- 12 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
This quick guide gives you important tips for taking care of your houseplants. If you want more detailed advice, especially about watering and pruning, check out our other post called 'General Care Tips for Happy Houseplants.' It has extra information to help you keep your indoor plants healthy and strong.
If you have a dish garden, the general rule is to follow the guidelines for the plant that requires less water and less sunlight. We try to combine plants that require the same care so that your gift can have a healthy life.
For example, if all your plants in the dish garden are green foliage, it's more simple. But if you receive our Tropical Dish Garden, you will need to water the orchids and the rest of the plants differently. The orchids will be in an individual container so they don't get overwatered. (To learn more about orchids follow this link).
Plants are sorted in alphabetical order:
African Violets
Light: Medium Light. 1-3 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day.
Water: Semi-Dry. Water when dry, do not let stay dry.
Bloom Time: Year-Round (perennial).
Flower Color: Multicolor, most common is purple or pink.
Average Size: 4-6" H x 8-12" W.
Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 65°F.
Uses: Container, Color Accent.
Attributes:
Popular houseplant.
Prized for its colorful flowers.
Rounded, soft foliage.
Great in mixed baskets.
Fertilize every other week according to label rate.
Azalea:
Light: Part Sun - Morning Sunlight Only. Water: Semi-Moist. Keep soil moist, but not wet. Bloom Time: Spring. Flower Color: Pink, white. Average Size: 6-8' H x 4-6' W. Cold Hardiness: Zone 4 (-20 to -30°F). Enjoys organically enriched, well-drained soils. Uses: Foundation Plantings, Color Accent, Beds and Borders, Mass Planting. Attributes: Semi-double pink flowers. Very fragrant. Withstands wintry weather. Adds texture to the shrub border. Click here to send an Azalea Plant in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Bamboo (Lucky Bamboo):
Light: Low Light - 1-3 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day. Water: Lucky Bamboo needs frequent watering. Bloom Time: No flowers. Flower Color: No flowers. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 40°F. Lucky Bamboo is actually not a bamboo at all, but rather a Dracaena! Lucky Bamboo is the primary plant recommended for improving Feng Shui. Uses: Offices, Bathrooms, Low light dining & living areas. Attributes: Straight, curly, or spiral stalk. Adds texture to your home or office. Popular plant used in Feng Shui. Flexible strap-shaped leaves.
Bonsai:
Light: High Light - 3-4 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day. Water: Water once weekly. Bloom Time: No Flowers. Flower Color: No flowers. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 50°F. In Japanese, Bonsai translates to "tray planting", but in recent years it has evolved into a novel form of planting varieties of dwarfed trees in coordinating pots. Uses: Windows, Bright dining & living areas. Attributes: Asian Accent. Tabletop accessory. Ornamental plant. Durability. Click here to send a Bonsai in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Bromeliad:
Light: Bright, indirect light. In the summer, they can be grown outdoors. Water: The cups should be always full of water—flush the cup with water once a week. The potting medium should be watered but allowed to dry out between watering. Bloom Time: Most bromeliads flower in the winter. Flower Color: Red, yellow, orange, pink. Cold Hardiness: Most bromeliads are happiest in temperatures that range between 65 to 90 F during the day and 50 to 65 F at night. Fertilize during the growing season every other week to once a month. Uses: Windows, Bright dining & living areas. Attributes: Bromeliads are one of the best tropical plants to grow in your home. They are extremely adaptable, tolerating a variety of home environments. Easy to grow indoors. Beautiful forms, foliage, and flowers. The flowers (inflorescence) last three months or more. Most bromeliads are very adaptable and resilient houseplants. Bromeliads can be either epiphytic (growing in the air), saxicolous (growing on rocks), or terrestrial (growing in the ground). Most do well in pots and planters that provide good drainage and airflow. Click here to send a Bromeliad in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Calla Lily:
