by Plant Circle

7 things your ficus really hates

Ficus is a very common houseplant and for a good reason! It’s a very beautiful and diverse plant genus with lush foliage, that can grow into an impressive tree under the right care. Ficus, however, also tend to be a frustrating plant to grow, as it responds to stress rapidly by losing its leaves. So let’s take a look at where that stress can come from nd how to avoid it! The few ficus plants that are on the houseplant market all belong to the fig genus, which boasts hundreds of species native to the tropics. This tells you a lot about the environment they like: hot and humid.  To know how to best grow your ficus, you first need to know a few things about what this plant don’t like, and what can cause it stress.  1. Ficus hates low temperatures. And they also hate drafts, so be sure not to place your ficus next to a window that you open in autumn and winter.  2. Your ficus also doesn’t like to be moved. We suggest picking a spot… and sticking to it! Since any change in environment can cause leaf drop, it’s just safer to not relocate them at all. 3. It doesn’t like insufficient watering either. Which means you have to stick to a schedule, and that schedule will depend on the light your ficus receives. Under ideal conditions, weekly watering in summer and bi-weekly in winter should be sufficient.  4. Your ficus also hates dry air. Yeah, your ficus is actually a bit of a diva, so we recommend treating it like the biggest diva of them all… your Calathea! Group your ficus with other plants, or place near a humidifier, or alternatively a bowl with water for added humidity. 5. It doesn’t like dust on the leaves. None of your plants do, but those big ficus leaves sure know how to collect excess dust! Make sure to keep your ficus’ leaves dust free by regularly wiping them with wet cloth. 6. It doesn’t like to be repotted often. Since it doesn’t like to be moved around a lot, it should come as no surprise that your ficus also doesn’t like to be repotted too often! Let your ficus go a little pot bound before you repot your it, and don’t go for a pot that’s several sizes bigger. Instead, just go a single size up! 7. Your ficus, like all plants, doesn’t like pests. And since it’s prone to dropping leaves, this is exactly the kind of thing that is likely to make it lose its foliage! Keep an extra eye out for pests when you wipe dust off the leaves and catch any infestations early. Now that we’ve covered how not to treat your ficus, let’s take a quick look at some best practices that will actually make it happy! Ficus needs bright light and when it’s acclimated it can also tolerate direct sunlight. The best spot for this plant would be in an east or south-east facing window where it receives a few hours of morning sun. Grow it in a well draining, rich potting mix and avoid acidic soils. If you’d like your ficus to grow a strong, thick stem you will need to shake it a few times a week. Yes, you read it right, grab that stem and shake it a bit… shake it, don’t break it! Normally this would be done by the wind outdoors, but since it’s a houseplant, this is your job now!Ficus’ tend to grow leggy, so it’s important to prune them. The best time to prune your ficus is in winter when they are not actively growing. Remember to wear gloves as the ficus’ sap is toxic. Use a sharp knife or garden shears and cut right above the node. Leave your cutting on a paper towel and let the cut area dry out. Once it’s cured, you can put it in water and let it grow roots!If you ever notice red spots on your ficus’ leaves, you should know it’s probably caused by leaf oedema. Its a non-deadly issue which we’ve described in more detail in this blog post. One way to avoid it is to adjust watering accordingly.And last but not least, don’t forget to fertilise your ficus regularly in spring and summer, and even every now and then in winter!

by Plant Circle

Common pests: Spider mites

Spider mites are one of the most common pests and at a size that’s smaller than 1 mm, they sure make it difficult for us to spot and identify them! And while they may be tiny, the damage they do to your plants can be extensive. Let’s take a look at what warning signs to watch out for, and how to best get rid of them! There are many different kinds of spider mites in the greater family, however one of the most common ones, and the ones you’re most likely to find your houseplants, are the red spider mites, or Tetranychus urticae. But that doesn’t mean you won’t ever have misfortune of meeting the white or black spider mites, so beware of them too! Spider mites damage your plants by piercing the leaf surface and extracting cell contents. This leaves holes in the protective layer of the leaf, which then leads to moisture loss, and eventually drying out. It’s important to act fast as these pests can multiple at an impressive rate! A spider mite egg will hatch in as little as three days, and mites becomes sexually active at only five days old. One female can lay up to 20 eggs a day and with a lifespan of 2-4 weeks, she’ll be laying hundreds of eggs in her lifetime. This accelerated reproduction rate can allow spider mites to adapt quickly and become resistant to pesticides, so with prolonged use of the same pesticide, it may become ineffective. Keeping that in mind, your best weapon will be the speed and diversity of the treatment! There are a few signs that your plant will display that you should watch out for, so let’s go over those first! 1. Stunted growthHave you noticed that your plant is not growing new leaves in what feels like ages, or that they have this one leaf that just refuses to unfurl for weeks? That’s a good indication that your plant is currently struggling with something, and that something could very well be a pest infestation. 2. Tiny dots on the leavesSpider mites suck the juices out of a plant leaving behind bite marks in form of tiny dots, so that’s one of the first warning signs to look out for! 3. Tiny webs Finding small webs, and what looks like dust gathered in folds of leaves and stems, is another warning sign. If those webs are accompanied by red, black or white moving bugs, then you know for sure you have a spider mite problem!4. Yellowing of the leavesWhen the infestation is heavy, you’ll notice yellowing of the leaves, in both young and older leaves, plenty of tiny webs, and white-powdery stuff covering the leaves. If you see some, or all, of the above signs on your plants, you have a problem… but don’t panic! There are effective ways to combat spider mites, and ideally you’ll want to implement them all at the same time to have best chance of success! First things first. When you spot spider mite related damage to your plants, you’ll want to give them a thorough, high pressure shower, focusing on rinsing the leaves from different directions to try remove as many bugs as possible.Using a lint roller can also be a very effective way of removing the adult specimens from the leaves! When the plant has been washed (and/or rolled!) it’s time to apply insecticide. You can choose to fight spider mites the natural way with Neem oil (read more about how to use that in this blog post) or with a commercially available spray. The key here is to be consistent and apply it weekly for the next 4-6 weeks to target the mites in all their various stages of growth. The first time you only get the adults, and after a few days their eggs will hatch, and so on, so that’s why it’s crucial that you keep the treatment going. When you got the infestation somewhat under control, usually around 2-3 weeks into the treatments, it’s a good time to introduce predatory bugs. This will help you fight the remaining colony of spider mites with very little effort on your part!  Spider mites prefer hot and dry living conditions, so if you notice any mites on your plants, regular misting during the treatment could discourage them from staying on your plants, but keep in mind that this alone will not eliminate them. Last but not least, it’s important to apply fertiliser to plants that are struggling with pest infestations to help them regain their strength to fight, and continue to grow!

