If you didn’t inherit green thumbs or your potted greenery turns brown take heart, Jo Lambell’s got good news for you
Yucca
Yucca Elephantipes
The yucca plant delivers on all fronts – it’s sturdy, resilient and striking. Native to Mexico, the yucca has distinctive sword-like leaves and grows strong, with no need for stakes or support. Although this is a slow-growing plant, stick with it, as it can eventually reach a height of three metres indoors.
There are about 40 species in the yucca family. This yucca is one of the few plants that can cope with direct sunlight, which helps it to grow taller. Try not to overwater it – if the roots are soggy, hold off before watering again and ensure there is adequate drainage.
This plant can withstand a little unintentional neglect; however, its leaves need an occasional dusting with a damp cloth to unblock its pores so it can photosynthesise properly.
How to keep me happy
light: I like bright indirect light, but can tolerate shadier spots.
water: Water me when my top 5cm of soil feels dry to the touch.
air-purifying: I remove the nasties lurking in your room.
Safety
Keep me out of reach of furry friends and little people.
Size
Up to 2.5m.
Flaming sword
Vriesea ‘Astrid’
The flaming sword is a powerful name and it’s certainly fitting for this houseplant. One of the more common bromeliads, it flowers for three to six months of the year, and its blooms are spectacular. Don’t be put off by its high-maintenance appearance, it’s actually easy to care for.
There are 250 varieties of vriesea and this plant has origins in South and Central America. It’s an epiphyte in its native habitat, which means that despite its tendency to grow on other plants (rather than in the soil), it doesn’t harm them in the process.
This is a tropical plant, so you’d be forgiven for thinking it is a lot of work to look after. It will appreciate humidity and misting; try grouping your tropical plants together to naturally increase humidity.
How to keep me happy
Light: I like bright, indirect light.
Water: Water me when my top 5cm of soil feels dry to the touch.
Air-purifying: I remove the nasties lurking in your room.
Safety
I’m safe around your furry friends and little people.
Size
Up to 50cm.
Golden barrel cactus
Echinocactus Grusonii
The golden barrel cactus is native to Mexico, where it has actually become endangered in the wild. This striking-looking cactus is globe-shaped, and as the name suggests, is perfectly round when young. It has deep ribs that bear long cream-coloured spikes that grow with age. It’s sometimes called mother-in-law’s cushion, which I refuse to comment further on!
The golden barrel cactus has a very slow growth rate, and although it can reach 50cm in height,
this can take up to 20 years.
Like most cacti, this plant is very low maintenance and can cope with full and direct sunlight. During the warmer months, water when the top 5cm of soil has dried out. During the winter months, reduce the watering significantly and remember the golden rule: overwatering will cause its roots to rot, so less is more
How to keep me happy
Light: I like bright, indirect light.
Water: Let me dry out between watering.
Air-purifying: I remove the nasties lurking in your room.
Wellbeing
I can help you to relax and boost your mood.
Size
Up to 50cm.
Cast iron plant
Aspidistra Elatior
The cast iron plant is a real crowd-pleaser – with its gorgeous tall, dark green, paddle-shaped leaves, it makes a statement in any room. Super easy to look after, this plant is well known for being able to withstand some neglect, hence its name. It works well in dim spots and in places where other plants may have failed to thrive.
This plant has also been called the bar room plant, because it would still be happy in the smokiest and dingiest of bars. While you can place it anywhere, try and avoid direct sunlight so its leaves don’t get scorched.
There really isn’t too much to tell you when it comes to care advice, as this plant will still thrive in the hands of the most forgetful plant parent and the darkest of corners in your home. However, you can show it love by wiping its leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust and unblock its pores so it can photosynthesise and grow, and repot every four to five years.
How to keep me happy
light: I like bright, indirect light.
water: Water me when my top 5cm of soil feels dry to the touch.
air-purifying: I remove the nasties lurking in your room.
Safety
I’m safe around your furry friends and little people.
Size
Up to 90cm.
Golden pothos/devil’s ivy
Epipremnum Aureum
The golden pothos is a super-hardy houseplant that is perfect for new plant parents. It will grow long vines, so it looks great on shelves or as a hanging plant.
This plant is sometimes referred to as devil’s ivy as a reference to how it grows in the wild up the trunks of trees and often in shade. It’s virtually impossible to kill, which is great news for any serial plant killers. If you’ve forgotten to water it, don’t worry – those sad leaves will perk right up again with a drink.
Ensure this plant is kept moist with weekly watering and regular misting, although you should reduce the frequency of watering during the winter months. It’s a fast-growing plant, so feel free to give it a trim if the vines get too long.
How to keep me happy
light: I like bright, indirect light.
water: Water me when my top 5cm of soil feels dry to the touch.
air-purifying: I remove the nasties lurking in your room.
Safety
I’m safe around your furry friends and little people.
