Save These Potted Plants!
For a sentimental sap like me, it’s tough to say goodbye to any plant, even the ones that are clinical flatliners. But in the case of these eight container-dwellers, sentimentality doesn’t even figure. Not pitching them is a complete no-brainer. Even though these plants are frequently treated as disposable decorations, and are tossed out at the first appearance of a yellowing leaf, you’ll see in a minute that it just makes perfect sense to save these potted plants.
By John G. Stamos
Table of Contents
Save These Potted Plants: Every One of Them's a Keeper!
Ok, so I’m a wuss. A big, sentimental wuss. I admit it. I get maudlin over the prospect of saying goodbye to things. And I really go to pieces when it comes to losing something that lives and breathes, especially any of the living organisms with which I share my space and my life. This would include the plants that grow in the outdoor garden I tend, and, particularly, any one of the potted plants that spend a not insignificant part of the year in my house with me. I connect with these living things on a curiously personal level (now there’s a story for you, kiddos – and you will read about it here another time), and I don’t like to part with them. Even when I know that they’re either dead or irretrievably on their way to being dead. Because I’m such a softie, it’s just not easy for me to pitch them. Like I said. Big wuss.
But when it comes to certain potted plants, I feel comfortable telling you that practicality trumps sentimentality (for the most part) in my decision to hang on to them indefinitely. In my particular hardiness zone of 5B/6A here in the Midwest, these particular plants – you’ll meet eight of them in this article – are often grown and marketed by retailers as seasonal, or “throwaway” decorative houseplants or outdoor annuals. Enjoy ’em while they’re pretty, shit-can ’em once they start looking maybe not so great. Or once a particular season’s over. Or when they drop all their flowers and quit (almost always temporarily) offering up new ones. Or when they don’t look so hot next to the new sofa. To make a long story short, launch them when the bloom’s off the rose, so to speak.
Hey, wait just a minute! Don’t do it! Don’t throw them away! We’ve gotta save these potted plants!
Below is my list of eight plants that are sold in containers here in the Midwest, and, for any one or combination of the reasons I’ve just mentioned, usually end up getting thrown away not terribly long after they’re purchased. Check out the list, and read the short bit I’ve included about each one of the plants, and understand that, of course, it’s missing tons of great plants that often meet unfair, early ends after they’re purchased by consumers. (A perfect example of one such plant, the Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger, which, despite being incredibly long-lived and hardy, often gets bought for Christmas and banished after New Year’s. It’s not on the list because, here in The RGG, I’ve just written about it and it’s common, human-initiated premature demise.) As you’ll read, many of these plants are definitely not annuals but are instead tender perennials (multi-year growers in frost-free zones), and are incredibly long-lived and exceptionally beautiful. So, look over the list of plants, zero in on any and all that pique your interest, find them at your local nursery, bring them home, and when they start looking a little non-fabulous, do not throw them away. On the contrary, save these potted plants!
(Author’s notes: 1) Along with the list of plants below, you’ll find a list of some excellent product recs. And, just like the plants, every one on the list is a keeper. 2) In my bulleted lists of each plant’s respective highlights, you’ll notice that the widely held belief that indoor plants purify the air is conspicuously missing. That’s because they really don’t. At least not to any appreciable degree. Click here to learn more. But, as you’ll read, there are still plenty of other reasons to love and save these potted plants. 3) This article is definitely aimed at those of you stuck, like me, trying to make the best of the climate here in the often frigid Midwestern part of the U.S. But since these plants can be grown as honest-to-goodness garden-planted perennials in warmer parts of the world, they make for great suggestions for anyone who likes to stick things in dirt and watch them get bigger and badder!)
Lavender Spur Flower (Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender')
Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender': The Basics, and Notes from the Field
The Basics
Plant family – Lamiaceae (includes such other genera as Salvia and Lamium, etc. Life cycle and longevity – perennial, evergreen (in hardiness zones 10/11), and can live for many decades with proper care; ‘Mona Lavender’ is a comparatively new hybrid (from the 1990s), but it and both of its Plectranthus parents (P. saccatus and P. hilliardiae) can and do live for decades. General appearance and form – woody stemmed with a low, mounded, shrubby appearance. Height – 12″-24″. Spread – 12″-24″. Light – partial sun to mostly shade. Bloom color – lavender, tubular, two-lipped, with dark purple dotting. Bloom size – 3/4″-1-1/4″ in length. Bloom time – mid August through October. Foliage – perennial, evergreen, broadleaf; deep green, fuzzy, ovate leaves with maroon/purple undersides; purple flower stems. Root system – fibrous root system. Soil – slightly acidic, rich in organic matter, well-draining; most standard potting mixes will work. Water – enough water to keep the soil consistently and evenly moist, but never soggy; water when the top 1” to 1-1/2″ of soil is dry. Hardiness – zones 10-11. Growth rate – medium. Pollinators – bees, moths, and butterflies. Toxicity – mildly toxic. Pest resistance – excellent pest and disease resistance; occasional spider mite visitation.
Notes from the Field
This beautiful woody, evergreen shrub is actually a very long-lived, tender perennial, meaning that it can live for decades year-round in its natural hardiness zone of 10/11. As a potted houseplant in colder zones (that can spend summers and the warmest parts of spring and fall outdoors), it can be equally long-lived. In its natural hardiness zones, it will flower from late summer through early winter. Mine starts blooming in mid August, and is covered in gorgeous, lavender-colored, tubular flowers through October, and begins a partial dormancy in late October indoors. But within a month or so of this time, new green growth emerges from the plant’s crown and from its existing aerial woody stems. While indoors from mid October through mid May, it’s watered once per week – I give it a good soaking, and let the soil dry until the following week. Outdoors in the heat of spring and summer, I water more frequently, soaking it each time. I fertilize mine twice a year with an organic 5-3-3 granular fertilizer (first in mid May, and again in mid August), and I prune it and deadhead spent flowers in order to maintain its shape and promote new, healthy growth and fresh blooms.