by Plant Circle

How to NOT kill a Cactus

Cacti are probably the easiest plants to grow yet so many people kill them so fast. Why? Let’s look at closer at what makes these plants tick so we can avoid some of the most common mistakes! Most of the cacti on the planet live in places that are subject to at least some draught and many live in extremely dry environments like deserts. They have adapted very well to those conditions by conserving water. A healthy cactus is made of whopping 95% water! If you think about it, it’s really just skin and water. Cacti love sun and will enjoy a few hours of sun a day in the summer. Just be careful to not burn your plant by leaving it in scorching sun on the balcony after a winter and spring indoors (we’ve done that). You need to ease them into that summer sun. Good way to do this is to let them sit on the balcony starting in the spring. Cacti can withstand cold during the night, as that is similar to desert conditions- warm in the day and cold at night. As we’ve mentioned before, cacti are found in some of the hottest and driest places on earth. How do they survive that? They have developed some amazing coping systems to survive. One of them is the development of stomate. Stomate are tiny, microscopic pores that are critical for photosynthesis. Thousands of them dot the surface of cacti and they’re responsible for photosynthesis. Traditional garden plants have their leaves covered with stomate, that open during the day for carbon dioxide intake, which is essential for their one stop photosynthesis process. Open stomate make plants lose moisture, so if you don’t water your plants adequately, they will wilt. Many agaves and cacti evolved to adapt to extreme heat and drought by keeping their stomates closed during the day, so there’s no moisture loss. Cactus pores open at night for gas exchange and when they’re open, cacti are capable of taking in moisture directly through these openings. Now, this is crucial information for better understanding how to water these plants. If their stomate are closed during the day, and moisture intake is limited as a result, it makes no sense to water them during that time, as the water won’t be absorbed! Because gas exchange is active at night, the roots are better able to take in water applied to the soil. Additionally, you can pour water over the head of your cactus to let it experience rain-like conditions. This will also clean the cactus’ skin by allowing water to penetrate the stomate! Fun fact: a prickly pear cactus paddle can survive to up to 2 years after being cut off the mother plant. This shows you how effective cacti are at preserving the moisture through closing their stomate.   Now, knowing all of the above, you must remember that rain in the desert is not a frequent occurrence, so don’t water your cactus too often. We recommend every 1-2 weeks in summer, if the plant gets southern exposure, and every 4-6 weeks in winter. Ideally you’d want to force your cactus into hibernation, which we discuss in this article.