Light: Part Sun – 3-6 hours Morning Sunlight Only. Water: Moist. Add water every other day. Enjoys consistently moist soil. Bloom Time: Winter - Spring - Summer. Flower Color: Multicolor. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 35°F. Calla Lilies are perfect for winter and early season colors. Large flower bracts surround a central spike on this attractive plant. Long, lance-shaped leaves. Nice border or container plants. This plant can be used as a tender perennial (coming back year after year) in mild winter areas of the country where temperatures rarely dip below 32°F for extended periods of time. In extremely chilly winter areas plants can be dug up, potted, and brought indoors to overwinter and replanted the next year. Uses: Beds and Borders, House Plant, Mass Plantings. Attributes: Many brilliant colors. Compact growth habit. Grows well indoors and out. Easy to grow and maintain. Click here to send a Calla Lily Plant in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Easter Lily:
Light: Full Sun. Morning Sunlight Only Water: Moist. Add water every other day. Enjoys consistently moist soil. Do not let stand in excess water. Bloom Time: Spring. Flower Color: White. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 10° - 0°F. Moderate home temperature for houseplants, 65° - 70°F. Uses: Container, Fragrant, Beds and Borders, Cut Flower, Mass Planting, Color Accent. Attributes: Large, fragrant white flowers Popular for gift-giving Excellent container plant Even though the Easter lily naturally blooms during the summer months, tradition, symbolism, and history have made it the enduring floral centerpiece of the Easter holiday. During the holiday, these lilies are given as gifts and used for decorating homes, offices, and churches. Researchers around the world have spent many years perfecting the techniques used to promote flowering at this special time of year. And it is these efforts that have made this lily the most popular plant during the Easter season. Click here to send an Easter Lily Plant in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Flamingo or Anthurium:
Light: Low Light - 1-3 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day. Water: Prefers moist well-drained soil, water when the top inch of soil gets dry, about once a week. Bloom Time: year-round, with each bloom lasting between two and three months. Flower Color: Red, green, pink. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy 60-85°F. Fertilize once a month. Natural rainforest habitat. With glossy green leaves and rich red blooms, Anthurium is one of the most stunning plants to grow indoors. Also known as flamingo flower or painter's palette, it will add a touch of luxury to an indoor space. Attributes: Attractive foliage. Great for containers and as indoor plants.
Hosta Plant:
Light: Shade-loving, no direct sunlight. Water: Semi-Moist. Keep soil moist, but not wet. Bloom Time: Summer. Flower Color: Multicolor. Cold Hardiness: Zone 4 (-20 to -30°F). Uses: Beds and Borders, Mass Plantings. Attributes: Long-lived perennial. Perennials are plants that grow and bloom over the spring, summer and into fall, then die back to the ground in winter, returning in the spring from their roots. Shade-loving Great in mass plantings Flowers in summer
Hydrangea:
Light: Part Sun - Morning Sunlight Only. Water: Semi-Moist. Keep soil moist, but not wet. Bloom Time: Summer. Flower Color: Blue, White, Pink, Purple. Cold Hardiness: Zone 6 (0 to -10°F) Use well-drained, organic soil. Protect from strong afternoon sun. Uses: Beds and Borders, Color Accent, Mass Planting, Hedge, Container, Foundation Plantings. Attributes: Huge clusters of flowers. Great backdrop to any other flowers. Excellent summer color. Easy to grow and maintain. Click here to send a Hydrangea Plant in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Kalanchoe:
Light: Full Sun - 6+ Hours Direct Sun. Water: Arid Dry. Wait until the soil gets dry to water. Bloom Time: Winter - Spring. Flower Color: Multicolor. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 40°F. Grown as a seasonal annual where winter temperatures dip below 32°F. Uses: Beds and Borders, Color Accent, Container Attributes: Flowers of red, white, orange, or yellow. Great gift for the Holiday Season. Great houseplant or patio container. Blooms winter into early spring.
Money Tree
Light: Bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, as leaves can scorch and turn brown.
Water: Water when the top 1-2 inches of soil feel dry. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot; ensure good drainage.
Bloom Time: Rarely blooms indoors.
Flower Color: Cream to pale yellow (rare indoors).
Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 50°F.
Pachira aquatica, commonly called the Money Tree, is a popular houseplant known for its braided trunk and lush, palm-like leaves. It's often used as a symbol of good fortune and prosperity, making it a thoughtful gift for special occasions.
Uses: Home or office interiors, indirect-lit living areas, desks, and tabletops.
Attributes:
Unique braided trunk.
Glossy, vibrant green leaves.
Known as a symbol of prosperity and luck.
Easy-care and resilient.
Air purifier.
Fertilize monthly during active growing seasons (spring and summer).
