Don’t eat these peas! The succulent known as string of pearls—otherwise known as string of beads or string of peas, for obvious reasons once you’ve seen it—is poisonous. However, in a pet and toddler-free household string of pearls makes an ideal houseplant. The long trailing stems festooned with round green leaves that look just like … Read more
Does your succulent look like an adolescent—tall, gangly, and awkward, with limbs that look thin as toothpicks? Does it resemble a Charlie Brown Christmas tree more than it does than the bushy succulent you brought home from the store? What did you do wrong? The simple answer is that your succulent is leggy (or, in … Read more
If your succulents are covered in little white crumbs, it isn’t because your significant other was eating crackers over them. The problem is more likely mealybugs , a species of scale. And, they are the most common pest that infests succulents. Eliminating mealybugs can be a daunting challenge, but there are some good strategies you … Read more
Many people have a love-hate relationship with their mother, so it makes sense that Mother of Thousands, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, is considered both a charming and beloved houseplant and a toxic invasive weed. Its bluish-green foliage is eye-catching, mainly because it grows dozens of adorable baby plantlets along the edges of its leaves. Once they fall … Read more
Bear Paw, Cotyledon tomentosa, is an adorable and easy to grow succulent known for its chubby, hairy paws with ridges at the tip reminiscent of little claws. It can also produce small bell-shaped flowers that vary in color from yellow-green to red-orange. But how do you grow and care for this succulent? If you aren’t … Read more
There’s a common misconception that succulents are idiot-proof. Succulents are mostly low maintenance and resilient to neglect, but that doesn’t make them immortal. Growing a plant from a semi-desert and in a north-facing window in Wisconsin is asking a lot. So if your succulent is wilting, discolored, or covered in bugs, don’t take it personally; … Read more
There is no one perfect succulent pot. The truth is most pots and planters will work, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Different kinds of pots will create slightly different care needs for your succulents (for example, affecting how often you water). This guide will help you choose the best pot for your … Read more
You (yes, you!) are definitely capable of growing a healthy succulent. After all, succulents are resilient, low-maintenance plants that grow abundantly in environments that would challenge most plants. However, when you take a plant from Mozambique or Mexico and grow it in Maine or Minnesota, some challenges are inevitable. And, for many houseplant lovers, it … Read more
The word propagation may sound intimidatingly scientific, but take heart. Reproducing your succulents couldn’t be easier. The joints of succulent leaves and stems contain special “meristem” tissue–like human stem cells–designed to replicate the plant when a leaf drops off a plant and falls to the ground. In other words, succulents easily replicate themselves without human … Read more
For many people, a house isn’t really a home without two things: pets and plants. Flora and fauna can be compatible cohabitants, but not all plants are pet-safe. Even the most well-behaved pets will occasionally snack on a succulent. And, many popular, attractive succulents are highly poisonous that can lead to medical emergencies and the … Read more
Succulents are supposed to be so easy to grow that anyone can do it. But if you’ve killed a succulent with root rot or let it dehydrate to a crisp, you aren’t the only one. Watering succulents isn’t as easy as it seems because they do not drink water the same as most other plants. … Read more
According to Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh, a rose bush can teach us an important lesson. To reduce our suffering, we must accept that much like a flower, all things and people we value are impermanent. What is born will die. If you want to know how long rose bushes live, the answer depends on the … Read more
Coppertone Sedum has a split personality. It is a dramatic, gold, and coral succulent that grows into short bushes and spreads as ground cover when grown outdoors. Indoors, it is a cute but easily overlooked succulent, with leaves like green bananas just beginning to ripen. Wherever you grow it, Coppertone succulent is a resilient, low-maintenance … Read more
Lipstick echeveria is a popular, attractive, low-maintenance succulent. It grows well in an arrangement with other potted succulents and looks great in warm-weather gardens, on its own in a small pot, or even in warm-weather rock gardens. Plus, you don’t even need a green thumb to grow lipstick echeveria – all it requires is a … Read more
Unless you live in the tropics, there’s no way to grow tomatoes outdoors in the winter. In some areas, you may be able to start plants in early spring or keep your plants fruiting into the fall, but generally, tomatoes won’t survive the first frost. If you can’t survive another winter without fresh tomatoes, and … Read more
Even though succulents and cacti are less colorful and dramatic than other plants, they are popular houseplants because they are resilient and easy enough for beginning gardeners to grow successfully. Plus, there are many varieties to choose from. If you want to add a little glamour to your cactus garden and have the patience for … Read more
If you’ve ever wanted to grow a bonsai tree, but aren’t sure if you have the discipline, you should try an elephant bush. Also known as dwarf jade, porkbush, and spekboom, the elephant bush is a popular semi-perennial succulent shrub. Elephant bush has a reddish-brown stem and small glossy green leaves. There are several variants, … Read more
Zebra plant is a term commonly used to describe a pair of succulent doppelgängers: Haworthiopsis fasciata and Haworthiopsis attenuata. Both are like tiny aloes, with dark green spiky leaves decorated with thin, bumpy, white stripes. There’s a lot of controversy over the classification of Zebra plants. It is common for garden centers to sell H. … Read more
If you are looking for a pretty, easy-to-care-for plant — a perfect gift for your sweetheart — you’ll fall in love with the variegated string of hearts. Its tiny, heart-shaped leaves are mottled sage-green and silver. The leaves of the variegated variety of these plants are edged in an eye-catching pink. The string of hearts … Read more
If your sunny windowsill needs a little more magic, consider adopting a fairy castle cactus. This columnar cactus got its name because the multiple clumping stems grow up in a formation reminiscent of the turrets of a medieval castle. Each stem of the fairy castle cactus is a five-sided fleshy branch with wooly spines on … Read more