This plant has a low, mounding growth habit, and its stunning lavender and purple-spotted flowers are a gorgeous counterpoint to its rich, green glossy leaves with their beautiful maroon-purple undersides. Sadly, it’s typically sold as an annual in local nurseries throughout my hardiness zone of 5B/6A. I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve spoken to fellow nursery patrons who’ve purchased this plant with no intention whatsoever of bringing it indoors before the first frost (which will kill it), and maintaining it as the long-lived, beautiful and richly viable flowering evergreen shrub that it truly is. Save these potted plants and they’ll repay you with years and years of no-fuss beauty.
Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' Highlights: Why You Should Save These Potted Plants
- Longevity. A companion, year after year.
- Gorgeous lavender and purple blooms, and glossy green foliage.
- Compact size and pleasing form.
- Caring for them is a no-brainer.
- Simple to propagate through stem cuttings. Check legality first!!!
Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Tropical Hibiscus: The Basics, and Notes from the Field
The Basics
Plant family – Malvaceae (commonly known as mallows). Life cycle and longevity – perennial, evergreen, with a lifespan of more than 50 years. General appearance and form – woody-stemmed with a robust, upright, bushy growth habit. Height – 2′-30′. Spread – 2′-25′. Light – full sun to light, partial shade. Bloom color – solid or multi-colored of practically limitless shades and combinations; 5-petaled, trumpet-shaped, with prominent stigmas and anthers. Bloom size – 2″-10″ across. Bloom time – late spring through fall in zone 5B/6A (even into winter indoors, and nearly year round in warm climates). Foliage – perennial, evergreen; serrated leaves can be round or oval with the distal end (tip) coming to a point. Root system – a substantial, complex root system consisting of fibrous roots, spreading lateral roots, and tap roots. Soil – slightly acidic, well-draining. Water – moderate watering while indoors during semi-dormancy, and heavy frequent soakings during warm weather outdoors. Hardiness – zones 10-12. Growth rate – medium to fast. Pollinators – bees, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Toxicity – non-toxic; flowers are edible. Pest resistance – excellent pest resistance, but can be susceptible to aphid infestations.
Notes from the Field
These incredible bushes and small trees can grow to enormous size in frost-free, warm hardiness zones, and can live for many decades both as year-round outdoor evergreens and as potted specimens in colder zones (when brought indoors prior to frosts and freezing temperatures). My particular specimen, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘JBG RH-05’ is part of the Jazzy Jewel® series of tropical hibiscus and is marketed as ‘Jazzy Jewel® Amber.’ Since purchasing this orange-flowered beauty several years ago as a small plant, I’ve watched it grow from a small specimen to a thick-trunked, bloom-covered tree that’s approximately five feet in height and 4 feet in spread. Since these plants bloom on new wood, I aggressively prune mine in the first half of spring (usually late April) to promote both prolific blooming and new, vigorous branches and foliage. The blooms on my hibiscus can measure over 6″ across, and are visited by several types of butterfly, plus moths, bees, and hummingbirds. Plus, these flowers are edible! I know people who garnish food with them, and even eat them plain and make drinks from them. (I haven’t yet worked up the balls to nosh on one myself, but when I do, you know I’ll tell you about it.) Aphids tend to favor this plant, but my garden’s hearty population of ladybugs mitigates this issue. This plant boasts an extensive, complex root system, so growing it in a large container is imperative. I water it heavily and consistently in the summer (its pot has excellent drainage, so there’s no danger of overwatering). I maintain soil acidity at a pH of approximately 6.0-6.5, and I feed it twice a year, once in mid May and again in mid August with a super-high-quality 4-1-5 organic granular fertilizer. I deadhead it to encourage new blooming and prevent seed formation (which takes energy away from further blooming).
I bring my tree into the house by mid October, and it generally continues to bloom up until late November. Although I maintain it under an excellent grow light throughout the winter, it still enters a state of partial dormancy that usually begins in mid to late January and continues until late April or early May. During this time, its leaves droop and any flower buds that may have set in early winter will drop off the plant without opening. I water it more moderately (once per week) while it’s in this state indoors.
These plants are sold en masse throughout the late spring, summer, and early fall at nurseries in my area. And, as in the case of Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender,’ they’re almost always marketed by retailers and treated by consumers as “throwaway” annuals in this zone. What a serious shame. If you happen to live in a colder hardiness zone, and you make the decision to invest in these beautiful, incredibly robust, long-lived, evergreen flowering bushes and trees, I suggest starting out with a small specimen, and increasing its container size every year as it grows. (There’s nothing like raising one of these guys from a pup. Besides, the little guys are way cheaper than bigger individuals.) Once you take one or two of these home, and you get the chance to enjoy the long-running-flower show, I think you’ll realize that you’re going to want to definitely save these potted plants.
Tropical Hibiscus Highlights: Why You Should Save These Potted Plants
- Longevity. Essentially a lifetime companion.
- Gorgeous blooms and foliage.
- Edible flowers. If that’s your thing.
- Beautiful, robust form.
- Fast-growing. Your baby will grow up all too soon.
- Relatively simple care.
- Simple to propagate through stem cuttings. Check legality first!!!
Rocktrumpet (Mandevilla)
Mandevilla: The Basics, and Notes from the Field
The Basics
Plant family – Apocynaceae. Life cycle and longevity – perennial, can be evergreen, semi-evergreen, or deciduous, and can live 10 years, and much longer. General appearance and form – mandevillas can grow as either long and tall twining stem vines or shorter, bushier plants. Height – 1′-20′. Spread – 1′-12′. Light – full sun. Bloom color – the 5-petaled, trumpet-shaped blooms are usually shades of red, pink, white, yellow, and orange. Bloom size – 2”-5″ long and across. Bloom time – late spring until frost in zone 5B/6A. Foliage – perennial, evergreen, semi-evergreen, or deciduous (depending on the species); woody stems with ovate, deep green, glossy leaves. Root system – fibrous root system that likes to spread laterally. Soil – slightly acidic, neutral, slightly alkaline. Water – these plants are big drinkers, so they need heavy watering while outdoors in the heat of summer (as long as their soil is well-draining). Indoors, if allowed to enter dormancy/semi-dormancy, water requirements are much lower. Hardiness – zones 9-11. Growth rate – fast. Pollinators – bees, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Toxicity – toxic to humans and pets. Pest resistance – excellent pest resistance, but can occasionally be susceptible to aphid infestations.
