“HOW On Earth” – Published in Pink Magazine – February 2011

Philodendron Plant "greens" our office
"Philly" sitting next to my stack of pink magazine articles in my office

Healthy Homes with House Plants

“Do any of you have a completely unremarkable friend or maybe a houseplant I could go to dinner with on Saturday night?”

-Miranda, Sex and the City

I remember visiting Longwood Gardens as a child with my parents. I found the whole experience incredibly and excruciatingly boring until we got to the greenhouse. It was at that moment that I fell in love with plants growing inside. I felt transported to another world where I could imagine being in some tropical paradise. I found the smells intoxicating and earthy. Here was where I wanted to linger and explore. I am fascinated by texture and am drawn to touch everything. I apparently had touched a plant that I was allergic to for I ended up with hives. Funny that this experience did not deter me in the least from pursuing my passion.

My parents home was always filled with plants. Our kitchen had sort of a jungle feel, being the room with the most sun. My mom had a special hose that connected to the sink to water this collection and even that took hours. I had my favorites: a Staghorn Fern that was mounted to the wall, a Rosary Vine that was several feet long that created the “hair” in a head shaped planter, and a Rabbits Foot Fern that took up most of the powder room. Growing up, I will never forget the biyearly seasonal undertaking of moving the entire greenery collection to capitalize on the fresh outdoors. Our home always looked so stark and empty in the spring and then in the fall we would be visited by snakes, bees, and other delightful critters.

Over the years I have attempted to grow houseplants. I once had a Jade Plant last two years until I left it out in the snow. The Aloe plant loved its windowsill location but didn’t care for its relocation to the outdoor blazing hot concrete patio. This was before I went to school and I was clueless as to what conditions plants preferred. Now educated you might think I have transformed my home into a recreation of my beloved childhood memories. Well, not exactly. I am the queen of neglecting houseplants, actually plants in general. It’s the classic shoemakers kids have no shoes syndrome.

One of my New Year’s intentions this year is to bring some glorious green life into my home. Low maintenance is key for me. Join me this month on my quest to “Green” up my living space.

TOP 25 LOW MAINTENANCE HOUSEPLANTS

NAME LIGHT WATER HABIT
ARECA PALM

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens

part to full sun Keep evenly moist Tropical and Upright
ARROWHEAD VINE*

Syngonium podophyllum

shade to part sun Keep evenly moist Bushy
BAMBOO PALM

Chamaedorea seifrizii

part to full sun Keep evenly moist Tropical and Upright
BIRD’S NEXT FERN

Asplenium nidus

shade to part sun Keep evenly moist Tropical and Vase shape
BOSTON FERN

Nephrolepis exaltata

part to full sun Keep evenly moist Bushy
CAST IRON

Aspidistra elatior

shade to part sun Moderate moisture Upright
CHINESE EVERGREEN*

Aglaonema commutatum

shade to part sun Keep evenly moist Bushy
CORN PLANT*

Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’

part to full sun Allow to dry Upright
DIEFFENBACHIA*

Dieffenbachia spp.

shade to part sun Allow to dry Tropical and Full
DRACAENA *

Dracaena spp.

part to full sun Allow to dry Upright
FIDDLE LEAF FIG

Ficus lyrata

part to full sun Allow to dry Tree-like
HOYA

Hoya carnosa

part to full sun Allow to dry Trailing
JADE PLANT

Crassula ovata

part to full sun Allow to dry Tree-like
LADY PALM

Rhapsis excelsa

shade to part sun Allow to dry Tropical and Upright
NORFOLK ISLAND PINE

Araucaria heterophylla

full sun Allow to dry Weeping
PEACE LILY

Spathiphyllum

shade to part sun Water heavily Full and Tropical
PEPEROMIA*

Pereromia spp.

shade to part sun Allow to dry Round
PHILODENDRON*

Philodendron spp.

shade to full sun Allow to dry Trailing
PONYTAIL PALM

Beaucarnea recurvata

full sun Allow to dry Tropical and Tree-like
POTHOS*

Epipremnum spp.

shade to full sun Moderate Trailing
RUBBER TREE

Ficus elastica

part to full sun Allow to dry Tropical and Upright
SCHEFFLERA

Schefflera actinophylla

part to full sun Keep evenly moist Shrub-like
SNAKE PLANT

Sansevieria trifasciata

shade to full sun Allow to dry Architectural Sword Shape
SPIDER PLANT

‘Chlorophytum comosum ‘Vittatum’

part to full sun Keep evenly moist Grass-like
ZEEZEE PLANT*

Zamioculcas zamiifolia

shade to full sun Allow to dry Tropical

* Indicates all or part of the plant is poisonous to pets and children if eaten or chewed and may cause severe irritation to tongue, nose, and throat.

Plants bring more than green beauty to our homes. They can help purify the air by removing many toxins that may be present such as: formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide. They have been shown to actually help fight fatigue and colds. In a hospital setting, plants are known to speed up the recovery process. Simply put, plants can make us healthy and happy.

Q: Why do my houseplants have yellow leaves?

A: Yellow leaves is a common problem with houseplants and can be due to a variety of reasons. The number one reason is overwatering. Try using a water meter to determine if your plant needs water. Leaves also may yellow as a plant ages. Lack of light and nutrients are other possible causes.