from the windowsill. Peperomias are good too, I like watermelon & ginny!
for your north facing sills maranta do well, as would a peace lily
@zugenie I was very tempted with a peperomia yesterday, picked it up and put it back thinking I would wait for all the kind advice from everyone.
A few weeks ago I visited a nursery I have been to many times. I had no idea there was an indoor plant area. I would normally walk past heading for outdoors. Now things will change as I enjoy a new area of gardening
Although you can easily propagate a Monstera to limit the size.
I've never been great with houseplants but have had long term success with a Spathiphyllum, a peace lily. It flops when the soil is too dry, but perks up again after watering, which is really handy. It's become enormous and I should really divide it.
I've started to become interested in houseplants again, and have acquired a Hoya wayettii and an Epiphyllum. Both of these are supposedly easy care. The Hoya is particularly nice, the glossy little leaves dangle in a really neat and attractive way. I have both suspended in the North West facing kitchen window, in little hanging pots. (I really like them hanging, it reduces that sense of clutter). I think all of my plants prefer indirect light though, rather than hot, south facing windows.