Croton

Common Name:
Croton

Light:
Bright Light

Water:
Keep moist

Origins:
Southeastern Asia








Crotons are very bight colored leaves of orange, yellow, and red. They add alot of color and brightness to your interior. If they get too tall just trim it and it will grow new shoots from the sides of the stem. They like bright light. Eastern or Western is probably best. don't let them get too dry. They like to be kept moist. If the leaves start to droop down than you probably need to water it. They like higher humidity so mist a couple times a week. You can propagate in water or moist soil with root hormone. They require a little more care but are worth it.

-Ducky Layne-

Snake Plant

Common name:
Snake Plant
Mother in-laws Tongue

Light:
Bright Indirect Light

Water:
Low to Moderate

Origins:
Africa











My snake plant getting ready to bloom. Sorry the picture is so blurry. I'll add another pic as soon as the buds open.




Snake plants are a really neat easy to care for plant. They are a good starter plant because they require little care. They have long blade like laves shooting out of the dirt in a rosette that spread by runners under the ground. They will fill a pot pretty fast and don't need to be repotted very often. If the pots not falling over from being top heavy than don't worry about repotting just top dress it if it needs it. They like bright light but don't need direct sun. They seem to grow better if they don't get a lot of direct sun. Mine has always liked an eastern exposure but any window except a northern one would probably work. If kept in a southern window you should probably filter the southern winter sun. Water good than let dry out before watering again. they are easy to propagate also. Just take one of the rosettes with some roots and pot in another pot. You will probably have to prop the new plant up with something so it does'nt fall over. You can also cut up a leaf and root the pieces of leaves as well.

-Ducky Layne-

Goldfish Plant

Common name:
Goldfish Plant

Light:
Bright light

Water:
Keep moist

Origins:
Costa Rica












The Goldfish plant is a cute little plant with little plump dark green waxy leaves. It does best in a hanging pot where it can vine. Keep the vines cut back to 18 inches and it will become more bushy and think. It has little orange flowers that look like goldfish(hence the name). They are a harder to find plant but if you do come across one don't hesitate to get because there's no telling when you'll see another one. They like to be kept moist but not soggy. Let dry a little between waterings. They like high humidity so mist daily. Make sure to pot them in free draining soil so they don't sit in too much water. They like bright light and can be put in any window with good light. Not too much direct sun or they will burn. If you keep it in a south window make sure the light is filtered so the southern sun during the winter won't burn it. This plant does take a little more care than most. They root easily in moist soil or water.

-Ducky Layne-

Janet Craig dracaena

Common Name:
Janet Craig Dracaena

Light:
Low to bright

Water:
Keep moist

Origins:
Africa and Asia






Janet Craig dracaena has dark green compact leaf growth. The leaves are long and wide also. They grow in a rosette and can get tall. They usually lose their bottom leaves and bare stems like Madagascar Dragon tree (also in the dracaena family). They branch out and will shoot new out from the soil. They like low to bright light. Bright light is better but th ey can stand low light conditions. Too much sun will burn the leaves. keep them kind of moist so they don't lose too many bottom leaves but don't keep them soggy. Let the top inch dry out.

-Ducky Layne-

Star Jasmine

Common Name:
Star Jasmine

Light:
Full sun

Water:
Low

Origins:
Eastern India, China, Japan
















Star Jasmine has to be my favorite flowering plant for smell. It smells absolutely amazing. I kept mine on my balcony of my apartment this past summer and when I was home I would leave the door open and it would feel my apartment with it's sweet smell. It would put me into some what of a trance because I would space off and be so relaxed. It's flowers are very small but it's fragrance is not. I love this plant. I can't wait until spring so I can smell it's sweet flowers again! It need a lot of sun. I have mine in front of a southern window. I let mine dry out before watering again though. You can tell if it gets too dry. The leaves will kind of droop. It has very stiff leaves that are dark green. It's a vine and you can train it around something to keep it neat looking because if left to it's own devices will grow crazy and take up a lot of room. I potted it in miracle potting soil. It's done fine all winter inside. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Grandfathers Pipe

Common Name:
Grandfathers Pipe
Callisia Fragrans
Basket Plant

Light:
Bright

Water:
Moderate

Origins:
Mexico






Grandfather's Pipe (also know as Callisia Fragans) is'nt a very common house plant. It get long stems with green leaves with puprle tint toward the base of the leaves. It gets long runners like spider plants that have babies on the ends. They are easy to propagate jsut break off a baby and put in some water until roots form. Put into a hanging pot and by the end of summer you'll have a decent sized plant. I usually start mine over every summer because they don't look as nice when the main stem gets too long. Don't worry about putting a baby into a 10 inch hanging pot by it's self. It will fill that pot with roots in no time. I just use regular miracle potting soil for mine. I let mine dry a little before watering again. In the summer they don't mind lot of water. They like western exposure best. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Peperomia

Common Name:
Peperomia

Light:
Bright indirect light

Water:
Moderate

Origins:
may be found in subtropical & tropical regions all around the world although most species occur in Central America and Northern South America.




