HOW NOT TO
KILL YOUR
HOUSEPLANT
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HOW NOT TO
KILL YOUR
HOUSEPLANT
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Editor Toby Mann
First published in
Great Britain in 2017 by
Senior Art Editor Alison Gardner
Dorling Kindersley Limited,
Designers Rehan Abdul, Karen Constanti 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL
Editorial assistance
Copyright © 2017
Alice Horne, Tia Sarkar
Dorling Kindersley Limited
Jacket Designer Steven Marsden
A Penguin Random House Company
Jacket Co-ordinator Laura Bithell
2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1
001–305974–Mar/17
Pre-production Producer Robert Dunn
All rights reserved.
Print Producer Ché Creasey
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, Creative Technical Support
or transmitted, in any form, or by any means
Sonia Charbonnier
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise) without the prior
Managing Editor Dawn Henderson
written permission of the copyright owners.
Managing Art Editor
A CIP catalogue record for this book
Marianne Markham
is available from the British Library.
Art Director Maxine Pedliham
ISBN: 978-0-2413-0217-0
Publishing Director Mary-Clare Jerram Printed and bound in China
A WORLD OF IDEAS:
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW
Illustrations Debbie Maizels
www.dk.com
Photography Will Heap
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HOW NOT TO
KILL YOUR
HOUSEPLANT
Survival tips
for the
HORTICULTURALLY
CHALLENGED
Veronica Peerless
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CONTENTS
FIND
Find your plant
4
YOUR
PLANT
THE BASICS
12
URN PLANT
Aechmea fasciata
pp.34–35
Buy it
14
Pot it & place it
16
Water it 18
Feed it & love it 20
Repot it
22
Plant pests
24
Plant diseases
28
MAIDENHAIR FERN
FLAMING SWORD
Adiantum raddianum
Vriesea splendens
pp.32–33
p.35
THE HOUSEPLANTS
30
With specific care details for 119 different plants, this section provides all the
information you need to treasure your
houseplant and troubleshoot any problems.
Top 5 plants for:
CRETAN BRAKE FERN
GUZMANIA
Your desk pp.46–47 • Sunny spots pp.66–67
Pteris cretica
Guzmania lingulata
p.33
p.35
• Your bathroom pp.86–87 • Low light
pp.106–107 • Your living room pp.126–127
Index
142
Author & acknowledgments
144
Toxicity
144
HARE'S FOOT FERN
ELEPHANT’S EAR
Davillia canariensis
Alocasia x amazonica
p.33
pp.36–37
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ALOE VERA
EMERALD FERN
ELIATOR HYBRIDS
BLUSHING BROMELIAD
Aloe vera
Asparagus densiflorus
Begonia Eliator Group
Neoregelia carolinae
pp.38–39
Sprengeri Group
p.45
f. tricolor
pp.42–43
p.49
AGAVE
ASPARAGUS FERN
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS
PEACOCK PLANT
Agave
Asparagus setaceus
Begonia spp.
