Light and Moisture Requirements For Selected Indoor Plants

The following list includes most of the indoor plants that you will be growing. This list contains information on how large the plant will get at maturity, which light level is best for good growth, how much you should be feeding your indoor plants and how much water is required for healthy growth. The list gives the scientific name and, in parenthesis, the common name. Always try to remember a plant by its scientific name, because some plants have many common names but only one scientific name.

The following descriptions define the terms used in the following material.

Light Levels

Low - Minimum high level of 25-foot candles, preferred level of 75- to 200-foot candles.

Medium - Minimum of 75- to 100-foot candles, preferred level of 200- to 500-foot candles.

High - Minimum of 200-foot candles, preferred level of 500- to 1,000-foot candles.

Very High - Minimum of 1,000-foot candles, preferred level of over 1,000-foot candles.

Water Requirements

Dry - Does not need very much water and can stand low humidity.

Moist - Requires a moderate amount of water and loves some humidity in the atmosphere.

Wet -- Usually requires more water than other plants and must have high humidity in its surroundings.

Fertility

General Rule - One teaspoon soluble house plant fertilizer per gallon of water or follow recommendations on package.

Low - No application in winter or during dormant periods.

Medium - Apply every other month during winter and every month during spring and summer.

High - Apply every month during winter and twice each month during the spring and summer.

MATURE LIGHT WATER NAME FERTILITY SIZE LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

Aechmea fasciata pot plant medium medium moist (Bromeliad) Aeschynanthus- species pot, basket medium low moist (Lipstick Fine) Aglaonema commutatum pot plant low medium moist (Chinese evergreen) Aglaonema "Pseudobracteatum" pot plant low medium moist (Golden Aglaonema) Aglaonema roebelinii pot plant low medium moist (Pewter Plant) Aloe variegata pot plant very high low dry Aphelandra squarrosa (Zebra Plant) pot plant medium medium moist Araucaria excelsa tree, floor, high medium moist (Norfolk Island Pine) pot plant Asparagus sprengeri pot plant, medium high moist (Asparagus Fern) basket Aspidistra elatior pot plant low medium moist (Cast-Iron Plant) Begonias, other than pot plant, very high high moist metallica and rex basket Brassaia actinophylla tree, floor medium high dry (Schefflera) pot plant Bromeliads (many species) pot plant medium low moist Cactus (many species) pot plant very high low dry Calathea (many species) pot plant medium medium moist Chamaedorea elegans floor, pot low medium moist (Neanthe Bella Palm) plant Chamaedorea erumpens tree, floor low medium moist (Bamboo Palm) pot plant Chamerops humilis tree, floor high medium moist (European Fan Palm) plant Chlorophytum elatum pot, basket high medium moist (Spider Plant) Cissus antarctica pot plant, medium- high moist (Kangaroo Vine) basket high Cissus rhombifolia pot plant, medium medium dry (Grape Ivy) basket Citrus mitis medium- pot plant high dry (Calamondin) high Codiaeum species medium- pot plant very high dry (Croton) hgih pot plant, Coleus blumei very high high wet basket pot plant, medium- Columnea species medium moist basket high Crassula argentea high pot plant very dry (Jade Plant) medium Dieffenbachia amonena floor, pot medium medium dry (Dumb Cane) plant Dieffenbachia "Exotica" pot plant medium medium dry (Dumb Cane) Dizygotheca elegantissima floor, pot high medium moist (Spider Aralia) plant Dracaena deremensis floor, pot medium medium moist (Green Dracena) plant Dracaena dermensis "Warneckei" pot plant medium medium moist (White Striped Dracaena) Dracaena fragrans floor, pot massangeana low medium moist plant (Corn Plant) Dracaena marginata tree, floor medium medium moist (Dragon Tree) plant medium- Dracaena godseffiana pot plant, very high moist high Episcia species pot plant, medium- very high moist (Flame Violet) basket high Eriobotrya japonica tree high medium moist (Japanese Loquat) floor, pot medium- Fatsia japonica (Japanese Aralia) medium moist plant high Fatshedera lizei floor, pot medium- mediumt moist (Tree Ivy) plant high Ficus benjamina "exotica" tree medium medium moist (Weeping Java Fig) Ficus elastica "Decora" tree, florr, medium medium moist (Rubber Plant) pot plant Ficus lyrata tree, floor medium medium moist (Fiddle Leaf fig) plant Hedera helix pot, basket high medium moist (English Ivy) Howea forsteriana tree, floor low medium moist (Kentia Palm) plant Ficus philippinensis tree, floor medium medium moist (Philippine Fig) plant Ficus retusa nitida tree medium medium moisti (India Laurel) Gynura species pot, basket medium medium moist (Purple Passion Plant) Hoya carnosa pot plant, medium low dry (Wax Plant) basket Ligustrum lucidum tree, floor medium medium dry (Wax Leaf Privet) plant Maranta leuconeura pot plant, medium medium moist (Prayer Plant) basket Monstera deliciosa pot, floor medium medium moist (Split Leaf Philodendron) plant Nephrolepis exaltata bostoniensis) pot plant medium medium moist (Boston Fern) Orchids (many species) pot plant very high medium moist/dry Pandanus veitchii pot, floor medium medium moist (Screw Pine) plant Pelargonium species pot plant, very high high dry (Geranium) basket Peperomia carperata pot plant, low medium dry (Emerald Ripple) basket pot plant, Peperomia (many specimens) low medium dry( basket Philodendron hybrida floor, pot medium medium moist (Self-Heading Philodendron) plant Philodendron oxycardium pot plant, low medium dry (Heartleaf Philodendron) basket Phoenix roebelenii floor, pot medium medium wet (Dwarf Date Palm) plant Pilea species (Aluminum and plant pot high high moist Artiller Plant, etc.) Pittosporum tobira floor, pot high medium dry (Mock Orange) plant Plectranus species pot plant high high moist (Swedish Ivy, etc.) Pleomele reflexa floor plant medium medium wet (Green Pleomele) Podocarpus macrophylla tree, floor, high medium moist "Maki" (Podocarpus) pot plant Polyscias guilfoylei floor, pot medium medium moist (Parlsey Aralia) plant Rhaphidophora pot plant, low medium moist (Pothos - Devil's Ivy) basket Rhapis excelsa tree, floor medium medium wet (Lady Palm) plant Saintpaulia species pot plant (African Violets) Sansevieria species (Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law's pot, floor low low moist Tongue) Sinningia species medium- pot plant very high moist (Gloxinia) high Spathiphyllum clevelandii pot plant medium medium dry "Mauna Loa" Syngonium podophyllus pot plant, low medium moist (Nephthytis) basket Tradescantia species pot plant, medium medium moist (Wandering Jew) basket Zygocactus truncactus pot plant, high medium moist/dry (Christmas Cactus) basket