Do you ever look at a plant and feel simultaneously awestruck by its beauty and terrified by its care requirements? For years, I held off buying a stromanthe sanguinea triostar simply because it looked so fragile. Prayer plants are definitely not my forte (with the exception of my lovely maranta), and stromanthe are more or … Read more
Riding on election stress, I finally got my poorly manicured paws on a plant that’s been chilling at the bottom of my wish list: a syngonium podophyllum or arrowhead plant (or nephthytis triphylla)! I’ve seen this species at grocery stores and nurseries for under $15 but always felt inclined to buy something else instead. So … Read more
Introduction Hi, hello from one of my latest plant acquisitions — the peperomia marcello! (Sometimes called the amigo marcello.) Truth be told, I haven’t had the best of luck with peperomia (aka the radiator plant), mostly because I end up ignoring them and then shocking them with too much water or sunlight. But I’m holding … Read more
New plant haul! I know, I know, I know I shouldn’t get any more plants, but these sparked joy, OK? And perhaps more importantly, they were budget friendly. I haven’t bought any plants for over a month now, and I think that a monthly buying schedule is healthy. Look at me trying to justify my … Read more
Hello from my lone surviving prayer plant! I am gravely fearful of any plant that requires too much humidity because I live in such a dry little nook of California. And guess what? Prayer plants *love* humidity! While I adore how prayer plants look with their whimsical and intricate foliage patterns, I’d be remiss not … Read more
Let’s talk about the dieffenbachia. For me, it’s the plant that I fall in love with over and over again whenever I look at it, but it’s also the plant that I tend to ignore. My dieffenbachia, also colloquially known as a dumb cane, has been slowly eking by over the past year, and while … Read more
Hello, plant friends! I’m back with a plant blog, but I’m going to switch up the format a little. Since I’m running out of broader categories of plants, I’m going to do deep dives on specific species of plants! They’ll be focused on one plant at a time, so they’ll be shorter and more casual. … Read more
I grew up surrounded by money trees, spotting them not only during my rare trips to big-box nurseries but also in Asian homes and supermarkets. According to feng shui, they’re supposed to be lucky and bring about prosperity. Now, I’m not sure if mine has given me any luck, but it hasn’t died on me … Read more
This weekend passed away like a cloud of smoke. Literally, because I smell smoky air whenever I crack open a window! There are fires just half an hour away from me towards the South Bay. The crunchy air quality (yes, it is crunchy to my lungs), combined with the heat wave and the pandemic and … Read more
Crotons are the pumpkin spice lattes of the plant world. To put it bluntly, they’re pretty basic. You’ll find them overtaking nurseries towards the end of the summer and throughout fall. Their bright orange, red, and yellow foliage are instantly recognizable. Instantly. Crotons do have a cozy and comforting quality to them, though. While their … Read more
