Indoor Plants

Finding pests on an indoor plant is unsettling, but it is also one of the most common houseplant problems, and it is usually fixable if caught early. Indoor plants have no natural predators indoors, dry heated air suits several pests well, and a stressed plant — one that is overwatered, underlit, or recently moved — … Read more

The fiddle-leaf fig has a reputation: beautiful, dramatic, and famously fussy. Its large, violin-shaped leaves make it a striking floor plant, but it is also the plant most likely to drop leaves in protest when moved, overwatered, or placed in a draught. That reputation is partly deserved — fiddle-leaf figs are less forgiving than pothos … Read more

Repotting has a reputation for being stressful — for the plant and for the person doing it. In practice, most indoor plants tolerate repotting well, provided it is done at the right time, into a suitable pot, and without unnecessary disturbance to the roots. The stress usually comes not from the move itself, but from … Read more

Pothos is often the plant people recommend when someone says they cannot keep anything alive, and the recommendation is well earned. It grows fast, trails beautifully, tolerates a range of light levels, forgives irregular watering, and can be propagated from cuttings in a glass of water on a windowsill. Botanically known as Epipremnum aureum, it … Read more

If you have ever killed a houseplant by loving it too much — watering it every few days, fussing over it, moving it around — the snake plant is the plant that forgives you. Sansevieria, now botanically grouped under Dracaena, is one of the toughest indoor plants available. Its stiff, sword-like leaves store water, its … Read more

With its large, split leaves and bold tropical shape, monstera has become one of the most recognisable houseplants. The most common species sold as a houseplant is Monstera deliciosa, sometimes called the Swiss cheese plant because of the natural holes and slits that develop in mature leaves. It is a vigorous grower once settled, and … Read more

Overwatering kills more indoor plants than underwatering. It sounds surprising, because a drooping plant looks thirsty, but roots sitting in constantly wet soil cannot get the air they need. They soften, rot, and stop taking up water at all — which, confusingly, can make the plant look even thirstier. Learning to water by checking the … Read more

Not every home has a bright, south-facing window, and that does not mean you have to give up on indoor plants. Many popular houseplants come from forest floors and shaded spots where direct sun rarely reaches them. They have adapted to make the most of filtered light, which makes them a good match for flats, … Read more