D. reflexa 69
African violet 112–13
cacti
D. sanderiana 46, 70–71
agave 39
Christmas cactus 120–21
dragon tree 68–69
Aglaonema 125
crown cactus 93
dragon tree, Madagascar 47, 69
air plants 132–33
desert cacti 66, 98–99
drainage 16
Alocasia x amazonica 36–37
Easter cactus 121
dumb cane 62–63
aloe vera 38–39, 67
mistletoe cactus 121
dwarf fan palm 105
aluminium plant 109
Calandiva 91
Dypsis lutescens 85
amaryllis 82–83
Calathea 50–51
Anthurium 40–41
cape primrose 130–31
Easter cactus 121
Aphelandra squarrosa 119
care of plants 20–21
Echeveria 66, 72–73
aphids 27
cast iron plant 107, 125
elephant’s ear 36–37
aralia, Japanese 81, 107
Ceropegia woodii 59
elkhorn fern, regal 111
arrowhead plant 53
Chamaedorea elegans 85
emerald fern 42–43
Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group Chamaerops humilis 105
English ivy 80–81
42–43
chestnut, Guinea 139
Epipremnum 53
A. setaceus 43
Chinese evergreen 125
Euphorbia pulcherrima 74–75
asparagus fern 43
Chlorophytum comosum 52–53
E. trigona 115
Aspidistra eliator 107, 125
Christmas cactus 120–21
Asplenium nidus 97, 106
Chrysanthemum 54–55
Fatsia japonica 81
Astrophytum ornatum 93
cleaning plants 21
Faucaria 73
Aucuba japonica 81
Clivia miniata 56–57
feeding plants 20
Codiaeum variegatum 119
ferns
baby rubber plant 101
cold weather 15
bird’s nest fern 97, 106
baby’s tears 122–23
compost 14
Boston fern 87, 96–97
bamboo, lucky 46, 70–71
condition, plant 15
hare's foot fern 33
bathrooms, plants for your 86–87
Cordyline australis 137
maidenhair fern 32–33, 86
bead plant 123
Crassula ovata 58–59, 67
regal elkhorn fern 111
Beaucarnea recurvata 137
creeping buttons 101
staghorn fern 110–11
begonias
creeping saxifrage 116–17
Ficus benjamina 77
Eliator hybrids 45
Cretan brake fern 33
F. elastica 77
painted-leaf begonia 44–45
croton 119
F. lyrata 76–77, 126
tuberous begonias 45
crown and stem rot 28
figs
Begonia Eliator Group 45
crown cactus 93
fiddle-leaf fig 76–77, 126
B. rex 44–45
cyclamen, florists’ 60–61
weeping fig 77
Billbergia nutans 48–49
Cyclamen persicum 60–61
Fittonia 78–79, 86
bird of paradise 128–29
Cycas revoluta 139
flame nettle 135
bird’s nest fern 97, 106
flaming Katy 90–91
Blechnum gibbum 97
date palm, pygmy 104–105
flaming sword 35
blushing bromeliad 46, 49
Davillia canariensis 33
flamingo flower 40–41
blushing philodendron 63
desert cactus 66, 98–99
florists’ cyclamen 60–61
bonsai, indoor 140–41
desks, plants for your 46–47
flowering plants 15
Boston fern 87, 96–97
Dieffenbachia 62–63
friendship plant 109
botrytis 28
Dionaea muscipula 64–65, 67
fungus gnats 25
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Mimosa pudica 92–93
Pilea cadieri 109
gloxinia 131
miniature roses 55
P. involucrata ‘Moon valley’ 109
grey mould 28
missionary plant 108–109
P. peperomioides 108–109
grooming plants 21
mistletoe cactus 121
pink quill 49
Guinea chestnut 139
money plant 58–59, 67
pitcher plant 65
guzmania 35
monkey cups 65
plastic pots 16
Gynura aurantiaca 79, 87
monk's hood 93
Platycerium bifurcatum 110–11
Monstera deliciosa 94–95, 127
P. grande 111
hare's foot fern 33
M. obliqua 95
Plectranthus 117
haworthia 39
moth orchid 102–103
poinsettia 74–75
heart-leaf philodendron 63, 107
mould
polka dot plant 79
hearts on a string 59
grey mould 28
ponytail palm 137
Hedera helix 80–81
sooty mould 29
pothos 53
hen & chicks 66, 72–73
pot mum 54–55
Hippeastrum 82–83
natal lily 56–57
pots 16
Horsehead philodendron 95
Neoregelia carolinae f. tricolor 49
when to pot on plants 22–23
Howea fosteriana 84–85, 127
Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’ 87, powdery mildew 28
Hoya bella 89
96–97
prayer plant 51
H. carnosa 87, 88–89
Nepenthes 65
primrose 55
humidity 17
Nertera granadensis 123
Primula vulgaris 55
Hypoestes 79
nerve plant 78–79, 86
Pteris cretica 33
pygmy date palm 104–105
inch plant 134–35
oedema 29
Indian rope plant 87, 88–89
orchid, moth 102–103
queen’s tears 48–49
Indian azalea 61
Oxalis triangularis 43
indoor bonsai 140–41
radiator plant 47, 100–101
ivy
Pachira aquatica 139
Rebutia 93
English ivy 80–81
painted-leaf begonia 44–45
red spider mites 26
Swedish ivy 117
palms
regal elkhorn fern 111
butterfly palm 85
Rhapsis excelsa 105
Japanese aralia 107
cabbage palm 137
Rhipsalis baccifera 121
dwarf fan palm 105
Rhododendron simsii 61
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 90–91
kentia palm 84–85, 127
roots 14
K. Calandiva® Series 91
lady palm 105
Rosa 55
kentia palm 84–85, 127
parlour palm 85
roses, miniature 55
ponytail palm 137
rot
lady palm 105
