African Violets, Dracaenas, and Orchids: Timeless Houseplants

African Violets

African Violets are the premier indoor house plant. They’re beloved by gardeners of all ages due to their gentle blooms and various colors. In many cultures, African violets are the traditional Mother’s Day gift. Many indoor gardeners enjoy raising these flowers during the winter to add color to dreary landscapes. African Violets have a few quirks that makes growing them unique. Because of this, If you don’t know what you’re doing, they can be rather difficult to keep healthy. By following these steps you won’t have anything to worry about.

African violets like to be grown in special soil. You can actually find specific soil created for African violets in our store, so check that out! Watering these guys is also a bit tricky for those who haven’t done it before. It’s very important that you avoid getting water on the blooms, because they will get burned by the sunlight. Making sure your keep the soil moist, but never soggy, will help your plants avoid diseases like Root Rot. The temperature of the water you use also matters quite a bit. Their roots are sensitive to both cold and hot water, so make sure you use water that’s room temperature. The closer it is to matching the air around your violets, the better. African violets also have interesting fertilizer needs. While fertilizers made specifically for the violets are out there, you can also find one with a high level of phosphorous. A 15-30-15 fertilizer, for example, will do the trick.

African Violets are the perfect house plants to add to your home. Their beautiful blooms add a feeling of serenity to your home. The work it takes to raise them is nothing compared to the reward of having these beautiful flowers on display.

Dracaenas

Dracaenas are among the most versatile houseplants around. These green plants are small and bushy when they’re young, but will grow into mini-trees if you keep them for several years! This makes their utility evolve over time. When they’re small and bushy, they make the perfect office plant for your desk. You can also use them at home on tabletops for a nice touch! Once they grow larger you can make them a nice corner piece in your living room.

Growing dracaenas is incredibly easy. These plants can deal with a lot of adversity before showing any signs of deterioration. They’ll easily handle all sorts of different growing conditions. Lighting can range from bright and indirect all the way down to low. In low light, the plant won’t grow as fast, but it will survive. As long as you keep your house above 65 degrees, dracaenas will grow just fine. High humidity is optional, but also helps with growth. You can add pebbles to below the plant to create the optimum humidity level. Fertilizer needs to be applied two times monthly in the spring and summer, and should be stopped once fall arrives. The only thing you need to watch out for is fluoride, as dracaenas are sensitive to it. Make sure you water your dracaenas with filtered water, because tap water contains fluoride! 

The versatility provided by dracaenas make them an excellent choice for an indoor plant. You can buy them in variegated colors (green and yellow) for a little extra splash.

Orchids

Orchids make excellent indoor flowers, and with 20,000 known species there’s sure to be an orchid for you! The type of orchid you buy will depend on where you want to put it. Ask our staff which of our orchids will work best for you. While many people have the misconception that orchids are tough to grow, that only applies to a few of the 20,000 species. Many orchids are hardier than you think, and only require you to follow a few basic rules to grow into beautiful indoor flowers.

Let’s start with watering, because that’s where a lot of orchid owners make mistakes. One of the leading causes of orchid death is overwatering. Orchid’s roots require oxygen to survive, and overwatering will suffocate them. If you’re not sure if your orchid needs watering, consider the fact that orchids are better suited to survive having too little water instead of having to much. Temperature-wise, orchid’s grow best with a little extra attention. If you set your thermostat for 10 degrees cooler at night, orchids will have better flowering. Different orchids have different lighting requirements, although most need six hours of direct sunlight. You can tell if your orchid is getting enough light by the color of its leaves. If the color is dark green, they need more light! Apply a weak fertilizer solution of 20-10-20 fertilizer once a week to maximize blooming, and try to keep your plants in a humid environment. It’s also important to note that orchid’s don’t grow in soil! Get them some orchid potting mix for best results.

Orchid’s are some of the most beautiful plants around. They’ll look great on any windowsill and add bright colors to your home.

Of course, these aren’t the only houseplants we offer! We have tons of other beautiful flowers you can grow and enjoy indoors. Give us a call at (856)-767-6883 with any questions you may have about houseplants! Our team will be thrilled to help you find just what you’re looking for.