Peperomia can be a fast growing plant if given the right care. There are several types of Peperomia but they all have the same thick leaves. They are easy plants to care for. They seem happiest in East windows. Let them dry out some between waterings. They don't mind being rootbound. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Pregnant Onion

Common Name:
Preganant Onion

Light:
Bright

Water:
Low

Origins:
South Africa


Mama onion! I've had this one for several years. The ones below are her daughter's She's getting ready to flower again too. Second time this summer!



A young onion. Started out just a little thing about 3 years ago. Needs repotted though.


Baby onion's


Baby onion's



Pregnant Onion Is a very interesting plant. They can go quite awhile without water because the fat onion shaped bulb holds water. The leaves can get up to 6 feet long. The bulb can get the size of a melon. It gets it's name because it forms babys under the skin then they break through when the skin dries out. It looks like an onion skin. They are easy to propagate. Each little baby will make a new plant. In spring just pick the babies off and plant them half way into moist soil. They will start growing like crazy shooting out leaves and plumping up. You don't have to plant the babies seperately if you don't want to. You can let them fall off naturally into the pot with the mother plants. Very interesting plants to watch. They like a lot of sun but not too much full sun. East West windows seem to be the best. They flower in the winter and get a long stalk out of the middle of the leaves. It will have little flower buds all over it. They start opening from the bottom and the flowering period last a long time. Little White flowers. The stalks can get very long. I've had one that was 6 foot. They don't need a lot of water so let them dry out between waterings. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Rubber tree

Common Name:
Rubber Tree

Light:
Bright

Water:
Moderate

Origins:
Amazon



He got a hair cut! I think he looks a lot better and he's shooting new out everywhere!!


Rubber trees have big dark colored leaves. They can grow into nice full little trees if given the right care. They can get quite big, but if they get to big for you just cut them back and new growth will grow under where you cut. You can put the cuttings in water or right into soil and make a new plant too. They like bright light and East window seem the best. Let them dry out between waterings. Not bone dry but dry. Keep the leaves clean by wiping them down with a warm washcloth. It hard for them to breath with dusty leaves.

-Ducky Layne-

Norfolk Island Pine

Common Name:
Norfolk Island Pin

Llight:
Bright

Water:
Moderate

Origins:
Norfolk Island





Norfolk pine is a lovely plant. Sold as living christmas trees during the holiday's with red ribbons tied to the branches. They can live for a long time and they can get 1uite big and wide spread. They like humidity and if there's not enough moisture in the air the branches can dry out and fall off. It does them good to mist them to raish the humidity around them. They like to hav moist soil but not soggy. Let them dry out a little before giving them a good watering again. They like bright light so an East or West window is best. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Christmas cactus

Common name:
Christmas cactus

Light:
Bright light

Water:
Low to medium

Origins:
Brazil









Christmas cactus is usually sold around christmas time at the box stores. I usually wait until they go on clearence and then you can get a nice plant for 50 cents to a dollar. They are not a desert cactus, but a rainforest cactus. So they need more water than normal cactus. I let mine dry out between waterings. They can bloom year around if taken care of right. They like a pourus soil so don't let them sit in water. They like light but don't need a lot of direct sun. Too much is bad for them but they do like bright light. Mine always do good in the East window I have them in. They can get quite big but it takes some time for that. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Jade Plant

Common Name:
Jade Plant

Light:
Sunny window

Water:
Very low

Origins:
South Africa

My mom's Jade plant.



My little Jade plant. He's so cute in his red flower pot!!





Jade plants are wonderful little plants. They have fat little leaves which the store water in. Which they use for dry spells. They are good beginner plants because they can go awhile without water. They leves will get wrinkly if it gets too dry. They are also easy to propagate just break off a piece and place it in moise soil of a glass of water. New plants will grow from just a single leaf also. If a leaf falls off into the pot just leave it and after awhile a new plant will grow. It takes awhile for a new plant from a leaf though. They like sun also so give them a lot of light. A West window is good for them. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Aloe Vera

Common Name:
Aloe Vera

Light:
Bright

Water:
Low

Origins:
South Africa



Aloe is a succulent plant that has medicinal purposes. Breaking off a leaf and rubbing the gel like stuff inside it will cure sunburns. It's also a beautiful little plant that will fill a pot as it shoots up new from the soil. It does'nt mind being root bound. It does'nt need a lot of direct sun. Too much direct sun will give it a tan and loses it's pretty green color. If this does happen just move it away from the light a little and it will turn green again. It's best to let it dry out between waterings as the leaves store water. Pot in a sandy soil mix like a cactus mix and a pot with good drainage. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Madagascar Dragon Tree

Common Name:
Madagascar Dragon Tree

Light:
Bright indirect light

Water:
Low

Origins:
Madagascar










He's really grown since I put him out this spring!



