Frequently Asked Questions

One of our most frequently asked questions! Whether facetiously inquired or not, many people are curious about bringing a houseplant into their home but are worried about their ability to care for it. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not one size fits all. Something to consider when you are trying to find a houseplant that suits your care style is to understand what your care style even is. Some people er on the underwatering, shall we say 'forgetful' side of plant parenthood, and there are others that act more as 'helicopter parents' and feel the urge to water and fuss over their plants daily. People who have busy lives and dont want to dote on their plants daily should consider varieties that are more drought tolerant and hardy. Plants in this category could include epipremnum (pothos), succulents, sansevieria, spider plant, dracaena, scindapsus, hoya, aglaonema, and cactus to name a few. These varieties typically do not fret if you miss a couple days of watering and prefer to be left alone for the most part. Plant parents that may have a heavy watering hand or want to constantly inspect their plants may have success with varieties such as spathiphyllum (peace lily), calathea (prayer plant varieties), fern, african violet/episica, alocasia, fittonia, aphelandra (zebra plant), and mimosa (sensitive plant). These plants are generally thirstier and require a bit more attention from their caregivers. Ultimately you should not be afraid of accidentally killing your plants. Plants are supposed to be a fun hobby, not something to worry about or feel guilty over. Plus, any mistakes you make along the way will only help you learn how to better meet their needs in the future.

Some plants can survive low light situations, however, it is important to remember that "low light" does not mean "no light." If houseplants are not getting their optimal amount of light, they will typically grow slower and put out smaller leaf growth. As a general rule, plants that are non-variegated or have darker foliage will fare better in lower light than variegated plants. The reason for this is that plants cannot photosynthesize on areas of their foliage that are white because there is no chlorophyll. These variegated plants typically need to be placed in higher light situations. Every plant is different, but some plants that we have found to be more resilient in lower light situations are epipremnum (pothos) calathea (plants in the prayer plant category), sansevieria, dracaena, Zamioculcas zamiifolia (zz plant), spider plant, spathiphyllum (peace lily), and aglaonema. A suggestion for dark areas is to use grow lights. You can find many different styles of grow lights fairly affordably. The addition of grow lights allows you to choose exactly where you want to set up a plant (or two, or three..) in an area that would have otherwise been inaccessible for thriving plant residency.

According to the ASPCA, some plants that are listed as NON-toxic to dogs and cats include: african violets, pilea, peperomia, areca palm, polka dot plant, bamboo, cissus discolor, pellionia (trailing begonia), ponytail palm, burro's tail succulent (sedum), calathea, plectranthus, spider plant, selaginella, episcia, nephrolepis/ferns, cryptanthus, haworthia, hoya, aeschynanthus (lipstick plant), rhipsalis, guzmania, fittonia, gynura (purple passion vine), schlumbergera (holiday cactus), stapelia, opuntia, venus fly trap, echeveria. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants?field_non_toxicity_value%5B0%5D=01&field_non_toxicity_value%5B1%5D=02&page=4(https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants?field_non_toxicity_value%5B0%5D=01&field_non_toxicity_value%5B1%5D=02&page=4) Plants listed as toxic for dogs and cats include: alocasia, aloe vera, syngonium, asparagus fern, begonia, hedera (english ivy), coleus, caladium, monstera, kalanchoe, dieffenbachia, aglaonema, philodendron, cyclamen, adenium (desert rose), epipremnum (pothos), dracaena, colocasia, eucalyptus, ficus, anthurium, sansevieria, oxalis, senecio (string of pearls, bananas), tradescantia, crassula, scindapsus, spathiphyllum (peace lily), schefflera (umbrella tree), euphorbia. Please be advised that consumption of any plant material may cause gastrointestinal distress for your pet. The Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) 24-hour emergency poison hotline contact number is 1-888-426-4435. These lists are not meant to be all-inclusive. If you worry that your pet might attempt to consume a houseplant of yours it is suggested that you keep the plant out of the pets' reach.