COLUMNIST: jordan TRAINER
Origins: South Africa, Swaziland, and ZimbabweCare Level: Easy (good for beginners)Toxic: Non-toxic to humans and animalsProblems: Does not like to be over-watered, and can be prone to root rot
This hardy houseplant has very pretty heart-shaped foliage, hence the name! It’s a trailing plant and can easily grow up to one metre long. It looks great on a high shelf or window ledge where it can cascade down.
It does best in bright, indirect light but can tolerate full sun in my experience and likes to dry out. I only water this plant when the soil is dry, which is typically every three weeks in winter and two weeks in spring/summer/autumn months.
It can be easily pruned with scissors and can be re-potted every couple of years using a cactus and succulent potting mix which has added perlite, sand, and grit for increased drainage and doesn’t hold onto too much moisture.
Origins: Japan and TaiwanCare Level: EasyToxic: Non-toxic to humans and animalsProblems: Does not like to be over-watered, and can be prone to root rot
As the name suggests, this plant is known for its toughness and was a popular plant in Victorian times when pollution and air-quality was bad. It has long, dark green, strap-like foliage.
It is a perfect plant for shade or somewhere that doesn’t get much direct sun. Where other plants fail, the Cast Iron will grow and thrive in these areas of your home. It has great air-purifying properties, making it a great plant for a bedroom or living room area.
I always water this plant when the soil starts to dry out, which is typically every two weeks. Although it is very slow growing, it can be re-potted every few years, using a well draining tropical houseplant mix. You can make your own mix using 70% coco coir and 30% perlite for a general purpose mix.
For monthly maintenance, I would clean the foliage with a damp cloth or banana skin to remove dust build-up and to keep the leaves looking shiny. You can feed this plant once or twice a year using a general indoor plant food. This will help to stop signs of yellowing leaves and keep your Cast Iron looking in tip top condition all year round.
Origins: BrazilCare Level: MediumToxic: Non-toxic to humans and animalsProblems: Does not like to be over-watered, and can be prone to root rot
This striking plant is admired for its unique, peacock feather-like patterns on its foliage. It really adds tropical flare to any indoor space and I’ve found it is relatively easy to grow compared to other Calathea types out there.
It does best in bright, indirect light which means anywhere that the sun doesn’t shine on directly but is still bright. Direct sun can easily burn the leaves and cause them to curl up and wither.
I tend to water this plant every 7-14 days or when the soil starts to dry at the top. Although this variety of Calathea is ideal for dry, warm rooms it will benefit from some extra humidity. You can re-pot Calathea every 2-3 years using a good tropical houseplant soil. Anything with added perlite, bark, and coco coir is ideal and it only needs a container the next size up from what it is currently in.
Origins: MexicoCare Level: EasyToxic: Mildly toxic, be careful around petsProblems: Does not like to be over-watered, and can be prone to root rot
Yucca elephantipes is easily recognised by its thick, woody trunk and striking, pointy sword-shaped green leaves. It is a great architectural plant and comes in multiple sizes, from a single potted trunk to large floor plants around 6-8ft tall with multiple trunks in one pot.
It is a pretty versatile plant and can tolerate bright, indirect light, partial shade, and some direct sun in my experience of growing it. I make sure to let the soil dry out in between waterings, which is typically every couple of weeks. It will tolerate cold and warm rooms, drafts and heat pretty well, and doesn’t need much maintenance other than the occasional feed and cleaning of the foliage with a damp cloth to get rid of excess dust.
It can be re-potted once the roots are coming out the base of the pot and any houseplant soil with added drainage such as perlite is the ideal mix. It is a great low-maintenance plant and will tolerate lots of different growing conditions making it an ideal beginner houseplant.
Origins: MexicoCare Level: Easy/MediumToxic: Non toxic to humans and animalsProblems: Can be susceptible to spider mites and scale which can cause leaf damage. Treat with soaps, oils, or rubbing alcohol
This Hoya has eye catching, long trailing, reddish pink stems with contrasting thick, waxy succulent foliage in shades of green, cream, and yellow. Its foliage makes it a popular choice and it looks great on a desk, shelf, or windowsill area. If you are lucky, this plant will also flower and produce clusters of small, sweet scented, pink flowers.
The best position for this plant is somewhere that gets plenty of filtered light or medium sun. It can tolerate some direct sun but it is best to acclimatise it over time. Make sure the soil has partially dried out in between watering, which is typically every couple of weeks. Hoya leaves can store lots of water in their foliage, making it more drought tolerant than other houseplants.
Jordan Trainer is a Glasgow-based, indoor gardener specialising in specimen houseplants, commercial maintenance, installation, and mobile re-potting services. You can also find a great selection of houseplants at his Glasgow west end store Plantique which is open Friday-Sunday 11am-6pm.
Keep up with Jordan on his Instagram page @jordantheplantguy and website www.theplantguy.co.uk, and checkout his live plant sales on TikTok.