A houseplant blog by Mary Jane Howie
Too many plants? Never heard of her.
This is where I write about the houseplants I keep at home, one plant at a time.
Psst. Tap a plant for its care guide.
Fresh from the potting bench
New on the blog
Buying guides
Are soil moisture meters worth it for houseplants?
How cheap soil moisture meters work, when they give wrong readings, and when one is worth buying. Plus three free ways to check soil moisture that work as well.
Buying guides
How to choose a grow light for houseplants
What to look for in a grow light for houseplants: bulb type, color, brightness, distance, and hours. Plus which style fits a shelf, a floor plant, or one pot on a desk.
Buying guides
How to choose a plant shelf that holds the weight
A civil engineer's guide to plant shelves: how to weigh your pots, read a load rating, pick a material that survives water, and place the shelf where plants get light.
The plant stats
Care guides for the plants on my shelf
African milk tree
African violet
Air plant
Alocasia
Aloe vera
Amaryllis
Anthurium
Areca palm
Arrowhead plant
Asparagus fern
Begonia
Bird of paradise
Bird's nest fern
Blue star fern
Boston fern
Bromeliad
Bunny ear cactus
Burro's tail
Caladium
Calathea
Carrion flower
Cast iron plant
Chinese evergreen
Chinese money plant
Christmas cactus
Coffee plant
Croton
Crown of thorns
Desert rose
Dieffenbachia
Dischidia
Dracaena
Echeveria
Elephant bush
English ivy
Ficus Audrey
Fiddle leaf fig
Fishbone cactus
Flame violet
Florist's cyclamen
Gardenia
Ginseng ficus
Goldfish plant
Hoya
Jade plant
Jewel orchid
Kalanchoe
Kentia palm
Lady palm
Lipstick plant
Living stones
Lucky bamboo
Madagascar jasmine
Maidenhair fern
Majesty palm
Mistletoe cactus
Money tree
Monstera
Moon cactus
Moth orchid
Nerve plant
Never never plant
Norfolk Island pine
Olive tree
Parlor palm
Peace lily
Peperomia
Persian shield
Philodendron
Pink jasmine
Poinsettia
Polka dot plant
Ponytail palm
Pothos
Prayer plant
Purple passion
Purple shamrock
Pygmy date palm
Rabbit's foot fern
Rubber plant
Sago palm
Sensitive plant
Snake plant
Spider plant
Spikemoss
Spineless yucca
Staghorn fern
String of hearts
String of pearls
Stromanthe 'Triostar'
Swedish ivy
Ti plant
Tradescantia
Triangle ficus
Tropical hibiscus
Tropical pitcher plant
Umbrella plant
Venus flytrap
Weeping fig
Zebra haworthia
Zebra plant
ZZ plant
From my house
A few of the plants I live with
Questions are welcome
If there is a houseplant you want me to write about first, tell me. I would love to know what is on your windowsill.