by Plant Circle

How to water your plants

It’s no secret that the number one cause of death among houseplants is overwatering. This bad watering habit usually develops when well meaning plant parents give their plants just a little too much love and attention. Let’s explore how to water your plants… properly! Don’t feel bad, we’ve all been there. And most of us learned the hard way how to not water our plants! But whether you’re new to plant parenthood, or a seasoned plant parent, there’s no reason for you to make the same mistakes we did. And although all plants are different and have various watering needs, there are some good practices that you can apply all across the board. To help you out, we’ve compiled our top ten tips on how to water your plants here! 1. Sufficient lightYes, this post is about watering, but we can’t talk about watering without mentioning light! If your plants are not getting the sufficient, optimal light they need, they’ll also require less water than the internet, the sales assistant, or your friend says. Adjust your watering routine to the conditions you have! 2. Observe your plants They’ll tell you when they’re thirsty. All plants wilt when they’re dehydrated, and you’ll either notice rolled up leaves or some droopiness. Notice how many days it’s been since the last time you watered your plants, and now you know when your plant is overdue for a drink! Please note: some plants can take under watering quite badly, and will get burnt edges on the leaves, or even drop a few… looking at you, Ficus! If you want to avoid that, simply water them a day or two sooner the next time. Based on your previous observations you should now have a good idea of when the wilting is expected to occur! 3. The finger methodSimply stick your finger into the soil and check whether it’s wet or dry. If the top 3-4 cm of the potting mix are dry, you are safe to water your plants. 4. Bottom wateringSome plants, like Saintpaulia or Begonia, prefer bottom watering, as they don’t like getting water on their leaves. Do a little research about your new plant to find out if it has any special preferences! 5. Filtered water In a lot of places, like for example Berlin, tap water is really hard. Hard water has a negative impact on plants, therefore we recommend to always use either filtered, distilled, or rain water if possible. If those options aren’t available to you, then just let your water sit in the watering can for couple of days before using it. Read more about hard water here! 6. Showering your plantsOnce in a while it’s beneficial to give your plants a good shower! Not only will you clean dust off of the leaves, which is important for optimal light absorption, you’ll also take care of potential bugs and pests that could be hiding under the leaves. Furthermore, a thorough showering can wash out any mineral residue from the potting mix! We recommend this technique for the summer months. 7. Potting mixWhat potting mix your plants are in is crucial for keeping the roots healthy. The vast majority of plants will appreciate a well draining potting mix that will dry out between watering. Never use garden soil for your house plants, as it will turn into mud when watered and suffocate the roots. Read more about potting mixes here. 8. SeasonsAs the lighting situation changes with the seasons, it’s also important to change your watering routine. A good rule of thumb is to cut your watering in half in winter, meaning if you watered your plants weekly in summer, you can switch to watering every two weeks in winter. This, of course, doesn’t apply to for example cacti, if you’re hibernating them, or ferns that would rather stay kind of moist all the time. 9. Know the difference between moist and wetSome plants love for the potting mix to stay moist, but this doesn’t mean wet! Learn the difference, and never let your plants sit in water as it promotes root rot. 10. Drainage holesWe will forever recommend that you keep your plants in pots with drainage holes. No matter what! Drainage holes are actual lifesavers, as they make sure excess water doesn’t stay in the soil and damage the plant’s roots. When watering, make sure that you lift your pot up afterwards and let the excess water run through. Also, keeping your plants in plastic pots with drainage inside ceramics, promotes airflow around the roots. To make the conditions even better, you can put a few rocks under the plastic pot to lift it up a bit, and don’t forget to make sure that the ceramic planter is a few centimeters bigger than the plastic pot itself.

by Plant Circle

Philodendron Melanochrysum, Philodendron Gloriosum, or Philodendron Glorious?

Philodendron Melanochrysum, Gloriosum, or Glorious?! So many Philodendrons, so many opportunities to get them mixed up! In this post we’re taking a look at three of the most popular, and often mixed up, Philodendrons! Philodendron Melanochrysum, Gloriosum, and Glorious? are some of the most popular Philodendrons out there are the moment, and we want you to feel like an expert on these three, so let’s start with Philodendron Melanochrysum! This beloved plant is a climber, which sets it apart from its crawling sibling P. Gloriosum. It’s native to Colombia and Costa Rica, where it can be seen climbing up tree trunks, especially at higher elevations . Like many other Philodendron, the leaves on the Melanochrysum change shape and elongate as the plant climbs. In nature, or in particularly good care, the leaves can reach to one metre in length, making it a spectacular sight in any houseplant jungle!The species’ beauty is further enhanced by the velvet look and feel of its leaves, which start out in a bronze colour and slowly mature into a deep dark green. The petioles of P. Melanochrysum are round, unlike most P. Gloriosum varieties. Collectors also sometimes confuse this species with Philodendron Gigas, which has similar leaves at maturity, but petioles that are D-shaped,  i.e. flat on top.P. Melanochrysum was first discovered in the wet, Andean foothills of Colombia in the 19th century by European collector and horticulturist, Édouard André, who named it after himself. So P. Melanochrysum’s first scientific name was actually ‘philodendron andreanum’, before it was officially changed to the name it goes by now. It has been in cultivation in Europe at least since 1886, when the infamous Veitch nurseries first introduced it to horticulturalists!The word ‘Melanochrysum’ is derived from the Greek ‘melanós’ meaning ‘black’ and chrysós, meaning ‘gold’. As you may have guessed if you own one of these beauties, this name refers to the tiny golden sparkles sometimes seen when the velvety blackish-green leaves of the adult plant are viewed in the sunlight.  Philodendron Gloriosum is an Aroid native to the rainforest of Colombia and has spread throughout other Central and South American countries. It is a crawling, terrestrial plant, which means it grows on the forest floor and spreads there. When growing this plant at home, this means you will need a wide pot rather than a support pole, because it will grow sideways and crawl out of the pot eventually. This growth habit sets it apart from a many other Philodendrons, including the Melanochrysum and Glorious, who are climbers by nature.  The leaves of Philodendron Gloriosum are much rounder and a brighter green in colour than those of the Melanochrysum. It’s beautiful, heart-shaped leaves usually have prominent, white veins and can reach a size of up to 90 cm, so it gets just as giant!  There are many varieties for sale these days, such as ‘white veins’, ‘green veins’, ’round form’, ‘dark form’, ‘pink back’ or ‘white stripes’. This is because Philodendron can vary a lot by nature, so the particular characteristics of a P. Gloriosum might differ. For instance, a Gloriosum generally has D-shaped petioles, but the ‘dark form’ features round ones.  P. Gloriosum was first identified in the Colombian rainforest in 1876 during an expedition led by French Botanist and Scholar Charles Antoine Lemaire. Around this time, the first specimen was also collected and brought to Europe for documentation.  While P. Gloriosum is widespread in cultivation nowadays, it is unfortunately also listed as a threatened species on the IUCN’s international red list, because it’s so rare in nature. As of 2021, there are only 7 locations in the world where this plant is found natively in the wild. It can predominantly be found in Colombia, but some specimens also live in the rainforests of Southern Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and western Brazil. Philodendron Glorious is a hybrid of Philodendron Gloriosum and Philodendron Melanochrysum. This means that one of the parent plants (e.g. Melanochrysum) was cross-pollinated with the pollen of the other (e.g. Gloriosum) in order to produce Glorious seeds. This plant is not found in nature, but was intentionally bred by humans!The gorgeous hybrid was first crossed by Keith Henderson in the 1970s, but no-one knows which plant was the seed parent and which the pollen parent. However, it is speculated that the seed parent was a Gloriosum based on the dominant traits visible in his Glorious. It is likely that the majority of the P. Glorious plants in circulation do not stem from this original hybrid plant, and naturally for hybrids, they vary in characteristics. They can develop different features ranging between the origin plants, so whereas one Glorious might show stronger Melanochrysum characteristics, a different plant might be more reminiscent of a Gloriosum.   Generally, the Glorious is a climber, just like its parent P. Melanochrysum, but it often slides off the climbing support and scrambles over adjacent plants or other objects. It is also known to grow mature leaves even without climbing much or by just scrambling over substrate. There, the Gloriosum parentage clearly comes through.  Glorious leaves are longer, narrower and darker green in colour than a Gloriosum due to the influence of the Melanochysum. Consequently, Glorious leaves are also rounder, less elongated and a brighter green in colour than a Melanochrysum thanks to the traits of the Gloriosum.Particularly, young P. Glorious can look similar to P. Gloriosum, but would soon start to climb. Another tell-tale sign to find out which plant you have is that the Glorious has an oval petiole whereas that of the Gloriosum is D-shaped.So, do you feel like an expert on these three Philodendrons now? We hope so, but if you have further questions, leave us a comment below!  