Notes from the Field
There’s a lot to know about growing these insanely exotic-looking tropical plants, but none of it’s difficult and all of it’s interesting. Plus, I’m going to keep it brief…
To begin with, they’re gorgeous. They lend an immediate tropical vibe to any place you decide to land them. In my case, it’s the deck in my back garden. Giant nodding blooms in vivid, tropical hues dress out rich, green glossy leaves and woody stems. These plants, whether tall, twining, sinuously graceful climbing vines, or stouter, shrubbier, shorter “dipladenia” varieties (you’ll read about this trifling distinction – it officially amounts to little more than a question of semantics – shortly), inject a major dose of the exotic to any location.
Like the tropical hibiscus, these plants set blooms on new wood. I give mine a fairly hefty pruning right before I bring them indoors in October, and then I prune them again, much more severely (particularly in the case of my tall climber), usually around a month before they return to the deck and the great outdoors. Once they start blooming (usually in late spring in 5B/6A, they keep it up right up until the first frost (of course, I bring mine in before then – frost will kill them). No need to deadhead these. They push the spent blooms out of the way on their own, and replace them with a never-ending supply of new blooms.
These superfast-growing plants are happy in neutral, slightly acidic, or slightly alkaline soil. Mine grow in soil that’s slightly acidic. They appreciate consistent watering, but don’t let them stew in wet soil – the dirt’s got to be well-draining. I hit mine once a month, starting in mid May and finishing in mid September, with an excellent 3-4-5 organic granular flower-boosting food.
When I bring my mandevillas in for the winter, I either keep them somewhat awake (by providing them with light from a remarkable grow light unit), or I allow them to go semi-dormant by keeping them out of direct, bright sunlight and away from grow lights. If you keep them awake, water them as you normally would (and mist their leaves periodically). If you let them go semi-dormant, cut the watering by around half.*
Mandevillas are pretty pest-resistant. Aphids seem to be the only insect pests that ever visit mine, and they seem to cause no damage to the plants (possibly as a result of my garden’s ladybug population). My mandevillas’ amazing blooms are constantly visited by moths, butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
I can remember being told years ago that mandevillas live only five years. Nah. Mine are a lot older than that. What I find heartbreaking is that these plants are often marketed and sold as “annuals” at nurseries here in my hardiness zone of 5B/6A. This is a shame for at least a couple of reasons: 1) the plants – typically the larger, climbing “mandevilla” varieties, can be really expensive (sucks to blow your load on something that you’re going to pitch in the fall), and 2) The plants are long-lived and gorgeous – if you’ll let them, they’ll add years of exotic, tropical beauty to your home scene. If you’re anything like me, once you introduce a few Mandevillas to your garden space, you’re going to fall in love and you’re going to definitely want to save these potted plants.
Of special note, mandevillas are toxic to humans and pets. Don’t let your kids or your pets put any part of a mandevilla plant in their mouths. And while you’re at it, lay off the mandevillas yourself, too.
*For a pretty decent tutorial on keeping tropical plants awake and alert through the winter months indoors, have a read of my article published here in The RGG in 2023, “Help Your Tropical Plants Recover from Relocation Shock.”
Mandevilla or Dipladenia?
In years past, Dipladenia used to occupy a spot next to Mandevilla as a separate genus in the Apocynaceae family. But today, the term “dipladenia” is simply used as a synonym for mandevilla, because plants of the dipladenia variety are, from the scientific, botanical perspective, now included within the Mandevilla genus. So plants that used to be considered members of a separate genus – Dipladenia – are now often still referred to as “dipladenias” as a matter of familiarity. In fact, both terms – “dipladenia” and “mandevilla” are used colloquially to describe two varieties, or groups of plants that vary in terms of a couple of particular physical characteristics and general appearance, but still belong firmly to only one genus: Mandevilla.
So, what are these differences in physical characteristics and appearance between “mandevillas” and “dipladenias”? I’ll synopsize: “Mandevillas” are the tall, twining-stemmed, climbing varieties of the genus Mandevilla, while “dipladenias” are shorter, bushier, generally non-twining/non-climbing versions of the same plant, within the same genus. Both possess ovate, glossy, deep green foliage, and insanely vibrant, gorgeous trumpet-shaped blooms.
Mandevilla Highlights: Why You Should Save These Potted Plants
- Longevity. Take care of these plants and they’ll be with you for a long time.
- Insanely beautiful in a tropical, exotic way. Gilligan’s Island vibes all the way, baby.
- Pollinator magnets. So, you love birds, bees, and butterflies, do you? There you go.
- Super-easy care.
- Superfast-growing and long bloom period. Flowers and green foliage all summer long.
- Simple to propagate through stem cuttings. Check legality first!!!
Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
Norfolk Island Pine: The Basics, and Notes from the Field
The Basics
Plant family – Araucariaceae. Life cycle and longevity – Evergreen, perennial, and very long-lived – over 150 years (but slightly less if grown as a potted, indoor specimen). General appearance and form – tall, wide, with needle-like evergreen foliage and a rough, woody, barked trunk; sets of five branches emerging from the trunk and forming “floors,” or “levels.” Height – 3′ to over 200′. Spread – 3′ to over 80′. Light – full sun to partial sun. Bloom color – N/A. Bloom size – N/A. Bloom time – produce cones (seed bearing organs) by the age of 15 years. Foliage – evergreen, needle-like leaves; 5 branches grow in “floors” from the straight trunk . Root system – shallow, fibrous root system that stays close to the surface of the ground. Soil – slightly acidic to acidic, well-draining. Water – enough water to keep the soil moderately and evenly moist, but never soggy; water when the top 1″ – 1-1/2″ of soil feels dry. Hardiness – zones 9-11. Growth rate – slow growth rate. Pollinators – bees, moths, butterflies, birds, squirrels, and spiders. Toxicity – mildly to acutely toxic to dogs and cats. Pest resistance – excellent pest resistance.
