You might have seen the Mile Marker boards that parents create for their children – they highlight things like the height, weight, likes, and dislikes of their child at various stages of life. We at Nick’s Garden Center think Plant Parents should have something like this for their Plant Babies as well! Our Plant Parent Chalkboard Photos and blogs will provide you with an overview of what each plant needs in order to “grow up” happy and healthy!
Triostar Stromanthe, also known as Tricolor Stromanthe, is one of the few colorful houseplants, as the name suggests! Its green leaves are streaked with pinks both dark and light, and white. The underside of the leaves are usually a magenta color, which helps the plant to absorb sunlight more efficiently. For that reason, you’ll often notice your leaves turning their undersides to face the sunlight! Fun fact – it will fold its leaves up at night! This member of the Marantaceae family (the “Prayer Plant” family) comes from the Brazilian jungle, and for that reason, it prefers high humidity. Triostar will tell you if it’s not getting enough humidity with brown, crispy leaf tips and edges. A warm, bright, steamy bathroom window is a great place for Triostar, but having a humidifier nearby is another option to keep it from drying out.
Triostar will usually grow to be around two to three feet high and one to two feet across. This colorful little plant is both pet safe and air cleaning, so the only restrictions for placement of Triostar would be light and moisture – plenty of humidity and medium to bright indirect light. Temperature shouldn’t be an issue either as Triostar likes the same temperatures as most of us humans, between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn Triostar a quarter turn every now and then to make sure it grows evenly. You can plan to turn once a week, or just take notice when you see it beginning to grow more on one side. Do take care to keep it away from drafts and vents. Water Triostar when the top inch of soil has dried out, but make sure it never dries out completely. You’ll want to make sure it has both well draining soil and pot. As always, we recommend a moisture meter for any pots that do not have drainage. Soil can seem dry at the top, but still be wet at the bottom when no drainage hole is present, and soggy roots can kill many plants, including Triostar.
Don’t be alarmed if you see a few leaves dying every now and then on Triostar. It’s normal to lose a leave or two every now and then. However if the leaves have brown spots on them (actual round spots), or are brown around the edges, you’ll want to make some changes. Round spots mean the sunlight the plant is getting is too strong, so move it into a place with more indirect exposure. As previously mentioned, those crispy edges mean the plant is in need of more humidity. With the right spot and some humidity and/or misting, this colorful little plant is very low-maintenance and perfectly suitable for a beginner Houseplant Parent.
Happy Plant Parenting!
You might have seen the Mile Marker boards that parents create for their children – they highlight things like the height, weight, likes, and dislikes of their child at various stages of life. We at Nick’s Garden Center think Plant Parents should have something like this for their Plant Babies as well! Our Plant Parent Chalkboard Photos and blogs will provide you with an overview of what each plant needs in order to “grow up” happy and healthy!
Polka Dot Begonia, also known as Trout Begonia, Clown Begonia, and Spotted begonia is the common name for Begonia Maculata – a showy houseplant belonging to the family Begoniaceae. Polka Dot Begonia can reach heights of up to five feet, and has a vertical growth habit. Its leaves are a deep olive color with bright white and somewhat uniform spots. They are a narrow arrowhead shape, and have burgundy undersides.
In the right conditions, Polka Dot Begonia will produce small flowers similar in shape to other begonia plants. They are a white rounded fan shape with a small yellow center. Polka Dot Begonia are not pet safe (and can be harmful to humans if ingested, as well), but the good news is that they are air purifying. They prefer bright, indirect or dappled sunlight, and like to stay relatively moist compared to most houseplants – let only the top half inch or so of soil dry out.
Polka Dot Begonia may seem picky, but once you get it settled into a good place with light and water (and away from heat and AC vents), it is relatively easy to care for. For this reason, we’re rating this houseplant as suitable for beginners. Like most houseplants, Polka Dot Begonia likes temperatures similar to human-preferred temperatures – between 65 and 75 degrees, but no higher than 85 degrees. Keep temperatures even with minimal fluctuation to keep houseplants happy.
Polka Dot Begonia can tolerate higher levels of light, but be prepared for accelerated growth with more frequent waterings and fertilizer. If you notice a loss of color in the leaves followed by yellowing and ultimately the loss of the leaf, try moving it into more sun. Yellow leaves are also a common sign of overwatering, so make sure your plant is not sitting in water. Moisture Meters are a great way to test the bottom of the pot to make sure it’s not saturated (which can cause root rot in most houseplants). Crispy, brown spots on the leaves can indicate that the plant is getting too much sun.
Overall Polka Dot Begonia is an easy-to-care-for houseplant that brings a rare pop of color and flowers into your home.