Money Trees are prized for their distinctive, attractive appearance and their association with prosperity. Perfect for brightening indoor spaces, they thrive best in consistent environments with indirect sunlight and moderate watering.
Orchids:
Light: Low Light - 1-2 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day. Water: Really check the soil before you add more water, let it get dry, and wait between 7-10 days every time you add more (it depends on the humidity of the environment, so touch the soil at least 1-2 inches deep and check if it's dry and it needs water). Bloom Time: spring-summer. Flower Color: multicolor. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 60°F. Uses: Windows, Bright dining & living areas. Attributes: Beautiful moth-like flower. The best-growing orchid for the home is the Phalaenopsis. Grows in a bright window, with little sun. Great gift for holidays. Fertilize during the plant's active growing cycle. Check out our blog How to Water and Get Your Orchid to Re-Bloom for more specific details. Click here to send an Orchid to Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Peace Lily:
Light: Low Light - 1-2 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day. Don't let stand in direct sunlight, leaves will burn and turn yellow. Water: Keep soil moist, but do not let stand in water. If under or overwatered, leaves will start to turn yellow. Bloom Time: Varies. Flower Color: White. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 50°F. Spathiphyllum, also known as the Peace Lily, is an extremely popular indoor houseplant for its showy white spathes. This lush foliage plant helps remove airborne contaminants. Uses: Windows, Low light dining & living areas. Attributes: Snowy white flowers. Ideal plant to use as a focal point. Does well on a shaded patio. Air Purifier. Fertilize during the plant's active growing cycle. Healthy peace lily plants will bloom twice a year, in spring and again in fall. The flowers usually last for one to two months before turning brown. Click here to send a Peace Lily Plant in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Pink Wave:
Light: Low Light - 1-2 Hours of Filtered Indirect Light Per Day. Water: Only when the soil feels dry. Bloom Time: Sporadically, usually July to August. Flower Color: Yellowish-white or reddish, flowers are insignificant. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 65°F max temperature 80°F Fertilize every month. Uses: brighten up your home, windowsill, or office. Attributes: Easy to grow. Fast growth. Native to Tropical rainforests of South America, principally Peru Sensitive to strong, direct sunlight and will quickly suffer from leaf burn.
Poinsettia:
Light: High Light.
Water: Semi-Moist. Water the plant whenever the soil on the surface feels dry to the touch. Be sure to take the plant to the sink and water until it drains out the bottom of the pot. Never let the plant sit in water. Wilting from lack of water is a common cause of leaf drop. If your home tends to be dry and your poinsettia is in direct light you will need to check for water daily.
Bloom Time: Fall Winter.
Flower Color: Multicolor.
Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 50°F.
Uses: Christmas Gift, Holiday Decoration.
Fertilize: Fertilize your poinsettia if you keep it past the holiday season. Apply a houseplant fertilizer once a month. Do not fertilize when it is in bloom.
Pruning: While the poinsettia is in bloom, only remove old and tattered foliage. Do not prune the stems unless they are damaged or diseased. Remove any old leaves from the container.
Attributes:
Long-lasting colorful foliage.
Great for gift giving.
Can be used as cut flowers.
Native to Mexico.
Poinsettia, the Christmas Flower, has spread in popularity over the years through the introduction of large flowered, long-lasting varieties and colors that range from familiar red to white, pastel yellow, pink, and vibrant bi-colors. The colorful part of the poinsettia is actually a modified leaf called a bract. This is why they retain their brilliant color indoors for many weeks. The actual flowers are the tiny yellow centers. Place near a sunny window. Poinsettias will appreciate as much direct sunlight as you can provide. Maintain temperatures above 60° F for best results. Protect from cold drafts from windows or doors that can injure the leaves and cause premature leaf drop. Also, do not allow the leaves or flowers to touch cold window panes.
Re-Blooming:
With proper care, Poinsettias can re-bloom the following Christmas, but a year-long schedule of care must be observed for good results.
Around late March or early April, cut your poinsettia back to about 6” in height. Continue a regular watering program and fertilize your plant with a houseplant fertilizer according to directions.
After all chance of frost has passed and night temperatures average 55°F or above, place your plant outdoors in indirect sun. Continue regular watering and fertilization.
During the summer prune to keep plants bushy and compact. But do not prune after September 1st.
In May or June transplant your poinsettia into a larger container. Select a pot no more than 4” inches larger than the original pot. Use a houseplant potting soil and make sure the container has good drainage.