Notes from the Field
These awesome evergreen trees are not true pines, although they resemble them. In their native range in various locales throughout the South Pacific, these trees grow to enormous proportions, and can live for hundreds of years. In containers, and sheltering indoors for at least part of the year, they stay much smaller, grow very slowly, and can live up to and more than a hundred years.
They’re also super easy to care for. Mine spends mid May through mid October outdoors, in well-watered (but never soggy) and twice-fertilized (in May and September, with a super-high-quality organic, granular evergreen food that also contributes to soil acidity) soil, in a partial to full sun location. In these conditions, it’s happy as a clam, and has grown approximately 3-4 inches per year since it first came to live with me as a young’un. As it grows, sets of five, equally-spaced branches emerge from its straight trunk at intervals that ultimately form “levels,” or “floors.” The foliage is rich, dark green, and needle-like. While outdoors, everything from spiders to birds to squirrels end up visiting my Norfolk Island pine.
When my tree comes indoors, it remains green and healthy, but goes semi-dormant. In this condition, it’s kept in moderate, indirect light, and is watered once per week at about 1/4 to 1/2 of its normal amount. I also make sure to mist its foliage with tepid water a few times per week. Norfolk Island pines like humid conditions. The root systems of these trees tend to be somewhat shallow, but laterally extensive, so if you decide to grow one for yourself, make sure that its container’s diameter is large enough to keep the root system from becoming overly cramped. Don’t let kids, pups, or kitties eat the foliage – it can be acutely toxic.
This little tree made its way to my home courtesy of my late mate Dee Dee’s purchase of it as a living Christmas tree in December of 2020. She’d surprised me with it and had decked it out with Christmas lights and various other holiday-themed accoutrements. I was struck by my mate’s thoughtfulness and season-inspired joie de vivre, but also by the underlying, innate beauty of the little tree. And this brings up a major point in support of this article’s thematic thrust: these beautiful, incredibly long-lived evergreens, which are not at all hardy here in my spot in the Midwest, are marketed and purchased as “disposable” houseplants. They’re often treated as nothing more than throwaway holiday decorations. Which, in my opinion, is a real damned shame, considering the tree’s longevity, beauty, and ease of care.
The Norfolk Island pine’s weighty list of virtues should be reason enough for you to want to save these potted plants.
Norfolk Island Pine Highlights: Why You Should Save These Potted Plants
- Longevity. Your partner for life. (I tell mine all of my woes.)
- Easy care. Taking care of these guys is easy as pie.
- Slow growing = easy to manage. This guy ain’t gonna run you out of your house any time soon.
- Beauty. Hey, it’s a dark green, needle-leaved evergreen. What more can I tell you?
- Light it up. Mine doubles as a Christmas tree during the holidays.
- Simple to propagate through stem cuttings. Check legality first!!!
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Peace Lily: The Basics, and Notes from the Field
The Basics
Plant family – Araceae. There are around 60 different peace lily species within the Spathiphyllum genus. Life cycle and longevity – a tender perennial that can live for over 20 years with the proper care. General appearance and form – wide growth habit with multiple, densely emerging leaves and white flowers that provide striking visual contrast to, and “float” amidst and above the deep green, glossy foliage Height – 1′-4′. Spread – 2′-5′. Light – bright, indirect, partial sun to partial shade. Bloom color – white, ivory, creamy yellow. Bloom size – up to 8″ long x 4″ wide blooms on flower stalks that can be as tall as 3′ or 4′. Bloom time – most heavily from spring through late summer, but all year long in favorable growing conditions. Foliage – tender perennial, evergreen, acaulescent (like hellebores); leaves are glossy, dark green, lanceolate. Root system – rhizomatous with thin, fibrous roots that tend to grow laterally rather than deeply. Soil – acidic to slightly acidic, rich in organic material, moist but well-draining. Water – enough water to keep the soil moderately moist, but not soggy – too much water can rot this plant’s roots. Hardiness – zones 11-12. Growth rate – slow to moderate growth rate. Pollinators – bees, moths, and butterflies. Toxicity – toxic to humans and pets. Pest resistance – excellent pest resistance, but can occasionally be susceptible to spider mites and scales.
Notes from the Field
These beautiful plants are not lilies. They’re acaulescent, evergreen, tender perennials in the Araceae plant family. Their glossy green foliage and crazy-beautiful, lance-shaped white blooms create an instant tropical paradise wherever they’re growing.
Mine (I have two) are so simple to grow I’m embarrassed to even write about it. But these beauties deserve their day in the (partial) sun, so here you go: I keep mine outside from mid May through mid October where they get limited bright sun, and mostly shade. I keep their soil at slightly acidic levels and feed them monthly with an excellent organic 2-2-2 fertilizer. I water them fairly frequently in the summer (usually one good soaking per week, but up to two or three times per week as temperatures rise – the hotter, the more frequently) in order to keep their generally soil moist, but definitely not wet or soggy. Excellent drainage is critical. While they flower, they’re visited by bees, butterflies, and even moths. When their blooms are spent, I cut them off as close to the base of the plant as I can get without wrecking nearby petioles (leaf stems). This helps them to rebloom. And they don’t need giant pots. Their roots aren’t terribly deep, so an individual plant’s pot only needs to be an inch or two greater in diameter than its root ball. They handle being pot bound/root bound very well.
When they come inside in mid October, they remain exposed to bright, indirect sunlight for only part of the day. I maintain watering at about half the outdoor rate, and keep them fertilized monthly all winter. With this care regimen, my peace lilies bloom all year. Their foliage (leaves and stems) and flowers are toxic to people and pets. Don’t let Junior, Rex, or Mittens eat these!
The two peace lilies I currently grow are relatively young, but I did have one individual for nearly twenty years that was killed when a sunroom heater malfunctioned. It otherwise would have likely lived much longer, as it was healthy as hell right up until the point it that froze to death.