Happy Plant Parenting!
You might have seen the Mile Marker boards that parents create for their children – they highlight things like the height, weight, likes, and dislikes of their child at various stages of life. We at Nick’s Garden Center think Plant Parents should have something like this for their Plant Babies as well! Our Plant Parent Chalkboard Photos and blogs will provide you with an overview of what each plant needs in order to “grow up” happy and healthy!
Philodendron Hope Selloum could be called “Frill-odendron Hope” due to its frilly ruffle-shaped leaves! The scientific name of Philo Hope is “Philodendron bipinnatifidum,” and it belongs to the Aracae family. This beginner-level house plant is native to the tropical regions of South America. While it may start out small and fit in a sunny corner, it can grow to be up to five feet tall – and wide! The leaves alone can grow to be up to three feet in size. While this plant has been known to flower, even when planted outdoors in its natural habitat, flowers will not bloom until the plant is between 15 and 20 years old. But, Philo Hope definitely makes up for its lack of flowers with stunning foliage.
To keep the foliage of this philodendron in their dark, shiny state, wait until the top two inches of soil are dry to the touch before watering. The leaves of this philodendron, also known as the Tree Philodendron, can be trained to grow upward instead of outward by using stakes. Fun Fact – these leaves, when cut as one might cut a flower to bring it inside, can survive for months at a time in a vase filled with water!
The roots, on the other hand, do not want to sit in water. To avoid problems with over-watering, select a pot that drains well. If your pot has no drainage, put a layer of rocks into the bottom of the pot to keep the roots from sitting in water. It’s also a good idea to invest (usually less than $20) in a Moisture Meter. This tool can be used in any soil – indoor, outdoor, raised beds, pots, and even directly in the ground. A Moisture Meter really is the most accurate way to determine the moisture level of soil in any location, and at any depth. For your Philo Hope, use a soil that is rich and will retain moisture (but never let your soil stay soggy!).
Philo Hope is said to help clean the air in your home, but keep your furry friends away from the plant if they are chewers. Philo Hope is not dangerous unless pets ingest it, but better to be safe than sorry for our four legged friends. If Philo Hope is right for your home, put it in a spot that gets plenty of sun that is dappled or indirect, and is not near heat or air conditioning vents. Philo Hope likes temperatures similar to those we humans prefer – between 65 and 75 degrees is ideal. If you want to go a little farther, keep your Philo Hope near a humidifier. As with other houseplants, be sure to dust the leaves from time to time using a damp cloth. Keeping the leaves clean will help keep pests like spider mites away and will also help the plant to absorb more sun.
Happy Plant Parenting!
You might have seen the Mile Marker boards that parents create for their children – they highlight things like the height, weight, likes, and dislikes of their child at various stages of life. We at Nick’s Garden Center think Plant Parents should have something like this for their Plant Babies as well! Our Plant Parent Chalkboard Photos and blogs will provide you with an overview of what each plant needs in order to “grow up” happy and healthy!
A native of Southern Thailand and Malaysia, Monstera MInima is a compact version of the popular Monstera Deliciosa. With similarly shaped leaves of a smaller size, this vining plant grows sideways, but can be trained to grow upward. Unlike Deliciosa, Minima’s leaves show cuts at a “young” age Monstera Minima is a rapid grower, and the vines will typically grow to between 6 and 12 feet in a growing season. This member of the Aracae family is also known as Dwarf Monstera, Monstera Ginny, and Mini Monstera, and its scientific name is Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma.
Monstera Mimina likes bright, indirect light and will tolerate some lower light. Plant Monstera Minima in well-draining soil with plenty of aeration, and plant it in a pot that also has plenty of drainage. As with most houseplants, Monstera Minima does not like for its roots to sit in wet soil. If your pot does not have a drainage hole, we recommend a moisture meter that will help you test the moisture level at the bottom of the pot before watering. In general, you’ll want to let the first inch or so of soil dry out before watering, but don’t let the soil get completely dry.
Monstera Minima is not pet safe, but it is known to be air cleaning. For both of these reasons, it’s a great plant to hang and train to “crawl” across a ceiling or wall, out of the reach of your furry friends. You can use any type of pin or hook to train the plant by resting the vines on the hooks or pins as they grow.
Keep Monstera Minima in a place out of reach of vents and drafts at around 55-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Monstera minima can tolerate dry air, but it prefers a little humidity. Try adding a humidifier to the room your Monstera lives in, or putting the Monstera in a bathroom with a sunny window. Overall, Monstera is fairly easy to care for, so beginners shouldn’t have much trouble.
Happy Plant Parenting!
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