Plant Guides
Care guides for specific plants, from the unkillable to the genuinely fussy. Light, water, and the one thing each plant really wants from you.
Best Bathroom Plants: 11 Picks for Humid, Low-Light Rooms
The best plants for a bathroom are humidity-loving, low-light species: Boston fern, bird's nest fern, pothos, heartleaf philodendron, peace lily,…
The Best Low-Light Houseplants That Actually Tolerate Low Light
The best plants for a genuinely dim room are cast-iron plant, ZZ plant and snake plant, provided the room still receives daylight.
Calathea Care: Beautiful, Fussy, and Worth It (Sometimes)
Calatheas are beautiful but fussy tropical understory plants.
Cast Iron Plant Care: Low Light, Not No Light
Give a cast iron plant low or filtered light away from direct sun, keep its potting mix moist rather than waterlogged during active growth, and water less…
Chinese Evergreen Care: Light, Water, and Growth
A Chinese evergreen needs indirect light, a free-draining potting mix and a warm position away from cold draughts.
Dracaena Marginata Care: Read the Canes and Leaves
Dracaena marginata needs bright, indirect light, warmth and a loose potting mix that drains quickly.
Fiddle Leaf Fig Care: Honest Guide to a Dramatic Plant
Fiddle leaf figs need very bright light — within a few feet of a large window — and a consistent watering rhythm: soak thoroughly only when the top two…
Indoor Plant Care Guide: A Weekly System
Care for an indoor plant by identifying it first, matching it to the light at its actual position, using a draining container and suitable potting mix,…
Jade Plant Care: A Succulent That Can Outlive You
Give a jade plant strong light—ideally four or more hours of direct sun from a south or west window—gritty, fast-draining succulent soil, and a pot with a…
Monstera Care: Deliciosa, Adansonii, and Why Leaves Split
Monstera care comes down to bright indirect light, a chunky well-draining aroid mix, and watering only once the top inch or two of soil dries.
Parlor Palm Care Without the Guesswork
A parlor palm needs bright, indirect light, though it tolerates a lower-light position with slower growth.
Peace Lily Care: Light, Water, and How to Make It Bloom
Peace lily care comes down to three habits: bright, indirect light (it survives shade but rarely blooms there), watering when the top inch of soil is dry,…
Phalaenopsis Orchid Care: A Practical Guide
Care for a Phalaenopsis orchid in bright, indirect light and a porous orchid medium.
Houseplants Safe for Cats and Dogs (And the Ones That Aren't)
Many popular houseplants are safe for cats and dogs, including spider plants, Boston and bird's nest ferns, parlor and areca palms, calatheas, peperomias,…
Pothos Care: The Almost-Unkillable Plant, Done Right
Pothos thrives in bright indirect light with water only when the top half of the soil has dried, roughly every one to two weeks.
Pothos Propagation: From One Plant to Ten
Cut a healthy vine into pieces so each cutting includes at least one node — the small bump where a leaf meets the stem — plus a leaf.
Pothos Types Compared: Golden, Marble, Neon, Global Green and More
Nearly all pothos types are cultivars of one species, Epipremnum aureum, so care is identical across the board.
Pothos vs Philodendron: 5 Easy Ways to Tell Them Apart
Pothos and philodendron are different plants from different genera, though both are easy-care trailing aroids.
Rubber Plant Care: Big Leaves Without the Drama
Give a rubber plant bright, indirect light and water only when the top third of the soil is dry, in a pot with a drainage hole.
Snake Plant Care: The Plant That Thrives on Neglect
Snake plants (Sansevieria, now Dracaena trifasciata) thrive on neglect.
Spider Plant Care and Those Endless Babies
Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are among the easiest houseplants.
Succulent Care for Beginners: The Guide That Prevents the Usual Deaths
Give succulents your brightest window (most want several hours of direct sun), a pot with a drainage hole, and gritty, fast-draining soil.
ZZ Plant Care: The Best Plant for Forgetful People
ZZ plant care comes down to restraint: pot it in fast-draining mix with a drainage hole, place it in bright indirect light (though it tolerates low light…
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- Philodendron care basics
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