by Plant Circle

Philodendron White Wizard, White Princess, or White Knight?

Maybe you just got into plants and you saw one of these white variegated Philodendrons assumed they’re all the same? And maybe you thought that they just go by different common names? Not the case! But hey, we can’t blame you! These three do look very similar at first glance and, additionally, growers and retailers don’t always do their due diligence when it comes to correctly naming plants, thus creating even more confusion. Since we have all three plants in stock, we thought it would be the perfect time to do a blog post about the differences between these three popular, variegated beauties! All three plants are hybrids with unknown parentage due to lack of documentation proving the lineage. We can only guess that some, like White Princess, might have P. Erubescens in their genes.But even though we don’t know the exact parentage, we can still take a closer look at the differences between these three plants! In our opinion, the easiest of them to identity is Philodendron White Knight. This is due to its burgundy stems with white variegation and round leaves. The color of the stems actually highly resemble Philodendron Pink Princess! The leaves are green, with patches of white variegation, of course.   Philodendron White Princess is much lighter in colour than White Knight. Additionally, the stems of this plant are green and carry white and pink variegation, and they have  visibly narrower leaves than the other two! Also worth mentioning is that this plant is not a climber like others, but self-heading. This is where it gets tricky, as the Philodendron White Wizard is very similar to Philodendron White Princess. The most noticeable difference is, that the stems don’t have pink variegation, just white. But another thing that can help you tell these two apart are the leaves, and the fact that the leaves of the White Wizard get rounder! Now that you know the differences between these three plants, we are sure you’ll be able to correctly identify each one, should you come across them. Now, we would love to know if you own one, and which one is your favourite! Post your favorite on instagram, and don’t forget to tag us in your post!

