Is anyone here an expert with house plants?
 

I need help! I received a bunch of live plants when my Mom passed away in April, and I am feeling pressure to keep them alive (sounds weird, I know, but it's true). I am in no way, shape or form acquainted with house plants, as I have never been a "plant person". There weren't even name tags on any of them, so I have no idea what they are!

I tried googling websites to identify the plants and see what I need to do with them, but it was pretty complicated and I got nowhere.

I have taken photos of all the plants, and I will post them here if anyone offers to help me out with identifying them. A couple of them, I think, are already half-dead, but I would try to nurse them back to life if it could be done!

I am no expert, but, I might be able to help you out if you post a pic or two. There is a site called dave's garden that you might be able to get some help there too. I used to use it all the time when I was landscaping around my home. (They do have a houseplant section there.)

i manage to kill all my houseplants. but i think that keeping the humidity up a little helps. i've always had a very dry home

Here are the pictures!
 

If anybody knows what any of these plants are called, I'd love to know, so I can find out how to take care of them.

The last picture is the one I think is already pretty dead. The leaves are really thin, almost papery, and there are only a few leaves left on the branches. Most of the ones you see in this picture have fallen off already.

I think I've had of them at some point. My Mother called the pink one a "pocket book plant" - don't why. The other green ones I;ve got in those dish gardens you get from the florists. I remember to water them every now and then.. . . right now, I have them sitting on the back porch in the shade. They haven't complained yet . . .

the one on the top row,all the way to the right is a dieffenbachia.

I don't know the names of the plants but have had several of them. I just water my plants when the top soil is dry and try to give them some light every day. My plants seem to like the morning sun the best. Why don't you go to a flower shop with your pictures then you will be sure to do what is right for them.

Pat in MN

I'm not an expert, but I recognize most of your plants. I went to this website:
http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/...pedia-a-z.html
You'll find them there. I see an arrowhead, polka dot plant, dumbcane, schefflera, and I'm not sure about the last two (but the next to the last looks like a corn plant).
I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother. I lost mine a couple of years ago and so understand how you feel about those plants. Good luck!

1. Arrowhead Philadendron (I think) 2. Caladium 3. Diffenbachia 4. Scheffalera (Umbrella Plant) 5. Unknown 6. Unknown. Water all when dry - give miracle grow as directed on box. Indirect sun. Hope this helps. So sorry for your loss. Good luck on the plants.

I am so sorry for your loss. My mom passed away about 8 years ago, and I know how much you want to hold on to her through her things. If you don't want to keep the plants, though, you might find good homes for some of them. These don't seem to be terribly difficult plant to keep, so as mentioned, don't overwater, just give them a bright place to live where they seem natural in your home.
Lynn

You are all awesome! Now I can look up the details about these plants. I will try my best to keep them happy and thriving.

It amazes me the information this Board can provide to all of us!

-Donna-

in my experience....... plants from a florist go thru a a slump when u first put them in a home enviroment... I mean after all.. they are used to PERFECT TEMP , PREFECT LIGHTING, etc... they may appear to die off and then may get another healthy spurt once it adjusts to it's new living arrangments. Also, More florist plants are planted in VERY porous soil.... therefore the water drains out too quickly for the plant to really have a chance to absorb much... they tend to do well if u will repot them ( many are also root bound- so u may need slightly bigger pots) using good potting soil.

Just about everything you have is a low-light requirement plant. I would not recommend putting any of them in high light areas. The umbella plant is pretty finicky. Find a low-medium light area and DON'T MOVE IT. They are very picky about being moved. Otherwise, follow the other instructions you have been given.

AND if you are not interested in holding on to them...don't feel guilty about it. You have the photos for your "memories". Donate them to someone who loves indoor plants. Your plants are pretty common ones ....I have rec'd many of them from past funeral arrangements so don't fret. Some people are gardeners and some of us...not so much! I am down to one plant and I am happy with that!

So sorry for your loss. Always hard to lose someone we love so much.
sandy

Just wanted to chime in about where I have the plants. They are on a sideboard table in front of my living room windows. That area gets afternoon sun, but I have mini-blinds on those windows which are left closed all day. I open them when I get home after work. So, the plants are getting some diffused light during the day, and a little bit of sun in the afternoon. It seems like I'm okay with that scenario.

Also, I have already repotted all of the plants using just a standard indoor potting soil. The only thing I haven't done is added any type of fertilizer. In the past, it seems like any plant to which I've added those fertilizing spikes has had a short life (!), so I'm a little hesitant on that!