Madagascar Dragon tree is a wonderful plant. They usually come in a pot with several trees. I bought mine as a little $2 plant in the annuals at WAL-MART during the summer. They do lose their bottom leaves as they grow so if your plant looks healthy besides that then your doing good. They have long slender dark green leaves with red edges. It like bright indirect light. Does well in an East window. I let mine dry out before watering again but not bone dry. The leaves will droop a little when it's thirsty also. They can grow into nice sized trees and don't take up a lot of room. Their trunks don't get very big and they don't have wide spread foilage. They don't mind being in the same pot for a long time.

-Ducky Layne-

Heartleaf Philodendron

Common Name:
Heartleaf Philodendron

Light:
Bright light

Water:
Moderate

Origins:
South America



The Heartleaf philodendron has thick dark green heart shaped leaves. It prefers bright light. East windows have always been good for my plant. If it does'nt get enought light it will slow in growth and get spindly and have smaller leaves. If it gets proper light the newer leaves will be more of a burgundy color. They are fast growers given the right light. They seem happiest in Eastern exposure. They don't like to be too dry so don't let it go too long without water. I keep mine moist but not soggy. I mist mine once and awhile to raise the humidity and it seems to like it. They have little aerial roots that can cling to walls if you want it to climb a wall. It does'nt seem to mind being in a small pot. They are wonderful plants and grow fast. If you want to propagate just cut about a piece off and stick in some water until a good root system forms and then plant in it's own pot. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Kalanchoe

Common name:
Kalanchoe

Light:
Bright light

Water:
Low

Origins:
Madagascar












Kalanchoe is usually sold around christmas time. They have think fleshy leaves. They are succulents and need to dry out some before watering again. A easy way to tell when they are ready to be watered again is the leaves will get thin feeling. They like lots of light so put them in an east or west window. When they flower they get long stems with a cluster of little flowers. Theres several colors of flowers. There's also several different types of Kalanchoes. Some are more shrubish while others vine. Some have big leaves some have small one. Some have smooth edged leaves while other have jagged edges. They really are wonderful plants.

-Ducky Layne-

Wax plant

Common Name:
Wax plant

Light:
Brigtht light

Water:
Moderate

Origins:
India and South China












Wax plant is one of my all time favorites. They are kind of slow growers. In the summer time they shoot out new stems from the base of the plant that can get very long. You could plant it in with a small trellis or something for it to wrap around and grow up. If it's close to something it can wrap around and grow up it will. It likes a lot of bright light but not a lot of direct sun. Let it dry out a little bit between waterings but don't let it get completely dry. I let mine get on the dry side then sit it in the sink and soak it. It gets flowers on last years growth in cluster. The flowers are star shaped and come in pink, white, and yellow. Once the flowers fall off the little stem it shoots out for the flowers don't cut it off because it will continue to flower year around on it. It will keep flowering in that spot. It has a pretty strong smelling flower. I don't know how to describe the smell. It makes me think or a spicy floral smell. It's an interesting (I have'nt decided weather I like the smell or not)smell. The flowers are kind of waxy. I have an old variety that came from my great grandma's plant. They live forever and just get better with age. I also have a little varigated one that I bought last summer at a florist shop. It's really an amazing plant. Any questions just ask.

-Ducky Layne-

Madagascar Palm

Common Name:
Madagascar Palm

Light:
Full Sun

Water:
Low

Origins:
Madagascar












Closer look at the new branch that sprouted up last summer.






Madagascar Palm is easy to take care of in my opinion. They do hold water in their trunk so they don't need a lot of water during the winter. During the summer you can water more often. Treat them like a cactus. I only water mine two or three times during the winter. They need a lot of sun so be sure to put them somewhere they will recieve direct sunlight. In a East or West window has always worked for me. They prefer a more sandy soil mix. I usually use miracle grow mixed with sand. They can stay in the same pot for awhile. Their roots don't grow that fast and won't fill the pot that fast. They lose some leaves during the winter but will feel back out when summer comes. Sometimes they go completely dormat and lose all their leaves (mine never has but I know they sometimes will) so don't worry if yours loses all it's leaves.

-Ducky Layne-