English Ivy - A HousePlant for All Seasons

My Indoor English Ivy

Question: I need a low growing ground cover type of plant that will do well in lower light and can be kept in a container on the patio or indoors. What type of plant would work?

Answer:

English Ivy, or Hedera helix, is a great indoor or outdoor plant. It generally requires little care if given the right conditions, preferring bright, indirect light, cooler temperatures and some humidity. It doesn't mind very cold temperatures if "hardened off" first. It will survive temperatures below freezing.
You have, no doubt, often seen English Ivy growing outside on the side of a house or on a fence. There is some English Ivy planted in a clay pot outside my front door and it has survived snow, ice and drought without much care. It is much easier to grow outside than inside but can be kept inside with some TLC.
English Ivy tends to be more difficult when you first bring it home, especially if it is an immature plant with a weak root system. Read more about English Ivy plant care...

Dracaena Marginata Plant Care

Plant Care for Dracaena Marginata Potted Dracaena Marginata Plant My last post was about the Mother-In-Law Tongue plant, the most searched and researched indoor plant and its care, at least on my website. This post is about Dracaena marginata, the second most searched for indoor plant. The dracaena marginata is sometimes called Dragon Tree. We just call her Marginata or Marg... Marginata is my favorite Dracaena, I just love the thinner, long, delicate and arching leaves of the marginata. If your Marginata has been growing in really good light in a nursery, the leaves may be thicker and stiff. As it grows in new foliage acclimated to the lower light in your home (or office), the leaves will thin and become more graceful and arching. That is the way I like them best! Dracaenas in general are really easy to care for once you get them settled in and learn how to water them properly. Many of the plants that we use in our interior landscapes are dracaena varieti...

Pruning Your Umbrella Plant (Schefflera Arboricola)

How to Prune Your Umbrella - Plant Schefflera Arboricola, Umbrella Plant Schefflera Arboricola I recently received an email from a visitor to my website asking how to prune her Umbrella Plant. She sent along the picture to the right. Here is her email and my answer: Hello, I'm just wondering how to prune an umbrella plant. My plant is getting out of control, growing upwards and I can't seem to get it to grow like a bush. I'm afraid to cut it to shape cause I might kill it. I've had this plant for over 10 years and from the picture I sent you can see it's still growing good. I just want to trim it down but I want to do it properly. Thanks! Hi Julia When pruning an Arboricola (umbrella plant), cut just above a leaf stem or node. I usually cut the tallest stem back into the center of the plant, leaving some leaf nodes for new growth to start. Doing this every once in awhile keeps the plant fuller and shorter. You can cut the really ta...

Rhapis Palm House Plant Care Rhapis Excelsa Palm, or Lady Palm, is a great indoor house plant. The fan-like fronds are a shiny, glossy green when healthy. Rhapis Palms will tolerate lower light and temperatures than many other palms, making it a good choice for the home or office. Rhapis excelsa is a fan palm. Although most fan palms are seldom sold as house plants and will mostly be found in large, indoor landscapes because of their size and spread, the Rhapis Palm is well suited to life in the average home or in the office. The Rhapis palm plant has more of an upright growth habit than many other fan palms. This elegant palm plant has a fairly tough constitution. Read more about the fantastic palm plant that can be used as a potted, indoor plant.

Indoor Plant Care - How to Houseplant Care

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