Houseplant FAQ

Start with these nearly indestructible plants:

• Pothos — Tolerates neglect, low light OK
• Snake Plant — Thrives on neglect
• ZZ Plant — Virtually unkillable
• Spider Plant — Pet-safe and easy
• Peace Lily — Tells you when it's thirsty

Hacer nuestro quiz → to find your perfect starter plant.

These popular plants are pet-safe:

• Spider Plant — Completely safe
• Boston Fern — Non-toxic and beautiful
• Calathea — Safe with stunning leaves
• Parlor Palm — Elegant and safe
• Peperomia — Compact and pet-friendly

⚠️ Toxic to pets: Pothos, Philodendron, Monstera, Peace Lily, Snake Plant

Browse all pet-safe plants →

These plants thrive in low light conditions:

• Snake Plant — Handles almost no light
• ZZ Plant — Perfect for dark corners
• Pothos — Adapts to any light
• Peace Lily — Blooms in low light
• Chinese Evergreen — Gorgeous in shade

Browse all low light plants →

It varies by plant type:

• Succulents/Cacti: Every 2-3 weeks, let dry completely
• Tropical plants: Weekly, when top inch is dry
• Ferns: Keep consistently moist, never soggy
• Snake/ZZ plants: Every 2-3 weeks, drought tolerant

Pro tip: Stick your finger 1-2 inches into the soil. If dry, water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom. If moist, wait a few more days.

Misting provides only temporary humidity. For humidity-loving plants like Calathea, Ferns, and tropical plants, better options include:

• Use a humidifier (most effective)
• Create a pebble tray with water under the pot
• Group plants together to create a humid microclimate
• Place plants in naturally humid rooms like bathrooms

Misting can help clean dusty leaves and is enjoyed by some plants, but it's not a humidity solution.

Signs it's time to repot:

• Roots growing out of drainage holes
• Roots circling the pot bottom (pot-bound)
• Water runs straight through without absorbing
• Plant growth has slowed significantly
• Soil dries out very quickly

Best practices: Repot in spring. Go up only 1-2 inches in pot size. Use fresh, well-draining soil. Most plants need repotting every 1-2 years.

Yellow leaves can indicate several issues:

• Overwatering — Most common cause. Check if soil is soggy.
• Underwatering — Soil completely dry? Water more often.
• Insufficient light — Move closer to a window.
• Natural aging — Lower leaves yellow naturally. Remove them.
• Nutrient deficiency — Try a balanced fertilizer.

Check soil moisture first — watering issues are the most common culprit!

Brown leaf tips are usually caused by:

• Low humidity — Increase humidity with a humidifier or pebble tray
• Underwatering — Water more consistently
• Tap water minerals — Use filtered or distilled water
• Over-fertilizing — Flush soil with water

Brown tips can be trimmed with clean scissors. Cut just before the brown, following the leaf's natural shape.

Signs your plant needs more light:

• Leggy growth — Long, stretched stems reaching toward light
• Smaller leaves — New leaves are smaller than old ones
• Slow/no growth — Plant seems dormant even in growing season
• Loss of variegation — Variegated plants turn solid green
• Leaning — Plant leans toward the light source

Move it closer to a window or consider a grow light for very dark spaces.

Leaf drop can be caused by:

• Acclimation stress — New plants often drop leaves while adjusting. Give it time!
• Overwatering — Check soil moisture and drainage
• Temperature/draft shock — Avoid cold drafts and heating vents
• Moving the plant — Some plants hate being moved (looking at you, Fiddle Leaf Fig)
• Pest infestation — Check undersides of leaves for bugs

Common propagation methods:

• Water propagation: Cut stem below a node, place in water until roots appear (Pothos, Philodendron, Monstera)
• Leaf cuttings: Lay a leaf on soil, wait for babies (Succulents)
• Division: Separate root clumps into individual plants (Snake Plant, ZZ Plant)
• Plantlets: Pot up baby plants that form naturally (Spider Plant)

Spring and summer are the best times to propagate when plants are actively growing.

NASA's Clean Air Study identified these top air purifiers:

• Snake Plant — Produces oxygen at night
• Pothos — Removes formaldehyde
• Peace Lily — Removes multiple toxins
• Spider Plant — Excellent air purifier
• Dracaena — Removes benzene & trichloroethylene

For noticeable air purification, you'd need multiple plants. But every plant helps!