Winter Houseplant Haul
There’s nothing better than a winter houseplant sale to help liven up a room during the gloomiest time of the year. Cranbrook House and Gardens recently held their annual winter houseplant sale, and I was lucky enough to bring home 3 new plants!
Recently, I’ve been working on transforming my bookshelf into a plant wall, or #plantshelfie, if you will. I want an assortment of trailing plants for the top shelves, which is why I chose the plants featured here; each has foliage and tendrils that hang beautifully from a pot.
From the plant sale, I purchased a Purple heart, Monstera adansonii, a Pincushion peperomia, and a surprise plant, which I’ll reveal soon! I was gifted a string of dolphins succulent from my mom the next day, so I’m including it in my winter houseplant haul.
Purple Heart, Tradescantia Pallida
This plant prefers bright, indirect sunlight, and can withstand only 2 hours of direct (afternoon) sun. Tradescantias are very thirsty plants, so be sure to water once a week, or until top 1" layer of soil is dry to the touch.
I was blessed with a bloom in February! (?)
Purple hearts grow quickly, their stems can grow up to two feet, making them a great candidate for a hanging planter. For a bushier plant, pinch off the growing tips.
- Blooms small, three-petaled flowers in spring and summer.
- Wonderful air cleaner, helps remove VOCs from the air.
- Toxic, keep away from furry friends.
Fun fact: sunlight brings out the purple color in the leaves, low light will result in more green foliage
Pin Cushion Peperomia, Peperomia Ferreyrae
This plant looks like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss book! The Pin cushion peperomia plant is also known as Peperomia Ferreyrae, The happy bean plant, and The green beans plant. Which makes sense because their foliage resemble tiny clusters of green beans!
This funky plant is native to Peru! Like most indoor plants, it prefers bright, indirect sunlight and well draining soil.
If you’re one to forget to water your plants, this one might be for you. Pincushion peperomias do not like to be overwatered. They are sensitive and have trouble bouncing back from an overwatering. This is due to their foliage retaining a lot of water. Only water when the soil is completely dry. Use the 1” rule, chopsticks, or a soil moisture meter to determine the level of dryness before watering. When in doubt, wait a few days.
- Roots grow slowly, repot only if root-bound.
- Can grow up to 3’ trailing.
Fun fact: The Pincushion peperomia is actually a type of succulent!
Swiss Cheese Plant, Monstera Adansonii
Wildly known as the Swiss cheese plant, the Monstera Adansonii is a smaller version of its monstera cousin, but can grow up to 13’ as a vine! The leaves are heart shaped and have beautiful fenestrations throughout.
This tropical plant needs a somewhat jungle-like habitat, and thus, requires adequate soil moisture and humidity. Regular water sprayings, pebble trays, and humidifiers are all great ways to provide this plant with extra humidity.
Monsteras prefer bright, indirect sunlight, but can still survive in partial sunlight. They grow fairly quickly in the right conditions, and love to climb if given the support. Add a stake to the planter and it will grow vertically!
To keep this plant happy and hydrated, add peat moss to the soil mixture. Peat moss helps to regulate and retain soil moisture. When watering, allow water to drain out of the bottom of the pot before placing it back in its pot.
- Toxic to animals
Fun fact: the holes in the monstera leaves help the plant capture sunlight and filter strong winds!
String of Dolphins
Hybrid of the famous String of pearls plant, this rare succulent is known for its tendrils of dolphin shaped leaves.
String of dolphins prefer bright light, at least 6 hours. A south-facing window is the perfect placement for a Dolphin plant. Since this plant is a succulent, waterings should be limited, as the leaves retain a lot of water already. Allow the soil to dry out completely before watering.
Succulents have different soil requirements than other houseplants. A mixture of cactus/succulent soil, perlite, and sand or rocks, is a great mixture. The goal is to create a wall aerated, well-draining soil. Always use a pot with a drainage hole.
- String of dolphins can withstand temperatures as low as 40 degrees, making it a great windowsill plant (even in the winter!).
- This plant is toxic to animals
- Surprisingly, this plant prefers to be root-bound, it actually helps encourage new growth!
Want one for yourself? You can buy String of Dolphins from Succulents Box here! They have various plant sizes and pot options to choose from.
Fun fact: this succulent is native to southwest Africa