by Plant Circle

Plant Circle investigates: Stephania erecta

Exposed: Every single Stephania erecta on the European market is a poached plant! Stephania erecta has been trending in the houseplant community for the past one and a half years. These potato-like, tuberous plants with delicate round leaves have a special aesthetic that appeals to many plant enthusiasts, not only because they make for great pictures on social media, but also because their distinctive look sets them apart from a lot of other houseplants on the market. The hype around Stephania led wholesalers to source this peculiar plant for the European market and culminated in the sale of probably thousands of them in the last year. However, both experts and sellers now agree that it is most likely all of them were collected from the wild. “They are probably all poached,” says Rogier van Vugt, Head of Greenhouse at the Botanical Gardens in Leiden, Netherlands According to him, the wholesalers were “seemingly misled by the Thai sellers who told them all these plants were cultivated. However, one quick glance at the plants makes it clear they are not.” Plant poaching is the removal of plants from their natural habitat. In the case of Stephania, it is not illegal for the local sellers in Thailand to collect the caudex plants by detaching them from the limestones or digging them out of the forest floor, since they are not endangered. However, the plant community generally deems it unethical to buy or sell plants that have been ripped out of nature, as opposed to having been cultivated professionally at a nursery, mainly due to the detrimental long-term effects poaching can have on the population of certain species. A lot of the Stephania on the European market come from Dutch wholesaler Ansu. “Last year, we and our Thai partner Suphachadiwong saw that there was demand for rare plants on the market,” says Steef van Adrichem, Commercial Director at Ansu. “We found the caudex family interesting enough to give it a try.” With this move, the company decided not only to bring Stephania erecta to market, but also rarer caudex plants such as Stephania kaweesakii or Impatiens phengklaii, which were sold on to plant shops and consequently to house plant enthusiasts around Europe. “Stephania erecta is kind of a weed in some places,” van Adrichem says, “and it does not harm the environment when you take some out”.Still, van Adrichem acknowledges that the poaching of other caudex plants, which his company imported to Europe, might have had more detrimental effects. “We do not buy Impatiens phengklaii anymore,” he continues. “We also stopped importing Stephania kaweesakii after finding out how they take them from nature.”Ansu now strives to grow their own seedlings instead, in order to ethically cultivate these two rarer species. For this reason, Ansu is collaborating with Rogier van Vugt, who has been conducting research on the cultivation of Stephania and Impatiens.“I’m working on investigating how some of these caudex plants can be propagated by seed,” van Vugt says. “I urged Steef [van Adrichem of Ansu] to ask people in Thailand to do the same.” His experiments have yielded the first results in the form of Stephania erecta and kaweesakii seedlings. “Stephania seeds germinate very easily. It will be interesting to see how fast these will develop a desired caudex size. But I’m sure this will take years.”And therein lies the problem, as Stephania grow very slowly in their natural habitat, which is one of the challenges growers face when trying to cultivate them for profit. “Many Stephania like the popular S. erecta are lithophytes meaning they grow on rocks or, more specifically, limestone in this case,” says Stefan Burger, an Australian naturalist, habitat guide, and expert on cacti and succulents. “It takes them decades to mature and reach just a few inches in diameter. Under more favourable circumstances, like subtropical climates and nutritious substrates, they can grow quite fast and the caudex may reach a few inches in diameter in only a couple of years,” Burger explains. But the ever-changing houseplant market and drive for new plants often does not allow for such a large timeframe. New, trendy plants need to be saleable as quickly as possible – ideally in a good size and at an accessible price. “Even though they may grow fast under good circumstances, habitat poaching is the quicker and cheaper alternative for those living near to the native habitats,” says Burger. While there are no studies on the consequences of Stephania’s rise to popularity and mass poaching so far, it is clear that the harvest of thousands of bulbs in recent years has diminished their population quite a bit. According to Burger, there is no information on “these specific habitats, but we know that it is obviously having a negative effect“. While all Stephania were traditionally harvested from habitat, according to Burger, some growers have now begun cultivating them professionally. However, this remains a rare practice. In their home country of Thailand, Stephania suberosa in particular are commonly sold in Asian markets for home decoration and medicinal purposes. A few species of Stephania are toxic, while others are part of the Asian cuisine. The leaves of Stephania japonica, for instance, are commonly used to produce edible green grass jelly in Indonesia. “It all comes down to whether the Stephania are ethically grown or not,” Burger says. “Plants should only be bought from a CITES-approved nursery for 100% peace of mind.” The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulates the global trade in plants. It categorises endangered plants into three categories, depending on the level of threat they are under. It lists more than 30,000 taxa of plants compared to about 5,000 taxa of animals. Stephanias are not on the CITES list as of now.“Any plants sold via social media direct messages should be treated with suspicion,” Burger says. He strives to educate plant enthusiasts about illegal plant poaching and importing via his Instagram @cactusexplorer_.He also runs cactus exploration tours in South America, where cactus and succulent poaching is of particular concern. Rogier van Vugt suggests sellers should be more mindful when selling slow-growing caudex plants, such as Stephania. “The plant market should at least stop advertising these plants as a funny, disposable, cheap plant,“ he says.“This way people will have to think a bit more before they buy one. This will limit the demand in numbers, yet can still supply the people in Thailand with an income. Logically, this can only be done with common species.” Thanks to everyone who generously gave us their time and expertise, so we could put together this article, and to Plant Circle’s Sarah for doing the investigating.If you are one of the people who have been wondering why we haven’t restocked Stephania erecta in ages, now you know that as soon as the reality of where these plants come from came to our attention we stopped selling them in our shop immediately. It is our hope that other plant sellers who haven’t already will consider following suit.If an ethically grown Stephania erecta enters the market we look forward to offering it in our shop again. But until then, let’s be mindful of where our house plants come from and remember that no plant collection or home aesthetic is worth damaging a plant’s natural habitat.