I’m always telling friends and relatives to save these potted plants after they’ve either purchased them, or received them as gifts, etc. I know so many people who treat these gorgeous evergreens as temporary decor, and launch them once they stop blooming (an interruption of beauty that’s entirely preventable), or otherwise get tired of looking at them or caring for them. These beautiful, long-lived tropical beauties are so easy to care for, and bring their owners so many years of no-fuss beauty, that it’s astonishing that they’re often so quickly discarded.
Peace Lily Highlights: Why You Should Save These Potted Plants
- Long-lived, evergreen beauty with paradisial white flowers.
- Easy care.
- Year-round blooming when they’re happy.
- Highly proficient pollinator attractant.
- Simple to propagate through root division. Check legality first!!!
Polka Dot Plant 'Pink Splash' (Hypoestas phyllostachya 'Pink Splash')
Polka Dot Plant 'Pink Splash': The Basics, and Notes from the Field
The Basics
Plant family – Acanthaceae. Life cycle and longevity – typically considered an annual or biennial, but I have evidence to the contary. General appearance and form – can be either bushy and “clump” formed, or leggy and vine-like, depending on pruning. Height – 12″-18″. Spread – 12″ to over 24″. Light – partial sun and/or bright, indirect sunlight. Bloom color – purple. Bloom size – 3/8″ – 3/4″ delicate, tubular blooms. Bloom time – September and October. Foliage – considered annual or biennial, but mine is over three years old and has continued to bloom and grow every year; if not pruned, the stems get long and “leggy”; leaves are green, ovate (with a moderate distal point), and dotted with pink splotches. Root system – fibrous root system that’s comparatively shallow. Soil – slightly acidic to neutral, well-draining. Water – enough water to keep soil evenly but moderately moist (I water mine once per week). Hardiness – zones 10-11. Growth rate – moderate growth rate. Pollinators – bees, butterflies, hummingbirds if kept outdoors. Toxicity – non-toxic. Pest resistance – excellent pest and disease resistance.
Notes from the Field
I can only speak from my personal experience, which is limited to growing my plant solely as an indoor houseplant, although my mother (to whom this plant originally belonged – it was a Mother’s Day gift to her from me in 2022) grew it outdoors in its pot over the summer. It came to live with me after my mom passed away in December of 2022, and I have faithfully tended it since then, just as she did. Right away, you can see that I’ve got an attachment to this little plant that transcends practicality.
But, one should save these potted plants based on practicality, as well. And how does practicality figure fit into the equation? Simple: if cared for properly, they’ll prove to be at least reasonably long-lived (mine’s over three years old and going strong), they’re beautiful, and they’re simple to care for.
My polka dot has remained happily in one spot since January of 2023, indoors, in its pot, in bright, indirect, and partial sunlight. It’s bloomed two years in a row now (beautiful little tubular purple flowers), and I understand, by way of info from an excellent source, that the plant goes dormant if the blooms are not deadheaded, although I’ve not experienced this with my plant – I’ve never deadheaded it, and it continues to grow over the winter months after flowering. In the past, my mom had pinched/pruned this little beauty in order to maintain for it an attractive mounded, “clumped” form. I’ve not once pruned or pinched it, and its stems and leaves have cascaded down over the rim of its pot and well beyond the edges of the table where it’s situated, and its stunning pink-splotched leaves, which reach literally to the floor, look dazzling in the sunlight.
I water this little guy once per week throughout the whole year, and, this past fall, have begun feeding it monthly with the same excellent organic 2-2-2 fertilizer that my peace lily gets. All good. My inherited polka dot plant, which, by the end of the summer, will be four years old, is as happy as can be, and is as beautiful as ever.
I’ll finish up these polka dot plant field notes with this extremely short story: Last spring, I was at one of the local nurseries I frequent when I saw a woman scoop up a few little polka dots (in tiny 2-1/2″ pots) from their display (they were merchandised as “Annuals,” naturally), and stash them in her shopping cart. Then she turned to the woman she was with and said, “It’s too bad they get thrown out in the fall.” I looked at the three or four doomed plants in the woman’s cart, and I pictured my mom’s (now mine) happy little polka dot, growing bigger every year, and blooming in the sun in autumn, and thought, “Bummer.”
Polka Dot Plant 'Pink Splash' Highlights: Why You Should Save These Potted Plants
- Surprisingly long-lived. Give these little guys a chance. They’ll surprise you with multiple years of beauty.
- Gorgeous foliage and beautiful, delicate little blooms.
- Ridiculously simple to care for.
- Attractive to pollinators when placed outdoors in the spring and summer.
- Simple to propagate through stem cuttings. Check legality first!!!
Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
Thanksgiving Cactus: The Basics, and Notes from the Field
The Basics
Plant family – Cactaceae. Life cycle and longevity – epiphytic, succulent; up to 100 years. General appearance and form – semi-glossy, green, serrated, flattened, segmented stems that first arch upward when the plant is young, and then cascade downward as it matures and grows larger. Height – 12″ or more. Spread – 24″ or more. Light – indirect sunlight. Bloom color – shades of pink, red, purple, yellow, orange, or white. Bloom size – 1-1/4″- 1-3/4″+ in length and in width (when fully open). Bloom time – mid November, into early winter in my hardiness zone. Foliage – rich green, succulent, flattened, segmented stems that give the appearance of leaves, but are not; the individual flattened stem segments are known as cladodes (or phylloclades), and have dentate (sharp-toothed) edges that appear as “clawed”; these segmented stems form an amazingly beautiful tumble of cascading green growth. Root system – fibrous root system; these plants are epiphytic, meaning they root on and into the tight spaces within the grooves of the trunks of large trees, so they’re happy being pot bound/root bound; they can also form very thin, hair-like aerial roots that emerge from between its stems’ individual segements. Soil – slightly acidic, very well-draining (many growers recommend using a mix specific to succulents, particularly Schlumbergera); I use a standard potting mix that’s naturally slightly acidic, somewhat rich in organic matter, and that contains perlite, which helps with drainage, as part of its composition (approximately 15%-20% by volume). Water – enough to keep soil evenly but only moderately moist; water enough to saturate the soil, and allow the top inch or so to gradually become dry before watering again; do not let the plant’s roots sit in water; I water mine once per week all through the year. Hardiness – zones 10-12. Growth rate – moderate; pruning in early spring stimulates branching, increases the fullness of the plant’s appearance, and facilitates future bud formation. Pollinators – N/A (mine is never outdoors). Toxicity – non-toxic. Pest resistance – excellent pest and disease resistance.