Calathea
p.39
p.43
p.45
pp.50–51
HAWORTHIA
SHAMROCK PLANT
QUEEN’S TEARS
PRAYER PLANT
Haworthia
Oxalis triangularis
Billbergia nutans
Maranta
p.39
p.43
pp.48–49
p.51
FLAMINGO FLOWER
PAINTED-LEAF BEGONIA
PINK QUILL
STROMANTHE
Anthurium
Begonia rex
Tillandsia cyanea
Stromanthe
pp.40–41
pp.44–45
p.49
p.51
continued
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SPIDER PLANT
MINIATURE ROSES
STRING OF BEADS
DUMB CANE
Chlorophytum comosum
Rosa
Senecio rowleyanus
Dieffenbachia
pp.52–53
p.55
p.59
pp.62–63
POTHOS
PRIMROSE
HEARTS ON A STRING
HEART-LEAF
Epipremnum
Primula vulgaris
Ceropegia woodii
PHILODENDRON
p.53
p.55
p.59
Philodendron scandens
p.63
ARROWHEAD PLANT
NATAL LILY
FLORISTS’ CYCLAMEN
BLUSHING
Syngonium podophyllum
Clivia miniata
Cyclamen persicum
PHILODENDRON
p.53
pp.56–57
pp.60–61
Philodendron erubescens
p.63
POT MUM
MONEY PLANT
INDIAN AZALEA
VENUS FLY TRAP
Chrysanthemum
Crassula ovata
Rhododendron simsii
Dionaea muscipula
pp.54–55
pp.58–59
p.61
pp.64–65
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PITCHER PLANT
SONG OF INDIA
TIGER JAWS
RUBBER PLANT
Sarracenia
Dracaena reflexa
Faucaria
Ficus elastica
p.65
p.69
p.73
p.77
MONKEY CUPS
LUCKY BAMBOO
POINSETTIA
NERVE PLANT
Nepenthes
Dracaena sanderiana
Euphorbia pulcherrima
Fittonia
p.65
pp.70–71
pp.74–75
/> pp.78–79
DRAGON TREE
HEN & CHICKS
FIDDLE-LEAF FIG
VELVET PLANT
Dracaena fragrans
Echeveria
Ficus lyrata
Gynura aurantiaca
pp.68–69
p.72–73
pp.76–77
p.79
MADAGASCAR
AEONIUM
WEEPING FIG
POLKA DOT PLANT
DRAGON TREE
Aeonium
Ficus benjamina
Hypoestes
Dracaena marginata
p.73
p.77
p.79
p.69
continued
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ENGLISH IVY
KENTIA PALM
MINIATURE WAX PLANT
SWISS CHEESE PLANT
Hedera helix
Howea fosteriana
Hoya bella
Monstera deliciosa
pp.80–81
pp.84–85
p.89
pp.94-95
SPOTTED LAUREL
PARLOUR PALM
FLAMING KATY
HORSEHEAD
Aucuba japonica
Chamaedorea elegans
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
PHILODENDRON
p.81
p.85
pp.90–91
Philodendron
bipinnatifidum
p.95
JAPANESE ARALIA
BUTTERFLY PALM
CALANDIVA
SWISS CHEESE VINE
Fatsia japonica
Dypsis lutescens
Kalanchoe
Monstera obliqua
p.81
p.85
Calandiva ® Series
p.95
p.91
AMARYLLIS
INDIAN ROPE PLANT
SENSITIVE PLANT
BOSTON FERN
Hippeastrum
Hoya carnosa
Mimosa pudica
Nephrolepis exaltata
pp.82–83
pp.88–89
pp.92–93
‘Bostoniensis’
pp.96–97
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BIRD’S NEST FERN
CROWN CACTUS
MOTH ORCHID
MISSIONARY PLANT
Asplenium nidus
Rebutia
Phalaenopsis
Pilea peperomioides
p.97
p.99
pp.102–103
pp.108–109
SILVER LADY
RADIATOR PLANT
PYGMY DATE PALM
FRIENDSHIP PLANT
Blechnum gibbum
Peperomia metallica
Phoenix roebelenii
Pilea involucrata
p.97
pp.100–101
pp.104–105
‘Moon Valley’
p.109
DESERT CACTI
CREEPING BUTTONS
LADY PALM
ALUMINIUM PLANT
Opuntia
Peperomia rotundifolia
Rhapsis excelsa
Pilea cadierei
pp.98-99
p.101
p.105
p.109
MONK'S HOOD
BABY RUBBER PLANT
DWARF FAN PALM
STAGHORN FERN
Astrophytum ornatum
Peperomia obtusifolia
Chamaerops humilis
Platycerium bifurcatum
p.99
p.101
p.105
pp.110–111
continued
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REGAL ELKHORN FERN
AFRICAN MILK BUSH
CROTON
MISTLETOE CACTUS
Platycerium grande
Euphorbia trigona
Codiaeum variegatum
Rhipsalis baccifera
p.111
p.115
p.119
p.121
AFRICAN VIOLET
CREEPING SAXIFRAGE
ZEBRA PLANT
BABY’S TEARS
Saintpaulia
Saxifraga stolonifera
Aphelandra squarrosa
Soleirolia soleirolii
pp.112–113
pp.116–117
p.119
pp.122–123
SNAKE PLANT
SWEDISH IVY
CHRISTMAS CACTUS
PIGGYBACK PLANT
Sansevieria trifasciata
Schlumbergera buckleyi
Tolmiea menziesii
Plectranthus
pp.114–115
pp.120–121
p.123
p.117
AFRICAN SPEAR
UMBRELLA TREE
EASTER CACTUS
BEAD PLANT
Sansevieria cylindrica
Schefflera arboricola
Schlumbergera gaetneri
Nertera granadensis
p.115
pp.118–119
p.121
p.123