by Plant Circle

Plant Circle’s Top 5 houseplants for low light

These green friends will grow even in the darker corners of your home! The spaces in a home with ample light for plants are always too few and far between for an avid indoor gardener. And to make matters worse, it’s a problem that only grows along with your collection, with every new, needy houseplant fighting over that coveted space in front of the window. But luckily, there are some plants that don’t aspire to take up space in those prime locations of your home and that will, in fact, appreciate being placed in lower light spots! These low light tolerating plants are the troopers every houseplant lover needs in their indoor jungle, because they green up the darker corners of your home with ease, and demand very little care and attention in return.Here are our top 5 low light houseplants for your home! 1. Scindapsus Scindapsus are the unsung heroes in the world of low light tolerant houseplants! They have only recently come into focus, and are now available in wide varieties on the plant market. The most popular Scindapsus feature lush, matte green foliage with beautiful, silvery markings. But these pretty, trailing plants from South-East Asia are not only trendy, but also highly versatile when it comes to light and positioning. Scindapsus are a sure bet if you are looking for a plant to brighten up a darker spot. Explores our range of Scindapsus here!  2. Sansevieria There’s a reason why you often find Sansevieria inside shops, malls or offices; these indoor plants are incredibly undemanding and can cope with just about any low light situation you throw at them! Also commonly known as snake plants or mother in law’s tongue, these plants, that were recently (and controversially) reclassified as part of the Dracaenaceae family, hail from Africa and southern Asia, and grow in the brightest light nature has to offer, but amazingly they can easily be kept in the polar opposite situation in your home. As long as you make sure not to overwater them, since they will need less water in the dark, Sansevieria will keep your darker corners green all year long! They also come in a wide variety of shapes and colors, so you’re sure to find one that is aesthetically pleasing to you. Check out our wide range of Sansevieria, Dracaena, snake plants, or whatever you wanna call them, here! 3. Zamioculcas zamiifolia Zamioculcas zamiifolia, or ZZ plants as they’re commonly known as, are probably the kings of low light houseplants! A very undemanding staple plant that will tolerate even the darkest corner of your home, it’s also commonly referred to as ‘lucky feather’ for its highly decorative, feather like leaves. It’s a slow grower, so it will not outgrow its location quickly, however, if you have some space to fill, we can recommend our Zamioculcas Zamiifolia XL! Zamioculcas zamiifolia has been around for centuries, originating in drought-prone parts of eastern Africa, but in the 90s, Dutch nurseries saw the plants potential and started distributing it around the world. Since then, ZZ plants have entered hearts, homes, and of course offices worldwide. 4. Epipremnum Aureum / Pothos Epipremnum Aureum, also commonly known as Pothos, can be found in the homes of even the most black-thumbed people you have ever met, and for good reason! These houseplants, which can be grown both climbing or trailing depending on your aesthetics, are incredibly versatile and will survive even in the most unfriendly growing conditions… and that of course includes low light! That, and the fact that they’re easily propagated, has made them some of the most popular houseplants out there, and with their lush foliage and prolific growth, they’ll easily turn the darker corners of your home into a lush jungle. Is the ‘Golden Pothos’ too common for you? Don’t worry, these easy care plants are on the market in a variety of colors these days! We recommend checking out our green-on-green speckled Epipremnum Aureum ‘Global Green’, the white variegated string of pearls, or the striking ‘Neon Pothos’ for lovers of bold colours! 5. Aglaonema We think it’s fair to say that, if the late Queen Elizabeth had been a houseplant, she would’ve been an Aglaonema. Why? These houseplants are incredibly reliable and dutiful, will make it through the most dire situations and show subtle, yet strong character! Also known as Chinese Evergreens, the whiter Aglaonema varieties are a surefire bet for the darker corners of your home. They also stay relatively compact and are slow growers, making them a great choice if you have limited space. Even in low light, these houseplants will reward you with a lush and bushy appearance. Have a look at our range of Aglaonemas here!

by Plant Circle

Plant Circle’s top 5 plants for your workspace

  In our humble opinion, any plant is better than no plants in your workspace! But even we must admit that there are some that are just more suitable for workspaces than others. In this post we explore which plant varieties would make the perfect additions to your (home) office, and why! ‘Why do I even need plants in the office?’, you may ask. Well, according to scientists, not only do they purify the air you breathe and improve the indoor air quality, but they also help you focus and increase your productivity.Additionally, looking at the color green makes you feel calmer and uplifts your mood!All pretty good reasons to have plants around while you’re working, if you ask us, and if you’re feeling convinced too, let’s take a look at the conditions that a plant needs to meet to be considered a great choice for the workspace. We think that the ideal candidate should be:• super easy to take care of• known for its air purifying qualities• visually pleasing, as a bonus! And it should however NOT:• require too frequent watering• require higher than average humidity Lucky for all of us, there are plenty of plants that meet all of those requirements, and we’ve gone ahead and made it super easy for you by compiling our choice for the top five plants for your workspace, that tick all the before mentioned boxes! 1. Zamioculcas Zamifoliia ‘Raven’A very interesting cousin of the more well known green variety, popularly known as the ZZ plant, will lure you in with its stunning, almost black foliage. Besides looking super interesting, this plant is known for being easy care… and we’re talking super easy!The only way to kill a ZZ plant is by watering it frequently, so just don’t do that and you should be fine! We suggest to water it only every 4-6 weeks and apart from maybe a windowless bathroom, you can pretty much place this plant anywhere you want, as it doesn’t have high expectations when it comes to light either.Just an easy care champion all around, but one that’s still sure to attract plenty of compliments from friends and coworkers! 2. Monstera DeliciosaUnbeatable when it comes to creating that #urbanjungle vibe we all love, the iconic foliage and avid growth of the Monstera are just some of the reasons why people continue to be obsessed with this classic.A Monstera Deliciosa will liven up any corner of your office, just don’t let it sit in complete darkness, or the sharp afternoon sun, as that can scorch the leaves.Just like the ZZ, it’s easy to take care for, but this one will appreciate weekly or bi-weekly watering depending on where it’s placed.In some countries Monsteras grow like weeds, which seems strange considering its status as a houseplant, but you literally can’t get rid of them if you plant them in your garden in warmer climates, so that should tell you something about how easy this plant actually is!Read more about Monstera care in this blog post. 3. Scindapsus PictusAlso known as silver pothos, Scindapsus Pictus is a perfect addition to your workspace and creates and instant lush and jungley vibe. This plant will do great on a shelf or in a plant hanger as it loves to trail. Not only is it super easy to care for, but it’s also known for its ability to remove toxins from indoor climates.We love the silver varieties, as they’re so unpretentiously beautiful and also grow like crazy! These plants are not fussy when it comes to light and will do well in medium to bright indirect light. Direct sun is the natural enemy of your Scindapsus, and will burn its leaves. Also don’t overdo it with the water, depending on the position simply water it every 1-2 weeks.Read more about Scindapsus care in this blog post.  4. Hoya Carnosa Krimson QueenHave a sunny office and don’t know what to grow there? Hoyas are your new best friends! We particularly love the Hoya Compacta Baby variety, as it gives you so much variation in color on the leaves! The colors can range from white to cream to hot pink, and an added bonus? Hoyas are succulents, and don’t like to drink often outside growing season AND they produce flowers that smell insanely good!Place your Hoya on a shelf, or in a hanging basket, and water it weekly in summer, and every 2-3 weeks in winter, provided its growing in a sunny window.Please keep in mind that Hoyas shouldn’t be repotted during flowering season, and that they like to grow pot bound in general. So basically just leave it alone. Easy!Read more about Hoya care in this blog post. 5. Sansevieria MetallicaOk, we know that snake plants may not be known for their stunning good looks, but the gorgeous Metallica variety definitely proves this assumption wrong!Not only is it proven by NASA that all Sansevierias can help if you suffer from migraines, but also they’re also famous for being super easy to care for. Just like Hoya, Sansevierias are succulents, which means they are not particularly big on drinking. We’re talking not even weekly in summer, once a month will do the trick. Besides that, they like to grow pot bound so you won’t need to repot it that often either.The perfect plant if you’re forgetful, or don’t stop by the office as often as you used to!