Dont know names of plants .but I do know how to over water or under water. joyce j

The last one looks to be an (English) ivy. It's amazing what they can bounce back from. Here's just one site I found using "ivy houseplant care" to search. If it gets covered with what looks like dense spider web and teensy little dots (insects), feel free to toss it, as they are spider mites, and are the devil to get rid of.

The next to last is a type of fern but I can't remember which one and the last looks like an ivy to me.

Get some plant food spikes, you can get these at Wally World, Ace Hardware, Home Depot or Lowe's. A fool proof way to keep them fed. You can also get a moisture monitor for the soil.

Here is some of my plants.......

I also have a plant light commonly used in a greenhouse.

The main thing with houseplants is getting the right light and not over or underwatering. Try to find a spot in your house with similar light to where your mom had them. Water the soil when the soil is dry to the touch and don't allow them to sit in any water that collects in the saucers. And don't over fertilize. Read the instructions on any you might use and follow closely.

Wow, Chasing Hawk, that's a whole BUNCH of plants you have there! A very nice display, for sure.

Thanks!! Donna

They are all easy to grow. Right now, if you have the space, set them outside where they get a little sun, but not a lot.

The dieffenbachia, or dumb cane, 3rd plant 1st row, is easy peasy. Just give it water, light, and a bit of fertilizer once in awhile and it will grow. The lower leaves will eventually die, and it does that up the stalk. Then whack the stalk off, put the top in water, and it will root in a couple of weeks. The remainder of the stalk in the pot will put out another plant.

The scheffelera, 1st plant 2nd row is about the same. It is also called the umbrella plant. Treat that one as the one above.

1st pic 1st row: don't know what the proper name is, I have always called it the arrowhead plant. It is a vine, and does well in a hanging planter. The treatment is the same as the others two above.


The pink one gets leggy. I don't know the name. Snip off the shoots if they get too long. I believe they will also root in water.


I know nothing about the 3rd plant 2nd row except it's name--birds nest fern.

and the last one is an English ivy which I always kill, or it gets red spider mites and I throw it out.

Hope this helps.

Bless you for trying to keep your Mom's plants going. My mother died 17 months ago and I am doing the same. It feels good to take care of them and remember they were hers. They have done well and she would be proud to see them bloom. My cousin has a Christmas cactus that belonged to our grandmother who died in early 1980. It is huge now and thriving. Life goes on.
I am sorry for your loss, it is like no other.

I think the last one is an ivy... I find them very hard to grow too. I wish florists would give more info about these plants. That would be such a nice gesture, especially funeral plants. I feel too that plants I got from my mom and dads funeral need to stay alive... it seems symbolic to me too. good luck. quilter 1234

I agree with Aronel as to the names of the plants. Keep the philodendron alive and happy as it is one of the best plants at cleaning up bad gases in your house. Give it a trellis to climb on and keep it fed and watered. Good luck.

All of these are great house plants! Lets talk about lighting. Place these plants where they recieve filtered light. THat is not direct sunlight. You should be able to put your hand above the plant and just see a faint shadow. Then they also should have weak miracle grow once a month at least. Water lightly once a week. That is mostly it. Trim off any dead leaves when they occur and dust them off a couple times a year.

Oh, when you transplant only go up one pot size and use a good potting soil from miracle grow that has the time release fertilizer and moisture control built into it.

Sounds like you are taking excellent care of your plants already!
The thing I have found to work really well instead of the spikes is a granular time release fertilizer that you use only every few months. I think the name is Osmocote (may not have spelled that correctly). You should be able to find it at any garden center.

I judge when a plant needs water, is if I put my finger in the dirt and it is dry to the first knuckle i water it. Remember, you can kill a house plant with too much water, and I think that is what most people do. Put them in indirect light and I am sure they will revive. Usually unless lyou keep a very warm house, they only need watering once or twice a week.

what she said but the last one lookes like some kind off ivy

For fertilizer, I like Osmocote or similar bead types. It's easy to see what you've added, and they last 6 to 9 months or so. You are pretty safe if you add this fertilizer only in the spring. Aside from measuring fertilizer according to package instructions, I also go by the visual look. The jar usually has a picture showing how far apart the granules should be. If in doubt, add a little less fertilizer. If later on you have any suspicion that you have added too much fertilizer, you can remove some of the beads.

Repotting helps too. Fertilizing is definitely necessary if they stay in the same pot.