From tropical America and other parts of the world, peperomias have become nearly indispensable foliage plants, able to adapt themselves to semi-sunny or shady locations in any home. Except for three or four old standbys, indoor gardeners have sadly neglected them. There are many unusual kinds with handsome foliage. Give them a try! In their … Read more
Despite the great popularity enjoyed by philodendrons, only a limited variety reach our living rooms. This is more regrettable because there are many to choose from. Philodendrons have been known for a long time, but the number of known species has increased tremendously in the last 15 to 20 years. Not only did the botanist … Read more
Lately, the question I hear most often is “What is a houseplant?” And that’s a good question when you come right down to it, but not an easy one to answer. Is a house plant grown for foliage? Usually. For flowers? Quite often. Is it short, tall, medium, bulbous, tuberous, fibrous-rooted, shrub-like, or treelike? All … Read more
I DO NOT know whether the first slipper-type gloxinia I acquired in 1941 is one of the original species, Sinningia speciosa, or one of the early hybrids from which the present-day gloxinias were developed. But I do know that it is still a lovely plant, producing blossoms in great abundance, often from 50 to 100 … Read more
Reverse the old saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees,” and you’ll have one that applies to hedges: “You can’t see the plants for the hedge.” How often do you see the individual plants instead of the overall symmetry of the planting? Long before ixora became the well-known houseplant it is today, I … Read more
Rex begonias can be grown in the Mid-America window garden in warm, humid conditions in filtered sunlight. They make the most brilliant and regal of foliage plants and should be known as the “King of the Begonias.” The conditions under which a plant is found growing in its native clime are indicative of the requirements … Read more
Suppose you have a new greenhouse and are wondering what to do to kill it with color. You have already looked through some catalogs, only to learn that many of the things you would like should have been started way back last June. November is late for many plants, but many flowering kinds can still … Read more
Not only is there a scientific revolution underway in penetrating outer space, but there is a continuing scientific evolution in our gardens, illustrated by how we now feed plants with highly concentrated fertilizer in solution. This evolution is taking place in flower and vegetable gardens, greenhouses, and farms for the production of field crops, fruits, … Read more
House plants are easy to grow when planted in the right soil. This is simpler than most people think. The vast number of various formulas for soil mixtures makes it seem complicated. Yet probably no two blue-ribbon winners would be in total agreement as to the best recipe. What is the answer? Isn’t it the … Read more
Avocado is usually thought of as a taste delight in a salad. At least that was my view until one day while discussing gardening at dinner with several green thumb friends, the subject of exotic indoor plants came up. After running the gamut from elephant ears to the common begonia, I brought up miniature trees. … Read more