Growing the stromanthe triostar plant

stromanthe

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

What is the difference between scindapsus and pothos?

Scindapsus leaf

After years of wishlisting it, I finally treated myself to a scindapsus pictus plant from Hirt’s Gardens. I’m pleased to report that she’s even more beautiful in person! I love an easy-care vining plant, which is why pothos plants are some of my favorite plants to have around the house. Colloquially, scindapsus plants are often … Read more

Planting on a budget: Gardening supplies from Dollar Tree

As I was growing up, my mom would take us to a massive Dollar Tree in our East Side San Jose neighborhood every Friday afternoon. When we were feeling a little ritzy, we’d hit up the Ross Dress For Less or Target across the street. But Dollar Tree was really our main spot. I’d get … Read more

3 easy plants for beginners

Dracaena on macrame

My very first plant was a bird’s nest fern, which is supposedly one of the easier houseplants out there. I beg to differ, however, after killing two in my day! Beautiful yet so incorrigibly finicky, ferns and calatheas are my sworn frenemies. As I’ve started collecting more plants, I realized that I didn’t have to … Read more

Plant haul: Hirt’s Garden + Grocery Outlet

Plant Haul

Oh, plant friends. My insatiable love for plants has been thoroughly satiated, suffice to say. It started with a few clicks online on the Hirt’s Garden site and ended with me jogging out of Grocery Outlet with an armful of Halo Top and new plants. I’ve got it bad for plant deals, what can I … Read more

Weekend Update: 8/29

Y’all, I have gone three weeks without acquiring new plants. Congratulations to me! I’m sure this will change once autumn makes my home more suitable to indoor plants, but for now, I’m appreciating any plant that’s displaying steady growth. Especially the big ones, like my monstera, philodendron ring of fire, and variegated rubber plant! I’ve … Read more

A Short and Simple Guide to Money Trees

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

Weekend Update: 8/15

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

A Short and Simple Guide to ZZ Plants

The ZZ plant is nothing to yawn at! Dubbed the “unkillable houseplant,” zamioculcas zamiifolia makes for an agreeable and low-key addition to any plant collection. Its beautiful foliage almost looks plastic, coming with a dark green glossy finish. But despite growing relatively slowly, the ZZ is much more rewarding than a fake plant (in my … Read more

A Short and Simple Guide to Dracaena

dracaena

An Introduction to Dracaenas I first got the impulse to buy a dracaena after watching Netflix’s Tuca and Bertie, which features these too-cool-for-school teenage plant heads, one specifically named Draca. Draca is, in my mind, a dracaena, which too is effortlessly cool and trendy. In fact, the last time I checked, I had five dracaenas!  … Read more