Notes from the Field
This beautiful, exceptionally long-lived plant easily earns “Member of the Family” designation in my house. It’s got the ability to outlive most human beings, and will certainly be available to any interested takers from my roster of heirs once I’m in the ground. It’s beautiful and undemanding, and when it blooms, it looks almost otherworldly.
Mine stays indoors year round, and is kept in moderately bright indirect light, several feet from sets of north and west-facing windows. I water it once per week, and fertilize it once per month with an excellent organic 1-2-2 liquid succulent fertilizer. When I do water it, I soak the hell out of it, but I let the soil gradually dry for one week before soaking it again. my Thanksgiving cactus’ roots never stew in standing water or muck. The key to this watering schedule’s effectiveness is my Thanksgiving catus’ incredibly well-draining soil (and ample drain holes in the bottom of its pot). And speaking of pots, since these plants literally grow in the nooks and crannies of vertical tree trunks (of the rainforests of southeastern Brazil), they clearly don’t require much legroom for their roots. In fact, spacious containers loaded with expanses of soil do not make these plants happy. They prefer tight quarters – they’re much happier and healthier when they’re root bound/pot bound. And, one more thing concerning pots: Thanksgiving cacti look great in the kind that you hang from a hook on the ceiling. Just sayin’.
Thanksgiving cacti get their common name as a result of their flowering habits. They flower right around the holidays, starting before Thanksgiving, and continuing for five to eight weeks. And the presence of those flowers on those pretty cascading stems are probably the single biggest reason that consumers end up nabbing them in the first place. I’ll get to the whole “I’m now buying a Thanksgiving cactus because of its flowers and then I’ll be shit-canning it when it stops flowering” phenomenon in a second. While we’re on the topic of T.C. flowers, I want to mention a few things that I’ve gotta do (and sometimes don’t) to the those flowers, the stems they grow on, and the plants themselves to keep my Thanksgiving cactus looking like an all-star.
- Deadhead spent flowers. That keeps the plant’s energy directed to new, healthy stem growth.
- Prune the stems. In spring, when my T.C. starts revving up for some good growth, I’ll prune off the top single cladodes on each relevant stem. If stems have started to branch into two cladodes, I leave them alone. If I see a stem thst’s just made up of segments of one single cladode after another, I’ll snip off that top cladode. This encourages branching, and ultimately leads to a bushier, healthier cactus with more future flowers.
- Keep the plant in total darkness for 14 to 16 hours straight to promote budding and blooming. For a T.C. to bud and bloom, it needs 14 to 16 hours of uninterrupted darkness every day for four to eight weeks before its normal anticipated bloom time. These plants are very sensitive to the shortening days and cooling temperatures of the approaching late fall and winter. They set their biological clocks by these changes in light levels and temperatures. A lot of times, simply being subjected to the general artificial lighting in a home – overhead lights, desk lamps, even television screens – is enough to disrupt these natural light and temperature signals and cause the plant to not set buds. And that means no flowers for the holidays. This past year, I neglected to provide my little guy with this requisite darkness, and it gave me zero flowers for my trouble. So, sports fans, for the sake of a remarkable holiday flowering display, cloak your Thanksgiving cacti in darkness. If you don’t have a specific location in your digs that will fit the total darkness bill for the necessary number of hours, you can leave your T.C. in its current spot and cover it in a burlap sack (you can double it if the weave lets light through) for the necessary hours.
Ok. Back to the tragedy of the retail Thanksgiving cactus mill phenomenon. Retailers put these plants on display just as they’re starting to do their best flowering. And these retailers know that, since it’s the holiday season, shoppers are in a spending mood. The plants are merchandised perfectly – holiday-themed names and pretty flowers speak volumes – and shoppers make a run on them. Unfortunately, way more often than not, Susie Shopper isn’t one bit interested in the plant she just bought beyond its ability to put up some pretty flowers for the holidays. She doesn’t know of the plant’s capabilities or its longevity, and she doesn’t care. All she knows is that it looks pretty. For now. And she’s pretty sure that once it stops looking good – after its flowers fall off – she ain’t gonna be keeping it around. And just like that, a lovely low-maintenance little plant that’s evolved to overcome extreme environmental challenges and flourish in a forbidding world of arboreal giants, and that’s got a century or more of life encrypted in its DNA, has its fate sealed and is sentenced to an untimely, obscure death in Susie Shopper’s trash can. Man, it just shouldn’t have to end like that. I’m dead serious.
Holiday Cacti: There's One for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter
Although they all are often lumped together under the name “Holiday cactus,” there are actually three different species of Schlumbergera that make up this group. Our Thanksgiving cactus, Schlumbergera truncata, the Christmas cactus, Sclumbergera x buckleyi, and the Easter cactus, Schlumbergera gaertneri (alt., Hatiora gaertneri, or Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri). They differ from each other by virtue of the appearance of their respective cladodes (stem segments), and by their respective flowering times. Our Thanksgiving cactus has dentate, “clawed” (usually 2 to six pairs of “claws” per stem segment) segments, and it flowers right around the time of the Thanksgiving holiday. The Christmas cactus has smooth, elongated cladodes with only mildly dentate – more scalloped, actually – edges. These lack the sharp dentate, clawed appearance of those of the Thanksgiving cactus. And, as its name suggests, the Christmas cactus flowers around the Christmas holiday, later than the Thanksgiving cactus. The Easter cactus has rounded, smooth-edged (not at all dentate) succulent cladodes, and it flowers around the time of the Easter holiday, much later than the Thanksiving and Christmas cacti.
Got all that?
Ok. Holiday cacti crash course complete.
Thanksgiving Cactus Highlights: Why You Should Save These Potted Plants
- Longevity. Assuming they’re up to the task, your grandkids will be taking care of your Thanksgiving cactus long after you’re pushing up daisies.