by Plant Circle

Plant profile: Philodendron Gloriosum

Philodendron Gloriosum is quickly becoming one of the most sought after Philodendrons out there and for a good reason! The velvety heart shaped leaves, easy care temperament, and the ability to reach an impressive size make for a very exciting houseplant. How to grow the rare Philodendron Gloriosum? We’ll tell you all about it! Gloriosum is endemic to Colombia and belongs to the family Araceae, commonly known as Aroids, and the genus Philodendron. It’s a crawling, terrestrial plant that you’ll find growing across the forest floor, as opposed to attaching themselves to trees like other popular varieties from this genus. Gloriosum has a very attractive, cordate (heart shaped) leaf with a gelatinous surface, pink margins and white or even pinkish veins. The leaves on a Philodendron Gloriosum can reach an impressive size of 30-40 cm in diameter and a maximum height of about 1 meter! The Gloriosum is a rather slow grower compared to, let’s say, Florida Green, and a leaf spike on a Gloriosum can take up to 1-2 months to fully open.  Growing habits. As we mentioned earlier on, the Gloriosum is a terrestrial Philodendron, meaning that it doesn’t climb trees like most of its cousins. This means that this type of Philodendron needs to be planted in a long planter, that will give it enough room to crawl sideways! Light. Since we already know that Philodendron Gloriosum grow on the floor of the jungle, this gives us an indication of the the kind of light they receive in nature. Indirect, of course! A perfect spot for your Gloriosum would be either one meter away from a south facing window, where direct sunlight can’t reach it, or on a west facing window with a few hours of morning sun. Other possibilities would be south east, north east, north west. A north facing window might not offer sufficient lighting, especially in winter, so if those are your conditions and you still dream of owning one of these beauties, we suggest adding a grow light! Soil. Make sure you plant your Gloriosum in an airy aroid potting mix, like our aroid mix or make a similar one yourself. It should consist of bark, perlite, and peat moss.  Fertilizer. You can feed your Gloriosum with a high quality, liquid foliage houseplant fertiliser during spring and summer months, according to the bottle instructions. We can highly recommend using Blattwerk for that purpose. Watering. Before you water your Philodendron Gloriosum, always check if the top 3 centimeters of the soil are dry. These plants do not like to be watered a lot, or too often. When they get too much moisture you will sometimes notice a wet pattern appear on the undersides of their leaves. Should this happen to your plant, it’s time to reduce watering! Humidity. When it comes to the humidity, Philodendron Gloriosum thrive in 60-80% humidity, but they’re are not particularly fussy, and tend to do pretty well in the regular European indoor conditions. Propagation. If you’d like to propagate your Philodendron Gloriosum, simply cut in between two nodes. For best results, root your cutting in a warm spot in moss under a grow light, and we suggest waiting until the cut stem cures before putting it into moist moss or perlite. Pests. The Gloriosum is prone to spider mites and thrips infestations. If you ever find any of the aforementioned pests on their leaves, make sure to wipe them off every few days, and treat with a Neem oil mixture, or store bought pesticide. Pest infestations are natural occurrences when growing houseplants, and no reason to panic. When treated fast enough, the pests can be fully eradicated, and the key to success is repetition! Always repeat your treatments on a weekly basis for at least a couple of weeks. Click here to read more about how to use Neem oil to treat your plants! Other facts worth noting: Philodendron Gloriosum has a conservation status of  Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1), which you can read more about here. Also important? This plant is toxic to humans and animals if ingested!

by Plant Circle

Why is my cactus not flowering?

