Bringing Them All Back Home

by Jake Farley

Summer's over and the weather is turning cool. It's time to bring our tropical and subtropical pals in for the long, cold stretch.

One trick is to get them in before the heat comes on. It's less stress for the plants - and when a plant gets too stressed, they react similar to humans - we get a bug, but they get many.

Plants receive less sunlight indoors, so one thing at a time, please. I've heard that the shade under a shade tree is brighter than a sunny window indoors. I believe it. Temperature is important too. Tropicals need warmth, and cooler temperatures help keep subtropicals pumped up and less prone to mites and other problems.

The tables below will help you place your plants to keep them healthy. They are by no means complete, but represent most common houseplants and some exciting ones to seek out. Bon jour.

Floor Plants That Like A Suntan
For a sunny window: late east, south, early west.
Plant Name	Reason for Living	Water	Temperature
Weeping Fig(Ficus benjamina)	Dependable	Evenly moist	Even. Hates extremes
Buddhist Pine(Podocarpus macrophyllus)	Furry	Moist	Cool
Fiddle leaf Fig(Ficus lyrata)	Drama	Dry	Warm
Blue Gum(Eucalyptus gunni)	Flowers Fruit Scent	Moist	Cool
Palo verde tree	Flowers	Dry	Cool
Jasmine trees	FlowersScent	Moist	Warm
Citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit, Calamondin	FlowersFruitScent	Moist	Cool
Fan Palm	Drama	Moist	Warm
Draceana marginata 'tricolor'	Color	Moist	Warm
Ficus benjamina 'alli'	Drama	Evenly moist	Warm
Song of India (Pleomele reflexa)	Color	Moist	Warm
Bird of Paradise(Strelitzia reginae)	DramaFlowers if lucky	Moist	Warm
Camellia spp.	Flowers	Moist	Cool

Table Plants That Like A Suntan
For a sunny window: late east, south, early west.
Plant Name	Reason for Living	Water	Temperature
Jasmine spp.	Flowers Scent	Moist	Cool
English Ivy(Hedera helix	Dependable	Moist	Cool
Cacti	Drama	Dry	Cool
Angel Wing Begonia(Begonia coccinea)	Flowers	Dry	Warm
Baby Tears(Helxine soleirolli)	Drama	Moist	Cool
(Asparagus spp.)	Softness	Lightly Moist	Cool
Rabbit's Foot Fern(Davallia canariensis)	Softness Dependable	Dry	Adaptable
Croton(Codiaeum spp.)	Color	Moist	Warm

Plants That Like to Hang In The Sun
For a sunny window: late east, south, early west.
Plant Name	Reason for Living	Water	Temperature
Spider(Chlorophytum sp.)	Dependable	Dry	Warm
String of Hearts(Ceropegia woodii)	Dependable	Dry	Cool
String of Pearls(Senecio rowleyianus)	Drama	Dry	Cool
Passion Vine(Pasiflora spp.)	Flowers	Moist	Warm/td>

Floor Plants With Delicate Skin
For a bright window: early east, late west, north. Or pulled back from a sunny window.
Plant Name	Reason for Living	Water	Temperature
Areca Palm	Fluffy	Evenly moist	Warm
Kentia Palm(Kentia forsteriana)	Drama	Evenly moist	Warm
Corn stump(Draceana massangeana)	Drama Dependable	Evenly moist	Warm
Pleomele reflexa	Dependable	Evenly moist	Warm
Pygmy Date Palm(Phoenix roebelinii)	Fluffy	Evenly moist	Cool
Umbrella Tree(Schefflera spp.)	Dependable	Dry	Warm
Lady Palm(Rhapis sp.)	Dependable	Moist	Warm
Bamboo Palm(Chamaedorea spp.)	Fluffy	Moist	Warm
Mini-scheff(Schefflera arboricola)	Dependable	Dry	Warm
Fishtail Palm(Caryota spp.)	Fluffy	Moist	Warm
Philodendron selloum	Drama(raise it)	Dry	Warm
Ming Aralia(Polyscias spp.	Dependable Fluffy	Moist	Warm

Table Plants With Delicate Skin
For a bright window: early east, late west, north. Or pulled back from a sunny window.
Plant Name	Reason for Living	Water	Temperature
African Violet(Saintpaulia spp.)	Flowers	Dry	Warm
Cyclamen persicum	Flowers	Moist	Cool
Chinese Evergreen(Aglaonema spp.)	Color Dependable	Dry	Warm
Sweetheart Philodendron(Philadendron scandens)	Pretty	Dry	Warm

Hanging Plants With Delicate Skin
For a bright window: early east, late west, north. Or pulled back from a sunny window.
Plant Name	Reason for Living	Water	Temperature
Pothos(Scindapsus spp.)	Dependable	Moist	Warm
Nepthytis(Syngonium podophyllum)	Drama	Dry	Warm

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published August 31, 2003