Pothos Not Syngonium - Good Info Wrong Houseplant

I read a post on How to grow a syngonium plant and the basic information I agree with. This houseplant does fine… it puts out new growth, does well in low light, needs little attention (many plant owners kill their house plants with over care) plus its durability and ease of care is one reason it could possibly be the Number One house plant.

However, it is important when caring for plants and especially house plants to make sure you identify the plant correctly to give it the proper care. That may not be the case in this situation since the topic may be more about no care. Nevertheless, the plant pictured in the blog is a Pothos ‘Marble Queen” and not a Syngonium. Both the syngonium and pothos are from the Aroid family where we find other popular indoor plants such as the Spathiphyllum, Aglaonema and Philodendrons.

The botanical genus for Pothos is Epipremnum and you may also find the Syngonium sold as Nephthytis.

Here’s a few pictures of 2 syngoniums and a pothos for you to see the difference!

House Plants Need New Homes Too!

When picking up a new house plant at the garden center you should expect the plant to go through some acclimating, it’s especially true with indoor plants like Ficus benjamina and the umbrella plant.

However, this is not the new home I’m talking about. Our houseplants may live in our indoor environment but their “home” is really the pot they live in.

Now, I’m not a big fan of repotting house plants but some plants when they outgrow their home repotting is needed. Here’s a few tips to help determine if your indoor plant is ready for a new home.

If a plant is not growing well or looks sick the plant may get round-bound and the root system cannot function as it should. Salts can also build up and burn roots.

During the spring and summer months houseplants will be more actively growing. If you’re going to repot, the spring and summer months are the best time for the plant to grow and get established in it’s new container “home.”

When to Repot – Here’s some Repotting Tips:

• Roots come out the bottom of the pot, or the roots are a large tangled mass
• The plant continues to dry out quickly and more water is needed
• Slower than normal growth in the “growing season”
• The plant is top heavy and outgrown the pot. The pot does not support the plant also look at double potting or cache pots.
• Water runs quickly through the pot and out the bottom. This happens when there isn’t enough soil to “grab” the moisture.
• Soil stained. When the top of the soil is stained it often indicates a salt build up which can burn roots.

When repotting – DO NOT over pot. Move up to the next size and usually no large than 2 inches in size.

Check out These Articles for More Information:

• Repotting House Plant Essentials
• Repotting House Plants - Why?

Repotting is at times necessary, make sure the plant needs it and not purely from the fact, you want to repot.

House Plant and Fertilizer

With springtime here many house plant owners get excited about repotting and fertilizing their plants. It’s time for growing right? Most houseplants you buy at the garden center or nursery will have all the fertilizer they need for a long time.

However, don’t most of us think that house plants or any plant for that matter will get smaller leaves and turn yellow if the fertilizer level is too low? That’s not always the case.

Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’ pictured all received increasing levels
of fertilizer from left to right. Which plant looks best to you?

Learn How To Care for Your Dracaena…

Surprise - A New Anthurim!

Most people know what an Anthurium flower is… maybe not by name but by sight. Some call it the ‘Flamingo flower” or one of those tropical flowers from Hawaii. Whatever you call it the Anthurium has long been associated with “tropical” flower arrangements for years, but over the last 15 years or so it’s become a potted house plant. Many new varieties which do better in pots and flower more often then their “cut flower” cousins can be found at nurseries and garden centers.

However, a new Anthurium will be hitting the market soon and it’s a “Surprise”! Actually the name is Anthurium “Suprise” and what makes it different is that the flowers or spathes are both red and white.

To add to the “Surprise” this patent pending beauty produces flower where no two flowers are alike with the mottled or speckled dark red to light pick and white colors. Each flower creates its own unique pattern of beauty.

Keep on the look out for Anthurium “Surprise” coming to a garden center near you!

Dead Plant Success!

Many people just assume caring for house plants, a garden, the lawn, roses or anything related to nature is difficult.

With over 25 years of commercial growing experience, millions of gallons through the pump house and planting millions of plants, the secret to plant success is clear to me.

The key is - Experience! However, all the experience I’ve acquired has come from “killing plants.” Yes you read that right - Killing Plants. I’ve learned so much from trying different soils, new fertilizers, watering schedules and amounts of water… with less than stellar results. Not to mention being “out there” in the plants.

One of the best growers I have ever had the pleasure to meet carries one plant growing “secret” many don’t use. I’ll share it with you. He makes sure his shadow falls on his plants everyday! He’s out in the greenhouse, or the field, watching, looking and scouting.

The good growers have learned by getting dirty. But they also shared with other growers which helped them learn from other trials and mistakes. You can learn from my plant success and and failures, plus save yourself lots of trials.

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