Size
Up to 2.5m.
Plant hacks
Being a plant parent can sometimes be tricky, which is why it pays to have some genius plant tips in your pocket to help your green family thrive.
The ice cube hack
Perfect for those who are prone to plant neglect or simply too busy living life to remember to water their plants on a regular basis. Position an ice cube on your plant’s soil surface – just make sure you keep it away from the leaves. The ice will slowly melt, allowing the soil and plant to hydrate over time. Clever! Use this hack on plants that require little water – aim for one ice cube a week for small tabletop plants, two to three for larger ones.
The chopstick hack
The humble chopstick can actually help you decipher when your plant needs watering. Insert a chopstick into the soil – if it comes out with bits of soil attached to it, it is feeling hydrated. If it comes out bare, it’s time to water. It’s similar to inserting a knife into a cake when you’re trying to figure out if it’s finished baking.
The sponge hack
Your kitchen sponge can do more than wash dishes. The next time you repot your plant, position a sponge in the bottom of the pot, beneath the soil. Here, it will absorb any excess water and works as a reservoir, hydrating your plant’s roots. A great hack if you’re always forgetting to water your plants.
Bottom-up watering
When your plants are in need of watering (see the yellow leaves finger test on page 142) they can benefit from bottom-up watering. Place your pot in a saucer or tray filled with a couple of centimetres of water. Your plant should absorb this through the bottom of the soil for up to 30 minutes or until the soil feels moist to the touch. This keeps the roots evenly watered.
Rainwater
Watering your plants with rainwater is a great way to improve their health. Rainwater is ‘softer’ than tap water and is less likely to upset your plant. It also contains more oxygen, helping your plants to breathe better.
Pebble tray
To increase humidity, line a saucer with small stones or pebbles. Add water, but make sure that the pebbles are still poking up above the surface – this means your plant won’t be sitting in water. Top up the water as it runs dry – simple.
First aid
Overwatering
The phrase ‘kill them with kindness’ can be taken quite literally when applied to overwatering houseplants. Don’t worry if you’ve been a little too overzealous – fix this by allowing excess water to drain away and give the soil time to dry out. Always do the finger test (see below) before watering. Also, move your plant to a shaded spot. When a plant is overwatered it struggles to transport water to its upper leaves. As a result, the top part of the plant can be in danger of drying out if left in direct sunlight.
Browning/crispy leaves
If you notice your plant’s leaves are looking a little lacklustre, this is usually a common sign of low humidity which causes foliage to curl and go crispy. Remedy this by ensuring your plant isn’t sat near a heat source like heaters or cold, draughty windowsills, and mist it regularly with lukewarm water.
Dropping leaves
Shock is the most common cause of leaf drop. Plants are sensitive souls, so if you suddenly change the conditions they’re used to (this can be anything from light to temperature) or if they’re adjusting to a new home, they can experience stress. Don’t panic, however, this is only temporary, and eventually, once your plant has adjusted to the new environment, it’ll return to good health. Try to avoid moving your plants around too regularly.
Plant not growing
It can be frustrating to witness your plant doing very little. If you want to encourage growth, look to troubleshoot this by reassessing your plant’s light and water needs. Getting too little or too much of one or both can be a cause of stunted growth. Consider the season – you can expect to see most growth in the summer months, and you can always add fertiliser to your plant during this period. Finally, another reason for little growth could be down to your plant becoming rootbound and needing to be repotted into a larger container.
Bugs
If you’ve noticed mini flies hovering around your plant, don’t worry as this is completely normal and almost expected if you have a large green family. To get rid of them, make a soapy solution using washing-up liquid and warm water. Put this in a mister and spray your plants with it twice a week and the bugs should be gone in as little as seven days.
Spindly growth
The dream is strong and healthy growth, but the reality is gangly and thin stems – sounds familiar? When plants start to look spindly in their appearance, this is due to them growing rapidly and weakly in search of a light source. You can correct this by researching how much light your plant requires,
then move its location accordingly. Try trimming stems at the start of spring to encourage regrowth and help your plant grow back thicker and fuller.
Yellow leaves finger test
Leaves looking a little more yellow than green? There’s a high chance incorrect watering is to blame. This could be either too much or too little. A good way to check if your plant needs water is to push your finger in the top 5cm of soil and, depending on how damp or dry the soil feels, this will be an indicator of whether your greenery needs hydrating. This is also known as the finger test.
Roots spilling out
SOS, we’ve had a root outbreak! If your plant’s roots are escaping the pot, it’s definitely time to repot into a bigger container.
Sad/droopy plant
If your plant is looking a little sad and it’s not clear as to why, have a look under the bonnet. Tap the nursery pot away from the bottom of the plant’s soil and check the roots – if they’re white and strong that means it’s healthy, if they’re black and soft it could be a sign of disease, overwatering or infestation.
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