Plants of the Month

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Discover this month's featured plants and explore our archive of past Plants of the Month. Each plant displays a detailed description and care guide, perfect for helping you nurture your growing collection.

November 2024

Small

4" Calathea Lancifolia 'Rattlesnake'

There are two explanations for the Calathea Rattlesnake's name. One is that the wild dark green spots on pale green leaves resemble the skin of a snake. The other is that as a member of the Prayer plant family, the Rattlesnake also folds its leaves at night resembling praying hands, accompanied by a soft rustling sound that reminds one of a snake. This is one of the hardier Calatheas which can even grow outside all year in California and Florida. Less prone to leaf-tip burn and less fussy than most, this forgiving Calathea is a good choice for beginners.
  • Also known as Calathea Lancifolia
  • Air Purifying
  • Pet Friendly

Quick Care Guide:

  • Water - Med/High (4):  Prefers more water than most, but soil can dry out periodically. Use a spray bottle to mist and increase humidity levels without soaking the soil and roots.
  • Light - Medium (3):  Plant prefers natural, diffused light. Can be placed in a spacious living room. Indirect light preferred. No direct sunlight on leaves.
  • Difficulty - Low/Med (2):  A little less finicky than most. Doesn't require much attention at all.

View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

    Medium

    6" Pothos, Snow Queen

    Her Majesty Snow Queen is named for her lovely, snowy white foliage. Purer white than her more cream-hued sister, the Marble Queen, she also sports small green splashes that splotch and speckle the leaves. Held up to the light, some of the leaves have a translucent quality, like looking out a magical, frosty window. The sweetheart shaped leaves grow on strong stems and cascade really long out of a hanging pot. Snow Queen is a little slower growing than most Pothos. Although she tolerates and thrives in lower light, bright indirect light encourages the brilliant whites.

    • Also known as Devil's Ivy
    • Air Purifying
    • Low Maintenance
    • Low Light
    • Trailing

    Quick Care Guide:

    • Water - Low/Med (2):  Doesn't need as much water, but doesn't like to stay dry for too long. Plant will become droopy when really thirsty.
    • Light - Low/Med (2):  These plants need some diffused light to stay happy. Prefers if there is a window in the room, but doesn't need to be very light nor close to it.
    • Difficulty - Low/Med (2):  A little less finicky than most. Doesn't require much attention at all.

    View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

      Past Month's Plants 

      October 2024

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      September 2024

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      Medium

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      August 2024

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      Medium

      6" Dracaena Greenstripe

      Greenstripe's green stripes slash down the center of brilliant, acid yellowy-green leaves, some with a couple of white pinstripes thrown in too. The foliage curves around just enough to look like it's being tossed around in a light breeze. Multi plants growing in the pot give a nice fullness in younger plants. Older ones grow politely straight up on strong stems that show a marbly green design. Plants with different heights of canes in the pot make interesting stand-alone accent plants, with any cane that's trimmed for shape sprouting at least 2 new heads and often more. Bright light keeps the intense acid color vibrant.

      • Also known as Dragon Tree
      • Air Purifying

      Quick Care Guide:

      • Water - Medium (3):  Water plant when dry. Plant does not like soil to always be moist, but doesn't like to stay dry once becomes dry. Water as soon as soil is dry.
      • Light - Medium (3): Plant prefers natural, diffused light. Can be placed in a spacious living room. Indirect light preferred. No direct sunlight on leaves.
      • Difficulty - Low (1):  These plants need barely any attention to thrive. Set it and forget it.

      View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

        July 2024

        Small

        4" Calathea Concinna, Freddy

        Calathea Concinna is also called Calathea Freddie, whoever Freddie is. Another nickname is the Zebra Plant, which make sense since its leaves are wildly striped with slashed dark green like tribal face paint on the cool sage green. Bumpy, ovate, with lightly curved pointed tips, the leaves emerge straight up and tightly rolled and then tilt down in an orderly fashion, circling the stems, to show the colors to best advantage. Somehow the leaves all arrange themselves in layers, so you can almost see every leaf at once.  Concinna will close its foliage up when it's dark, like all its Prayer Plant kin, and float back down in the morning, resuming its lovely, orderly, graceful shape.

