A mysterious water drop (or two) on houseplants?! by Vicky Spelman

Dieffenbachia 

I found a drop of water on the tip of one of my dieffenbachia's leaves.  What?  I checked to see if there was a ceiling leak.  Thank goodness no, but... then what caused this water drop?  

My New Favorite Houseplant! by Pam Hill

Photo: CMG Pam Hill

This is my new favorite houseplant because it grew so quickly and is already blooming!  

Oxalis triangularis or false shamrock is a delightful houseplant in Denver.  A native of South America, it is a rhizomatous ornamental garden or houseplant, hardy only to zone 8.  Plants can be green, variegated, or deep maroon with small white or pink flowers.  The leaves close at night or when disturbed.

Norfolk Island Pine by Nancy Shepard

Norfolk Island Pine, Getty Images

Norfolk Island pines are popular during the holiday season and while sometimes used as a substitute for a Christmas tree, they are not really true pines. While my childhood home in San Diego, CA has a huge 20-foot one in the backyard, here in Colorado and other colder zones they are treated like a houseplant. 

Native to an island off the coast of Australia and New Zealand, Norfolk Island pines (Araucaria heterophylla) are actually not pines at all. They're a tropical plant that loves the balmy weather of the South Pacific. The Norfolk Island Pine thrives when it has conditions similar to what it would find on its home island, which means lots of bright indirect light, high humidity, and routine watering. In warm climates, the outdoor plant can reach more than 100 feet tall! Of course, when you keep them in your home, they top out around 6-feet-tall, making them a reasonably-sized tabletop or floor plant for any bright room in your house. 

When it comes to decorating your Norfolk pine for the holidays, stick with lightweight Christmas decorations that won’t weigh down their slender branches. Lights are fine, too, but use LEDs, which don’t generate as much heat as traditional incandescent bulbs. After the holidays, remove the decorations and enjoy this handsome houseplant throughout the year!

High humidity is a must for the Norfolk Pine to thrive. When the humidity is not up to the  Araucaria heterophylla's standards, the tips of the branches may become brown and dry. This is a houseplant that will definitely benefit from a pebble tray or placement near a humidifier.

Norfolk Island pines need at least two hours of bright, indirect sunlight daily to maintain their bright green foliage color. To ensure symmetrical, upright growth, rotate the plant weekly to keep it from permanently bending toward the light source. Temperatures of 60-72°F during the day and slightly cooler at night are optimum.

Brown branches at the bottom of the tree are normal, especially as the tree grows taller, and can be removed. Any brown branches throughout the rest of the tree are an indication that the humidity is low, or the plant needs more consistent watering.

It is possible to propagate Norfolk Island Pines from cuttings, but only cuttings taken from a terminal lead will grow in the symmetrical form that these trees are known for. Also note, that new growth will not emerge from an area that is trimmed.

Sources:

https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/houseplants/1321-norfolk-island-pine/

https://www.thespruce.com/grow-norfolk-island-pine-indoors-1902627

https://extension.psu.edu/norfolk-island-pines

Winter Care for Houseplants by Vicky Spelman

Photo: Vicky Spelman

Houseplants make us happy – especially in the winter months but winter time can be difficult for houseplants with the drier conditions in the home.  Here are some tips to keep them healthy and looking their best.

Name that Houseplant! by Amy Norwood

Photo:  Amy Norwood

Last fall I bought a houseplant at a big box store.  It was attractive, healthy and priced well.  The tag on the plant said “tropical plant.”  That told me I couldn’t leave the plant outside over the winter because it would freeze and die in Colorado’s climate.  The plant grew nicely in my house over the winter and it didn’t seem important for me to know exactly what plant it was.  As spring approached, however, I wanted to identify it so I’d know whether and where I could put it outside in the summer.  I also wanted to know the watering and fertilizing regimen it needed for the upcoming more active growing season.

For Valentine’s Day – how about a Valentine Plant? by Vicky Spelman

Instead of a one & done vase of fresh flowers, why not say 'Will you be mine?' with a  houseplant?   Here are four that have heart-shaped leaves.

Houseplants: Right Plant, Right Place!! by Debbie Chilcutt

All Photos by Debbie Chilcutt

During COVID I’ve heard that along with adding pets to the household that a lot of people are buying houseplants for the first time.

Houseplants: Right Plant, Right Place!! by Debbie Chilcutt

All Photos by Debbie Chilcutt

During COVID I’ve heard that along with adding pets to the household that a lot of people are buying houseplants for the first time.

Houseplants bring health and enjoyment to your work and home by Joyce D’Agostino

Photo:  Joyce D’Agostino

In recent years, studies have proven how including plants to our surroundings not only helps to clean the air but to help us improve our mood, concentration and focus.

Repotting Houseplants by Vicky Spelman

Courtesy Pexels

Houseplants need repotting every few years and Spring is a good time to do it.  The actively growing roots will have enough time to get established in the new potting soil.

St. Valentine and the Gift of Fresh Flowers by Carol King

Photo fellowshipofminds

Legends and lore abound on why we celebrate Valentine’s day by giving flowers to our loved ones.  Here’s one of my favorites. This one involves the lore of forbidden love and has been favored over other stories by hopeless romantics.

