Yellow ZZ
Dear Ivy,
The leaves of my Zanzibar Gem are yellow, I think it has been over watered. What should I do?
-Karen
Dear Karen,
Although the ZZ can tolerate drought, they also will relish lots of water. The yellowing of the leaves could be due to poor water quality. Some municipalities put flouride and chlorine into their water systems, [...]
Plants in any place
Recently I was talking to a friend. She lamented that she wanted houseplants, but didn’t have anywhere to put them. She thought she would have to wait until she moved to a new home.
Never say never! I excitedly told her she could create a good environment for a plant anywhere in her home where she [...]
Getting Out of the House
Dear Ivy,
Can I put my indoor plants outside for the Summer?
-Hesitant Harriet
Dear Harriet,
Don’t hesitate! Your indoor plants will love the fresh air, sunshine and rain water that mother nature can provide for them! I put as many plants outside as I can in the warm months.
The two potted plants are Dracaena and the hanging plant [...]
Spring blooms!!
My birthday gardenia is blooming!
I was worried about it for a while, because several leaves turned yellow and fell off. Then, about a week ago, I noticed these:
The buds are pretty large in comparison to how big the plant is. They are about two inches long, and as big around as a sharpie [...]
Double Dracaenas
Dear Ivy,
I have a Dracaena Warneckii and it has two stems…can they be separated or do they need to grow together?
-Lisa
Dear Lisa,
You can separate the two stems, and you can even take cuttings of offshoots and propagate them. Dracaenas are a hardy plant that will adapt to many different home environments, and levels of care [...]
A New Mystery!
Well, I’ve found my mystery for this Spring. Two years ago, it was Argiope Aurantia’s egg sack in my Croton as I was about to bring it inside for the coming Winter. Now this!
I found this in the leaves of my Dracaena Warnekii. It’s a palm-like tropical plant that likes lots of light and humidity, [...]
Deja Vu…
Dear Readers,
I’ve been getting loads of mail the last few months about the toxicity of the Zamioculcas Zamiifolia, also known as the Zanzibar Gem, or the ZZ plant. I got one question recently that asked if ZZ releases toxic gases. I also got one that asked how to properly dispose of a ZZ plant, so [...]
One of My Favorite Places, Part 2
The weather here has been rainy and drab for ohh, about two months now. This has really pushed back the timing of planting my garden. Normally around this time of year, my tropical indoor plants would have been out enjoying the sun for a few weeks, but the rain has kept temperatures low, so they [...]
Phalaenopsis Orchid Bloom!
My orchid recently came into bloom! I’m super excited about this because it’s my first really successful orchid. (I admittedly have a little eensy weensy problem with over watering them…) The best thing i can say about orchids is “Set it and Forget it”. Basically, you have to go through your home and find a [...]
Drooping Hens
Dear Ivy,
What does it mean when the leaves on my hen droop?
-Ms. Dangle
Dear Dangle,
I believe you might be referring to Hens and Chicks, more formally known as Sempervivum Tectorum. I’m pretty sure sempervivum means always alive, which is apt for this plant. It’s one of the very rare plants where you can set it and [...]