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PEACE LILY
CAPE PRIMROSE
FLAME NETTLE
ZZ PLANT
Spathiphyllum
Streptocarpus
Solenostemon
Zamioculcas zamiifolia
pp.124–125
pp.130–131
p.135
pp.138–139
CHINESE EVERGREEN
GLOXINIA
YUCCA
SAGO PALM
Aglaonema
Sinningia speciosa
Yucca elephantipes
Cycas revoluta
p.125
p.131
pp.136–137
p.139
CAST IRON PLANT
AIR PLANTS
CABBAGE PALM
GUINEA CHESTNUT
Aspidistra eliator
Tillandsia
Cordyline australis
Pachira aquatica
p.125
pp.132–133
p.137
p.139
BIRD OF PARADISE
INCH PLANT
PONYTAIL PALM
INDOOR BONSAI
Strelitzia reginae
Tradescantia zebrina
Beaucarnea recurvata
Various
pp.128–129
pp.134–135
p.137
pp.140–142
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THE BASICS
What every
houseplant needs
to stay alive
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14
BUY IT
If possible, buy your houseplant from a nursery or The Basics
garden centre, where it will have been properly cared for. Here are a few things
to consider when choosing
a houseplant, including
how to get it home
without killing it!
SHAPE
Ensure that the plant has a good
shape. Look for bushy plants,
Dumb cane
and avoid those that are leggy
(pp.62–63)
or spindly.
COMPOST
Test the compost to see if it’s moist.
It shouldn't be soggy or very dry, as
these are signs that the plant may not
have been watered properly.
ROOTS
If there are lots of roots visible on top of the compost and underneath the bottom of the pot,
the plant is pot-bound (or root-bound). Avoid these plants as they will have been struggling to thrive and so won't be in peak condition.
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FLOWERING PLANTS
When choosing a flowering plant,
make sure it has both flowers and
buds. Plants with buds will last
longer as these buds will open and
replace older, fading flowers. Avoid
plants with only tightly closed buds,
as these may not open when you get
the plant home.
Pot mum (pp.54–55)
WRAP IT UP
Spring or summer is the best time to buy
a houseplant, as the weather is often
milder and the plant won’t be too
“shocked” by the sudden change in
temperature and location. If you are
buying a plant in winter when it is cold,
be sure to wrap it up when taking it
home, as the sudden change in
temperature can cause the buds or leaves
to fall off some plants, or even kill
others. Poinsettias are particularly
CONDITION
vulnerable to the cold.
Check that the
leaves are fresh
and have a good
colour, with no
signs of browning
or yellowing.
PESTS & DISEASES
Look for signs of pests or
diseases, making sure to check
the undersides of the leaves
(see Plant pests, pp.24–27, and
Plant diseases, pp.28–29).
Poinsettia (pp.74–75)
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16
POT IT & PLACE IT
Once you get your houseplant home, you'll need to check The Basics
your plant is in a pot with drainage holes, and find a suitable location for it. Doing these two things will go a long way towards helping you keep it healthy.
HOW TO POT IT...
Most houseplants come in plastic pots with
drainage holes in the bottom. You can put
these inside more ornamental pots.
Some plants are sold in ornamental pots
with no drainage holes. This makes it
difficult to judge whether water is
Dumb cane
gathering at the bottom
(pp.62–63)
of the pot and rotting
the roots. It’s best to
repot these plants
into a plastic pot
with drainage holes
Ensure the
– this could be a
plastic pot
plastic pot that you
fits into the
hide within a more
pot you
attractive one.
want to use
Drainage
holes
PLANTS SOLD IN
PLASTIC POTS
REPOTTING INTO A PLASTIC POT
Check to see if your plant
If your plant is sold in only an ornamental pot, is in a pot with drainage
repot it into a plastic pot with drainage holes holes at the bottom.
How Not to Kill Your Houseplant Page 1