Plant Care Guide
To find care information on a specific variety, please select a plant from the listing on the right. Plants are in alphabetical order organized by the variety's family or common name. As this site is further developed more search options will become available.
If you are trying to treat or diagnose a problem, be sure to reference our Self-diagnosis Symptom Charts.
If you are looking for general care information on houseplants, please reference our comprehensive Horticulture section.
Gift Plants
As plants are often associated with longevity and prosperity, a potted plant can be a beautiful and meaningful gift. If you are referencing this site to help select a gift plant or if you are the gift recipient, consider the following:
Holiday Gifts
If you are in a region where it is cold during the holiday season, be extra careful transporting plants. Always protect the plant in a paper bag or sleeve. If the plant turns black shortly after you received or transported the plant, cold damage is the likely culprit. Most discount retailers do not wrap plants or offer protective plant sleeves.
Discount verses Specialty Retailer
Live plants are perishable. The longevity of a plant often depends on how it was handled when transported and cared for in the store. A specialty retailer such as your neighborhood garden center will have better trained staff than the discount retailer; therefore, plants purchased from specialty retailers tend to be healthier and longer lasting. Do not blame yourself for lacking a "green thumb" if you cannot rescue a plant that was purchased from a mass-merchant.
About the Author:
The contents are a compilation of excerpts from the Planterra Field Guide, a proprietary handbook used by professional horticultural technicians at Planterra, a leading interior landscape firm serving North America.
For more care information visit our comprehensive Indoor Gardening Guide.
The Institute of Interior Horticulture (IIH)
IIH is a program dedicated is increasing awareness of indoor plants and the practice of interior landscaping. The IIH originated as a training program for professional plant technicians at Planterra. Elements of this program are now being adapted for the home gardener.