- Ease of care. You have to do practically nothing in order to keep these little succulents happy, healthy, and beautiful.
- Stunning flowers bloom throughout the holidays. How great is that?
- Hang ’em high! Their stems and flowers look great cascading down from a hanging basket – it’s an awesome look.
- Simple to propagate through stem segment cuttings. Check legality first!!!
Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata)
Dragon Tree: The Basics, and Notes from the Field
The Basics
Plant family – Asparagaceae. Life cycle and longevity – perennial; can live for more than a century (multiple centuries?) outdoors in its natural environment; my oldest dragon tree is 26 years old. General appearance and form – graceful, slender trunks topped with tufts of long, green, narrow, blade-like leaves that can be over 2′ in length. Height – 20′ or more outdoors, but can be kept much shorter indoors. Spread – 2′ to 10′ or more. Light – partial shade to partial sun outdoors, moderate to bright indirect light indoors. Bloom color – this plant does bloom in the spring when grown outdoors year-round (I witnessed one blooming while vacationing in South Florida some years back); clusters of small, white flowers. Bloom size – very small, and in clusters. Bloom time – mid spring in zone 11. Foliage – perennial, evergreen, long, narrow, blade-like and without a leaf stem/stalk. Root system – comparatively shallow, thick, fleshy, clump-like with many small fibrous roots growing laterally. Soil – acidic, slightly acidic, neutral. Hardiness – zones 10-12. Growth rate – slow. Pollinators – bees, butterflies. Toxicity – non-toxic to humans, but can be toxic to pets – particularly cats. Pest resistance – excellent pest resistance in my experience.
Notes from the Field
Dragon trees are extremely popular houseplants. The species most commonly found growing in pots in homes and offices all around the world is Dracaena marginata. This plant’s slow growth habit, fascinating, graceful, tropical form, and amazing adaptability, toughness, and longevity make it a hit with houseplant lovers and interior designers and decoraters alike.
And these are probably the easiest plants in the world to grow and care for. Keep them happy by watering them regularly (although they’re incredibly drought-tolerant), giving them some food now and then, and placing them in partial sun or partial shade. There’s not much else that needs to be done to these awesome trees to ensure their continued health and happiness.
I’ve got four of them (I’ve had the oldest and biggest one for twenty-six years). They are all incredibly healthy and show no signs whatsoever of slowing down. Here’s a short description of how I care for them:
All of them grow outdoors (one in full sun, the rest in partial sun/partial shade) from mid May through mid October. I water them heavily up to three times per week in hot weather, and less frequently in cooler weather. I fertilize them with a high-quality organic 4-1-5 granular food once in mid May and again in mid August. Spent leaves either fall from the trunks of the plants on their own, or are simply and easily pulled off.
When they come indoors for the winter, they receive consistent bright/moderate indirect light. I water them once per week and in lesser volume than as I do in the summer. I suggest not letting Kitty ingest any part of this plant, as it can be toxic to cats.
And that’s it.
Unfortunately, it’s a combination of their striking tropical appearance, utter simplicity of their care, and the almost complete lack of attention they require that often leads to their demise at the hands of domicile-dwellers or interior design professionals. These long-lived, graceful beauties end up being recognized as decor, rather than as living, breathing organisms. They’re easy to ignore because they don’t ask for much and they don’t complain, and once their “look” no longer “works” for a particular room in the house, they get pitched. Throughout my former career as a real estate investor and developer, I’ve seen it happen a million times. A condo gets remodeled, and the dragon tree ends up in the dumpster right along with the old kitchen cabinets and toilets. A plant that can deliver a lifetime of beauty in such undemanding fashion deserves better. I guess it makes me a little sad (and a lot puzzled) to think that so many of their purchasers and owners don’t feel obliged to save these potted plants in the face of design or decor changes to their respective living spaces.
Dragon Tree Highlights: Why You Should Save These Potted Plants
- Longevity. Another one that will grow up with your kids and grandkids.
- Beauty. Slender, graceful trunks and tufts of lush green foliage turn any indoor or outdoor area into a tropical oasis.
- Ease of care. Nothing’s simpler. Total no-brainer.
- Simple to propagate through stem cuttings. Check legality first!!!
Product Recs: Here Are the Goods to Help You Save These Potted Plants
Ok, gang, now that you’ve read about all eight of them, and now that you know why I believe with all my heart that you should save these potted plants, I’m going to lay eight great product recs on you that will help you help any one of these fabulous potted plants to be even more fabulous. Below are the six excellent plant foods I referenced in the sections above, plus a handy, accurate, and easy to use little device that’ll help you keep an eye on the condition of the soil in your plants’ pots, and finally, the best indoor grow light I’ve ever owned. I use each and every one of these products, and I am proud to recommend all of them. Here you go…
Espoma Organic Plant-tone. I am a huge fan of Espoma’s line of organic fertilizers. Plant-tone is the one I use for the majority of the plants in my garden. It’s got an N-P-K ratio of 5-3-3 and is a great all-purpose organic fertilizer. It works perfectly for an incredibly wide variety of ornamental plants, including my potted Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender‘. Again, Espoma Organic Plant-tone is the food that a huge number of my plants get. They love it, and it shows. You can order this product here, directly from Amazon, by clicking the #advertisement link.
Espoma Organic Palm-tone. Plants need to eat, including all of those featured here in the “Houseplants, Succulents, and Tropicals” image gallery. And, as far as almost every single one of my potted tropical plants is concerned, Espoma Organic Palm-tone is my hands-down choice. This fabulous organic 4-1-5 fertilizer is formulated especially for tropical plants like palms, cycads, tropical hibiscus, bougainvilleas, and more. The nutrient formulation of this food, coupled with the beneficial microbe colonies in its Bio-Tone component, ensures that my tropical plants are robust, bushy, and, in the case of my flowering tropicals, covered in huge, vivid blooms. This is the stuff right here. Click the #advertisement link to learn more, or to order right here, directly from Amazon.