        • Also known as Calathea Freddie
        • Air Purifying
        • Pet Friendly

        Quick Care Guide:

        • Water - Med/High (4):  Prefers more water than most, but soil can dry out periodically. Use a spray bottle to mist and increase humidity levels without soaking the soil and roots.
        • Light - Medium (3):  Plant prefers natural, diffused light. Can be placed in a spacious living room. Indirect light preferred. No direct sunlight on leaves.
        • Difficulty - Medium (3):  Not too difficult to keep happy, but does require some attention.

        View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

          Medium

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          June 2024

          Small

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          Medium

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          May 2024

          Small

          4" Coffee Arabica

          Coffee/houseplant, the perfect combo!! Coffee Arabica has an ancient history starting in Ethiopia, discovered by Arab traders who took it along far and wide to all their trading posts, and named it Arabica. Wild plants grow up to 30', with smaller sizes expected in warm winter gardens to 15', and smaller still as a fine houseplant. Glossy, ripply, deep green leaves grow on shaggy, brown stems. Bright red coffee cherries will clump on the trunks after the very sweetly fragrant, starry, white, frilly flowers. The red cherries are sweetly edible, the leaves have been dried for tea since olden days, and even the discarded fruit husks can be ground for another powdered tea. One small Coffee plant from our Shop grew to a nice big bush, bore lots of coffee cherries which were processed, roasted and made a quality coffee rivalling that shop on every street corner! And what a fun and satisfying process to grow your own Coffee! Have a cup of your own coffee and toast your plant.

          • Air Purifying
          • Low Maintenance

          Quick Care Guide:

          • Water - Medium (3):  Water plant when dry. Plant does not like soil to always be moist, but doesn't like to stay dry once becomes dry. Water as soon as soil is dry.
          • Light - High (5):  Plant needs a lot of light; direct is even better. These plants do best when placed on a window sill or next to a bright window. Avoid concentrated, hot light from window which may cause burning.
          • Difficulty - Low/Med (2):  A little less finicky than most. Doesn't require much attention at all.

          View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

          Medium

          6" Peperomia, Thailand

          Peperomia Thailand is a robust, no nonsense kind of houseplant, nearly indestructible and reliable. Round, cupped, shiny leaves lean out from their jointy, reddish stems holding themselves horizontally for an even, orderly shape. Faintly traced indented veins of lighter green run along the tops of leaves, undersides are lighter green with less shine. The whole plant will get to about 12" or a bit more, staying nice and small and tidy. Not needing much attention at all, Peperomias gained the nickname "radiator plant," as in the olden days the plants were often placed in a windowsill above the radiator heater. This is the perfect plant to set and forget.

          • Pet Friendly

          Quick Care Guide:

          • Water - Medium (3):  Water plant when dry. Plant does not like soil to always be moist, but doesn't like to stay dry once becomes dry. Water as soon as soil is dry.
          • Light - Medium (3):  Plant prefers natural, diffused light. Can be placed in a spacious living room. Indirect light preferred. No direct sunlight on leaves.
          • Difficulty - Medium (3):  Not too difficult to keep happy, but does require some attention.

          View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

            April 2024

            Small

            4" Peperomia Rosso

            Handsome Rosso grows in a tight, orderly rosette shape, foliage rising from the inside and twirling and crowding outward to make a tidy 8"x 8" little bush. You get just a ton of plant in one pot. Rosso grows so evenly and orderly he looks like a painting of a plant, almost too perfect! His leaves are almond shaped and slightly scooped in shiny emerald with darker green streaks following the indented veins. Upturned leaf tips show off the flaming, bright red undersides of those leaves. A troop of cream colored spike flowers rising straight up add to the fun occasionally. Trekking to us from Brazilian jungles, this plant does enjoy humidity, so mist away!

            • Pet Friendly

            Quick Care Guide:

            • Water - Medium (3):  Water plant when dry. Plant does not like soil to always be moist, but doesn't like to stay dry once becomes dry. Water as soon as soil is dry.
            • Light - Medium (3):  Plant prefers natural, diffused light. Can be placed in a spacious living room. Indirect light preferred. No direct sunlight on leaves.
            • Difficulty - Medium (3):  Not too difficult to keep happy, but does require some attention.