You’ve probably seen loads of pictures on Pinterest and Instagram of beautiful cacti with stunning flowers on them, and you wouldn’t be the first person to wonder “how come I’ve never seen these on my own cactus?!” Let’s look at the main reasons your cactus isn’t blooming, and what to do about that! Now that the summer is almost over and we are approaching autumn and winter, aka hibernation season, it’s the perfect time to start planning ahead by looking into what will make your cactus bloom during the next growing season. First of all, it may surprise you to know, that a cactus has to be mature to produce a flower, and for some cacti species it may take up to as much as 50 years before they reach maturity and finally start to bloom! So in order to be sure your cactus will even be able to flower for you and not your grandchildren, a good tip is to buy a cactus that’s already in bloom. This way you at least know that the cactus is mature enough! But that being said, we also encourage you not to give up if you try all of our following suggestions, and your cactus still refuses to bloom for you. It may just have a bit more growing up to do! In order for a cactus to produce a flower it needs to first have a good rest period, also known as hibernation or dormancy. Please note that a dormancy period is not necessary for all cacti, though, in fact, Rhipsalis, Epiphyllum, and Schlumbergera genus don’t require one at all. But for those that do, how do you initiate hibernation in an indoor environment? 1. Reduce wateringIf you were watering your cactus every two weeks in summer, do every 3-4 weeks in autumn, and every 6-8 weeks in winter. 2. Keep your cactus coolThe ideal temperature for hibernation is 8-12 °c, or 12-15 °c for tropical cacti. A window sill far from a heater, and next to a window that you open often would be the ideal spot. You want to keep your cactus cool throughout winter, until  March.  3. Shade it from the sun Make sure that your cactus is shaded from the sun wherever you placed him for the winter sleep, so if you picked a window, make sure that it’s not south facing, or hide your cactus behind a curtain, so it doesn’t receive direct sun. 4. Slowly reintroduce it to sun Some time in March you can start re-introducing your cactus to the sun by putting it back in its usual spot, while using a shade cloth to protect it from direct sun. Don’t forget that part, if you don’t shade your cactus from direct sun, it will most likely get burnt! Important: you still need to water your cactus during hibernation, but as mentioned earlier, very sparingly, and with lukewarm water. Cacti won’t absorb cold water, and additionally, cold water can lead to root rot. And don't forget the right soil! Don’t repot your cactus during hibernation and also don’t feed it! The best time to repot a cacti is at the end of its dormancy. During the growth season, make sure to provide your cacti with the correct care to give it the best shot at producing flowers.

by Plant Circle

Winter survival guide for your plants

As seasons change, so does our houseplant care routine, and as the days get shorter, at least here in Berlin, sun becomes scarce. So with that in mind, we wanna introduce you to some essential tips for keeping your houseplants happy during the darker months! Clean your windows. Yes, you read that right, our winter survival guide includes cleaning your windows! Dust and dirt accumulate on our windows all the time, but sometimes we forget to consider that it’s blocking the already scarce sunlight from passing trough. Even though it’s not always visible to the naked eye, as much as 50% of that much needed natural sunlight can be blocked by dirty windows!So do your plants, and yourself, a favour and clean your windows, preferably twice a year, to the the sunshine in! Move your plants. However annoying it may be to rearrange the plants in your home, you’ll want to gather your plants closer to the windows during winter. In the summer it can be dangerous to keep your plants on windowsills, as they can easily get sunburnt in the the direct summer sun, but in winter the sun won’t be as strong, and pretty much any plant will be happy to sit on the windowsill. Yes, even if your windows are south facing! And if your windows are north facing, well then, keeping your plants on the windowsill throughout the entire year is an absolute must! Dust off your plants. Just like dirty windows, dust on the plants themselves will also prevent light from getting to where it’s most needed. And in addition to that, certain plants also really hate dust in general! Dust on your ficus, for example, can actually stunt their growth, so you’ll wanna dust off those babies all year round! Our preferred way of removing dust from plants is to shower them. However, to avoid overwatering your plants, we recommend that you shower them only on a regular watering day and not in between! If showering is not an option, a simple wipe down with a cloth will also do the trick, and as an added bonus, both of these methods will help keep your plants free of pests as well! Invest in plant lights. Of course our winter survival guide includes grow lights, and we all know those can cost a fortune. But you don’t have to break the bank when buying plant lights, in fact, literally any daylight bulb will be good for your plants, and by this we mean a light bulb with 4600-6500 kelvin. For reference, the suns color temperature is 5600K, so you may think: “is a ‘regular LED’ light bulb really enough?” This may be a controversial opinion, but our answer is yes! We have tested a huge range of both grow lights and ‘regular’ LED light bulbs with a cooler daylight temperature, and we can confirm that our plants grew very well while using them. So whatever your choice is, grow light or normal LED, your plants will thank you for the investment! Reduce watering. Assuming you don’t provide your plants with extra light, and only rely on the power of the sun during winter, you’ll have to adjust your watering schedule. Succulents may only need watering once a month, and other plants anywhere from every 10 to 14 days. You’ll need to keep a close eye your plants and figure this out for yourself, but luckily a lot of plants will let you know when they need water by getting droopy. And for the less communicative ones, sticking a finger in the soil to check if it’s truly dry will do the trick!