Espoma Organic Flower-tone. This fabulous offering from Espoma’s family of organic plant foods is an absolutely perfect product for intensely flowering plants that like a slightly higher percentage of potassium and phosphorous in their food with respect to its nitrogen content, like my tropical mandevilla vines, and my extremely hardy flowering quince bush. Espoma Organic Flower-tone fits the bill perfectly with its N-P-K ratio of 3-4-5 and the sizeable colonies of beneficial microbes included in its Bio-Tone component. It does work wonders on my mandevillas and my flowering quince, but you can use this amazing stuff successfully on all sorts of flowering plants, bushes, and trees. To learn more about Espoma Organic Flower-tone, or to order it right here, directly from Amazon, please click the #advertisement link.
Espoma Organic Holly-tone. Espoma Organic Holly-tone is an unparalleled food for acid-loving plants and evergreens. It’s an organic formulation with an N-P-K of 4-3-4, a multitude of beneficial microbes, and a respectable amount of sulfur (5%, in elemental sulfur form) on tap for performing its own bit of soil acidifying. As a stand-alone product, there is, in my own experience, simply not a better fertilizer for rhododendrons, azaleas, pieris, hollies, and other acid-loving evergreen bushes. It’s also what I feed my potted Norfolk Island pine tree. Click the #advertisement link to learn more, or to order it here, directly from Amazon.
Espoma Organic Cactus! An organic liquid fertilizer from Espoma that’s formulated with an N-P-K ratio of 1-2-2, Cactus! is what I use to feed my Thanksgiving cactus and all of my potted succulents. It can be administered year-round at two or four-week intervals, and its benefits are very quickly noticeable. My plants have benefitted enormously from the application of this excellent product. Please click the #advertisement link to learn more, or to order this excellent organic product right here, directly from Amazon.
Espoma Organic Indoor! Espoma Organic Indoor! Is a remarkable organic liquid plant food with a balanced N-P-K ratio of 2-2-2, which is the perfect formulation for most indoor and tropical houseplants. It’s immediately assimilable by plants, so it starts feeding them right away. And the effects of all this good eating are realized just as quickly, and noticeable almost immediately. This remarkable product also contains substantial colonies of five different species of beneficial microbe. This stuff is the goods. It’s what I feed my peace lilies and my polka dot plant. To learn more about this excellent product, or to order it right here, directly from Amazon, please click the #advertisement link.
Luster Leaf Rapitest 4-way Soil Analyzer. I bought this Luster Leaf Rapitest 4-way soil analysis meter in February of 2022 and have used it successfully time and time again since then to test for soil fertility and pH levels. It also measures sunlight and soil moisture levels. It’s fast, easy to use, convenient, and accurate. By using this device, I’ve been able to determine the necessity of appropriate fertilizer applications and pH amending to the soil of a large number of the plants in my garden. Order it here, directly from Amazon, by clicking the #advertisement link. Note that this unit doesn’t test for iron levels in soil. Also note that I really love this little meter!
The Lxyoug fully adjustable, full spectrum LED grow light has proven to be THE miracle cure for all of my tropical plants suffering from plant relocation shock, and the perfect grow light for maintaining the overall health, happiness, and well-being of all of my plants that spend the cold parts of the year indoors. Its flexibility, capability, convenience, and proven effectiveness make this grow light an absolute must-have. It has definitely shown itself to be the effective solution that I’d hoped for. I simply can’t say enough about the effectiveness of this product, and I am pleased to wholeheartedly recommend it. Please click the #advertisement link to learn more, or to order it here, directly from Amazon.
Ready to Save These Potted Plants? You Bet!
Alright, gang, now each of you are good to go on your own mission to save these potted plants. Whether it’s one of them, some of them, or all eight of them that you end up taking home and loving, you’re all set. You know the fundamentals of each one, and you know how I take care of mine and what I use to do it. And you know that my motivation for never pitching any of them while they’re still alive and breathing is based not just on sentimentality, but also on a good healthy dose of practicality: they’re all beautiful, they’re all simple to care for, and they’ll all stay that way for a long, long time.
Thanks for sticking this one out. As always, your kind interest and readership are dearly appreciated.
Cheers, and Happy Gardening!
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Amazing article, so much information!!!!
Now I may be able to grow some plants 🪴
Oh my gosh, Roxxy – that’s wonderful1 Please do grow some plants! You will love them, for sure. And, I guarantee that they will love you right back! Thank you so much for your kind words, and for reading the article, Roxxy. I really appreciate it. And, I wish you luck with your new hobby – now get going and start growing!!!
Hi, John.
Sorry about the book.
Give me your address, and I’ll send you one.
Loretta
Thank you, Loretta. I’m looking forward to reading it.
I also cannot bear to let go of plants. I try to save the last struggling bits and bring them back to health, no matter how hopeless things look. I’m saving this article for reference! So much helpful information!
I’m glad you’re finding it useful, Lisa – thanks for having a read of it – much appreciated! And I’m glad I’m not the only one… It’s so gratifying helping these amazing organisms live the lives nature has meant for them to live, isn’t it? There are so, so many container plants that have the potential for decades of beauty in their DNA. I wish I could prevent the sad fate that awaits such a huge number of them. Yes, ma’am, Lisa, I’m really happy we’re on the same page – thanks again!
Great article with a lot of excellent information. It’s amazing that you can grow “patio plants” inside during winter. I know that through the years, I never saved them. Now you have me thinking about spring!
Thanks for reading the article, Kevin. Glad you enjoyed it. It’s really surprising how many incredibly long-lived tender perennials are marketed by growers and retailers as “annuals” or “patio plants,” then are purchased and prematurely discarded by purchasers. It always pays to research what you’re buying. All of the plants referenced in this article, plus thousands more, are capable of providing years and years of beauty and enjoyment. Thanks again, Kevin. And thank you for commenting.
We are a “throw everything away” society. Great insights into sustaining wonderful plants. Many thanks.
Yep. I completely agree. The value of a particular object is so often assigned based on the most arbitrary and ill-considered criteria. Sad. Thanks for reading the article, Rick. And thank you for your insight. Your assessment is right on the money.