            View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

              Medium

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              March 2024

              Small

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              Medium

              6" Maranta, Red

               

              Red Maranta has the best paint job of any houseplant. The large, deep velvet, oval leaves are marked with chartreuse splashes of color down the center of the leaf, through which a bright scarlet red midrib runs, branching out into bright red veins. Next to the chartreuse is a band of deep piney green followed by a broad edge of emerald green. New leaves arrive on the scene upright and tightly rolled like flags then gently unfurl and lay sideways to show their true colors. This native of Brazil folds its leaves upward at night to conserve moisture, showing its rosy magenta glow, sometimes making a soft rustling sound. It loves humidity and distilled water and medium to bright light, making it a candidate for almost any room, and is a nice hanging plant, not so much trailing as gracefully leaning downwards. 
              • Also known as Prayer Plant
              • Pet Friendly

              Quick Care Guide:

              • Water - Med/High (4):  Prefers more water than most, but soil can dry out periodically. Use a spray bottle to mist and increase humidity levels without soaking the soil and roots.
              • Light - Medium (3):  Plant prefers natural, diffused light. Can be placed in a spacious living room. Indirect light preferred. No direct sunlight on leaves.
              • Difficulty - Medium (3):  Not too difficult to keep happy, but does require some attention.

              View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

                February 2024 

                Small

                4" Chlorophytum Spider Bonnie

                A spider plant is one of the easiest plants to own, and Bonnie is no exception. Fast growing and hardy, Spider gets its name from the tiny plantlets that dangle on long stems like a crowd of little spiders under the plant. Small, white, 6 petaled flowers spangle the stems. Bonnie's bright green and yellowy/white striped leaves arc into graceful curves giving her a pleasing, voluminous contour when all grown up and filling her pot, which happens super fast. Spider Bonnie is a curly head, along with her leaves even the plantlet stems curl and whirl around all over the place.

                • Air Purifying
                • Low Maintenance
                • Pet Friendly

                Quick Care Guide:

                • Water - Medium (3):  Water plant when dry. Plant does not like soil to always be moist, but doesn't like to stay dry once becomes dry. Water as soon as soil is dry.
                • Light - Med/High (4):  Needs more light than most, but direct light not necessary. Can handle morning and afternoon sun directly on leaves.
                • Difficulty - Low/Med (2):  A little less finicky than most. Doesn't require much attention at all.

                View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

                Medium

                6" Tradescantia Nanouk

                Nanouk is a patented cross of two Tradescantias, developed in The Netherlands. Bred to be a compact, full plant as far as Tradescantias go, the leaves themselves are nice and big. Glowing in a heavenly, lilac color with soft, green striping, the leaves grow close together and are offset instead of paired. Undersides of the leaves are a bit furry, with the top surfaces smooth. The purply-green stems poke up stiffly and will trail eventually. Look close-up at the leaves in the sunlight (Nanouk can actually take some full sun) and see mini iridescent sparkles. Pretty, tri-petal pinky white flowers like gems decorate the growing tips year round. This is truly a beautiful plant!

                • Air Purifying
                • Trailing

                Quick Care Guide:

                • Water - Medium (3):  Water plant when dry. Plant does not like soil to always be moist, but doesn't like to stay dry once becomes dry. Water as soon as soil is dry.
                • Light - Low/Med (2):  These plants need some diffused light to stay happy. Prefers if there is a window in the room, but doesn't need to be very light nor close to it.
                • Difficulty - Med (3):  Not too difficult to keep happy, but does require some attention.

                View full breakdown of Care Guide here.

                January 2024

                Small

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                Medium

                6" Chinese Evergreen Silver Bay

                Silver Bay sounds like a romantic, moonlit getaway spot. This popular plant has been on the scene for a long time for good reason.  Large and lovely, the moonlit silvery leaves are edged with feathered green markings. Strong, multiple, fleshy stems hold some of the largest leaves in the Aglaonema world upright, then they bend out to make room for the new foliage. Silver Bay will grow to an overall height of 4' in its lifetime, but take its time to do it. This plant is large scale enough to stand alone, often used to decorate shopping malls and offices, but is nice in a grouping of plants too, especially near pinks, reds, and dark green foliage of other plants. 
                • Air Purifying

                Quick Care Guide:

                • Water - Medium (3):  Water plant when dry. Plant does not like soil to always be moist, but doesn't like to stay dry once becomes dry. Water as soon as soil is dry.
                • Light - Medium (3):  Plant prefers natural, diffused light. Can be placed in a spacious living room. Indirect light preferred. No direct sunlight on leaves.
                • Difficulty - Medium (3):  Not too difficult to keep happy, but does require some attention.

                View full breakdown of Care Guide here.