The poinsettia is a photoperiodic plant, meaning that it sets buds and produces flowers as the fall nights lengthen. Beginning October 1st and through Thanksgiving keep plants in total darkness for 14-15 continuous hours each night. For example between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. Accomplish this by moving the plants to a totally dark room, or by covering them overnight with a large box. Any light exposure during this blackout time will delay flowering.
During October, November, and early December, poinsettias prefer 6 - 8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60 - 70° F. Temperatures outside of this range during this time can delay flowering which should occur in November or December.
Polka Dot:
Light: Indirect bright light. Water: Keep soil moist, but not wet, do not let stand in water. Bloom Time: No Flowers. Flower Color: No flowers. Cold Hardiness: Keep your plant in a room with an average air temperature of 70° to 75°F and a minimum humidity level of 50%. Fertilize every 6 months. Uses: Bright windowsills, desks, and tabletops. Attributes: Colorful foliage. Native to South Africa, Madagascar, and south east Asia. Their spots often merge into larger areas of color.
Schefflera:
Light: High Light - 3-4 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day. Water: Keep soil moist, do not let stand in water. Bloom Time: No Flowers. Flower Color: No flowers. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 40°F. Fertilize during the plants active growing cycle. Schefflera is characterized by foliage arranged in groups of three to seven at the end of the stems. Scheffleras make great houseplants due to their minimal need for maintenance. Uses: Windows, Offices, Bathrooms, Low light dining & living areas. Attributes: Evergreen shrub. Dark green glossy palmate leaves. Green stems fan out into a rounded crown. Makes a good accent or patio tree.
Snake Plant or Sansevieria:
Light: Low Light,1-2 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day.
Water: Requires minimal watering, every week or when the soil feels dry. Depending on air humidity snake plants might not require water for months. If the leaves start turning yellow and translucent, you are overwatering. If they turn wrinkly and soft, you are underwatering. Find the ideal balance depending on their surroundings.
Bloom Time: No Flowers.
Flower Color: No flowers. Prized for Foliage.
Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 50°F.
Fertilize during the plant's active growing cycle.
Sansevieria, known as mother-in-law’s tongue or Snake Plant, is a genus of about 70 species of flowering plants. The Sansevieria is among the most common and hardiest houseplants.
Uses: Offices, Bathrooms, Low light dining & living areas.
Attributes: Provides a vertical accent to home décor. Tolerates low light. Sword-like leaves. Requires minimal watering. Click here to send a Snake Plant in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Succulents:
Light: around 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day. Water: Add around 4oz (1/2 cup) of water every 10-15 days or more; wait until the soil feels dry. Depending on the temperature and humidity of their surroundings this will vary greatly. Bloom Time: some might bloom during spring-summer, others in midwinter. Not all varieties of succulents bloom. Flower Color: the ones that bloom are multicolored. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 40-30°F. Fertilize once a month during their active growing cycle (spring). Beginning in the spring when temperatures start to warm up and the fear of frost is over. If your fertilizer is in liquid form, make sure your succulent needs water before adding the fertilizer and strictly follow package guidelines (they might rot if you don't). Remember, the most important aspect of succulents is the lack or excess of water you provide, find a happy balance depending on their surroundings and they will live a happy and long life. Check out our blog 5 Steps To Water And Take Care Of Your Succulents for more specific details. Click here to send Succulents in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Yucca Cane:
Light: High Light - 3-4 Hours of Indirect Light Per Day. Water: Keep soil moist, do not let stand in water. Bloom Time: No flowers. Flower Color: No flowers. Cold Hardiness: Non-hardy below 50°F. Fertilize during the plants active growing cycle. Massangeana Cane is grown from semi-hardwood stem of various lengths. It is from the Dracaenas family, which makes up about 40 different varieties of popular houseplants. Uses: Patios, Porches, Landscape. Attributes: Plant resembles a corn stalk. Band of gold down the leaf center. Low-maintenance container plant. Fragrant flowers at night.
Now that we learned all these tips on how to care for houseplants, I hope your plants start to thrive! Remember, no over-watering, and enough sunlight, those are the two main tips when taking care of houseplants! And each plant requires different amounts of these two elements.
These are a few of the plants available in our flower shop. If you have more details or insights about them, feel free to share them in the comments below!