Emperor Claudius II issued an edict forbidding marriage because he felt that married men did not make good, loyal soldiers to fight in his army. They were weak because of the attachment to their wives and family. St. Valentine was a priest who defied Claudius and married couples secretly because he believed so deeply in love. Valentine was found out, put in prison, and later executed.

The law of irony then came into play, as St. Valentine fell in love with the daughter of the Emperor. Prior to his beheading, St. Valentine handed the lady a written note and a single red rose - the very first valentine and the very first fresh flower.  From this, the gifting of flowers for Valentine's day began.

Help! I Got An Orchid For Christmas!

Phalaenopsis orchid, photo courtesy natural orchids.com

Contrary to what you may have heard, orchids are not difficult to grow. With the proper amount of light, water, humidity, temperature and fertilizer, orchids can thrive! Some types of orchids such as Phalaenopsis or Cattleya can be easier to care for.

Houseplant Problems: Fungus Gnats

Photo courtesy Organic Gardening

What are those annoying tiny black insects that hang out in your houseplants and fly around when disturbed? Most likely, you have fungus gnats.

Houseplant Problems: Mealy Bugs

Photo courtesy Gardencorner.net

If you are noticing small, white puff balls on your houseplants, you may have the dreaded Mealy bug. Mealy bugs are white, soft-bodied insects that suck plant juices, causing leaves to turn yellow and drop. You’ll normally find them along leaf veins, or where the leaf joins the stem.

Help! I Got An Orchid for Christmas!

Photo courtesy urbangardensweb.com

Help! I got an orchid for Christmas! If that sounds like you, relax. That beautiful orchid is relatively easy to care for if you attend to its light, humidity and watering needs. Planttalk Colorado provides in-depth information on four orchids commonly grown indoors in Colorado. Another great resource is the Denver Orchid Society.

Winter Care for Houseplants

Photo courtesy Beth Bonnicksen, Boulder County CMG

Winter weather adversely affects growing conditions for houseplants. Proper care during the winter months can help insure the health of houseplants. Following are tips from University of Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County, Mary Jane Frogge.

Most houseplants grow well with daytime temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees F and night temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees F. Temperatures below 50 degrees F or rapid temperature fluctuations may damage some plants. Keep houseplants away from cold drafts, radiators, and hot air vents. Also make sure houseplant foliage doesn't touch cold windows.

Choosing and Caring for Your Poinsettia By Olivia Tracy

Poinsettia Plants (Euphorbia pulcherrima) Photo courtesy of Olivia Tracy

In the first weeks of December, many people buy poinsettia plants (Euphorbia pulcherrima) to decorate their homes for the holiday season. While the vibrant red and pink leaves of the poinsettia are often referred to as “flowers,” they are actually called bracts; the true poinsettia flower sits at the center of those bracts. 

Here are a few tips for selecting healthy poinsettia plants and caring for them in your home. 

• Choose plants with dark green leaves; if the cultivar has lighter or mottled bracts, then the foliage may be lighter as well. Avoid plants with pale green and yellow leaves; this often indicates that the plant has been given too little or too much water. 

• If it’s cold outside (around or below 35 degrees Farenheit), be sure your poinsettia is carefully wrapped before you transport it. Once it’s in your home, remove the plastic sleeve immediately; leaving the plant in the sleeve can damage the bracts. 

• Be sure your poinsettias receive indirect sunlight for at least six hours a day; avoid direct sunlight, which can fade the bracts, and protect your poinsettia from extreme temperatures by not placing it near drafts or heating vents. 

• Water the poinsettia whenever the top of the soil feels dry to the touch. When watering, be sure to either remove foil wrapping or cut a hole in the bottom of the wrapping so that water can drain out of the pot; too much water can suffocate the root system.

For more information about poinsettias, including how to fertilize your plant after the holidays and help your poinsettia re-flower next year, please see the CSU Fact Sheet 7.412, “Poinsettias” http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/poinsettias-7-412/  

Houseplants for Low Light by Olivia Tracy

Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) from http://www.hort.cornell.edu/4hplants/Flowers/SnakePlant.html

As the days shorten in the fall, you might find that your home doesn’t get the same quality of interior light that it gets during the summer months. You may also have a room in your home, or at your workplace, where you’d like to have some greenery, but don’t get a lot of natural sunlight. Not to worry- there are a few houseplant varieties that generally adapt well to low-light conditions and can bring color to those spaces as we head into winter. 

Easy to Grow Houseplants by CSU Extension (Video)

With outdoor gardening on the back burner, gardeners can turn their efforts toward indoor gardening. Here are five really easy house plants that will add oxygen to your home, help clean the indoor air, and assuage your green thumb!

Summer Vacation is Over for Houseplants by Rebecca Anderson

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) that has spent the summer outside

Most houseplants are tropical and flourish with some outdoor exposure during the summer.  With cooler nights in the forecast it’s getting to be time to bring them back indoors.  Temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit will damage many houseplants, so keep an eye on those nightly weather reports.