pygmy date palm 104–105
crown and stem rot 28
leaf miners 25
sago palm 139
root rot 29
leaf spot 29
peace lily 106, 124–25
rubber plant 77
leopard lily 62–3
peacock plant 50–51
light 17
Peperomia metallica 47, 100–101
sago palm 139
low light plants 106–107
P. obtusifolia 101
Saintpaulia 112–13
living rooms, plants for your 126–27
P. rotundifolia 101
Sansevieria cylindrica 115
locations 17
pests 15, 21, 24–27
S. trifasciata 114–15, 126
low light plants 106–107
see also diseases
Sarracenia 65
sunny spot plants 66–67
Phalaenopsis 102–103
Saxifraga stolonifera 116–17
lucky bamboo 46, 70–71
philodendrons
saxifrage, creeping 116–17
heart-leaf philodendron 63, 107
scale insects 27
Madagascar dragon tree 47, 69
horsehead philodendron 95
Schefflera arboricola 118–19
maidenhair fern 32–33, 86
blushing philodendron 63
Schlumbergera buckleyi 120–21
Mammillaria 66, 98–99
Philodendron bipinnatifidum 95
S. gaetneri 121
Maranta 51
P. erubescens 63
Senecio rowleyanus 59
mealybugs 27
P. scandens 63, 107
sensitive plant 92–93
mildew, powdery 28
Phoenix roebelenii 104–105
shamrock plant 43
milk bush, African 115
piggyback plant 123
shape of plants 14
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silver lady 97
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sinningia speciosa 131
Veronica Peerless is a gardening writer snake plant 114–15, 126
and editor, both online and in print. She is Contributing Soleirolia soleirolii 122–23
Editor at gardenersworld.com and was previously Deputy Solenostemon 135
Editor at Which? Gardening magazine. She contributes to song of India 69
several gardening and lifestyle magazines, including The sooty mould 29
English Garden magazine and the Garden Design Journal.
Spathiphyllum 106, 124–25
Veronica acted as a horticultural consultant on DK's The spotted laurel 81
Gardener’s Year, a role in which she both shaped and spider plant 52–53
wrote content for the book.
staghorn fern 110–11
stem and crown rot 28
Strelitzia reginae 128–29
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Streptocarpus 130–31
Author: Many thanks to Christian King for his support string of beads 59
and endless cups of tea while I was writing this book.
stromanthe 51
sunlight 17
Publisher: DK would like to thank Jane Simmonds for plants for sunny spots 66–67
proofreading and Vanessa Bird for creating the index.
Swedish ivy 117
We'd also like to thank houseofplants.co.uk for allowing Swiss cheese plant 94–95, 127
us to take photos of their plants – African spear, blushing Swiss cheese vine 95
philodendron, butterfly palm, croton, Easter cactus, fiddle-Syngonium podophyllum 53
leaf fig, Guinea chestnut, guzmania, hare's foot fern, horsehead philodendron, Indian rope plant, kentia palm, temperature 15, 17
lucky bamboo, mistletoe cactus, parlour palm, snake plant, thrips 25
song of India, ZZ plant, and several other plants that tiger jaws 73
didn't make the final version of the book. The photo of the Tillandsia 132–33
Calandiva was taken by Katherine Scheele Photography.
T. cyanea 49
Tolmiea menziesii 123
Picture credits: The publisher would like to thank the Tradescantia zebrina 134–35
following for their kind permission to reproduce their trees, indoor bonsai 140–41
photographs:
umbrella tree 118–19
(Key: a-above; b-below/bottom; c-centre; f-far; l-left; urn plant 34–35
r-right; t-top)
5 Garden World Images: Nicholas Appleby (clb). 10 Alamy velvet plant 79, 87
Stock Photo: blickwinkel / fotototo (cla). 43 Garden World Venus fly trap 64–65, 67
Images: Nicholas Appleby. 116-117 Alamy Stock Photo: vine weevils 26
violet, African 112–13
blickwinkel / fotototo
viruses 29
All other images © Dorling Kindersley
Vriesea splendens 35
For further information see:
watering 18–19
www.dkimages.com
wax plant, miniature 89
weeping fig 77
whiteflies 25
TOXICITY
wilting 19
Some houseplants are toxic to humans and pets, and yucca 136–37
can be hazardous if they are ingested, or come into Yucca elephantipes 136–37
contact with the skin or eyes. For information about which plants are toxic, please visit:
Zamioculcas zamiifolia 127, 138–39
www.rhs.org.uk
zebra plant 119
www.aspca.org
ZZ plant 127, 138–39
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Document Outline
CONTENTS
Find your plant
THE BASICS Buy it
Pot it & place it
Water it
Feed it & love it
Repot it
Plant pests
Plant diseases
THE HOUSEPLANTS
TOP 5 plants for: Your desk
Sunny spots
Your bathroom
Low light
Your living room
Index
Author & acknowledgments
Toxicity
How Not to Kill Your Houseplant Page 14