Fall Plant Sale 2019: Houseplants

'Camouflage' dieffenbachia. Photo: K. Hale

By Katherine Hale

Gardening isn’t limited to those of us with traditional houses and yards. Your space may be too small or dark or barren for a regular garden—but there’s nothing to stop you from living in a lush, temperate jungle, thanks to the flexibility of houseplants.

Houseplants come from around the globe, in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Some are known by their Latin names, while others accumulate a hodgepodge of nicknames and misnomers. The one thing they all have in common is an intolerance for freezing temperatures, which makes a heated abode a must.

While they may have beautiful flowers, a houseplant’s greatest charms are its showy foliage; an ability to flourish in the same warmth, light and humidity levels of modern buildings; and fewer special needs than their outdoor counterparts.

Despite their considerable variations, most species of common houseplants can be divided into two groups. Those with lush green leaves have their origins in the shady understory of tropical rainforests—which have the same low, diffuse lighting of a typical living or dining room. The thick, fleshy-leaved succulents hail from harsh deserts, where they are continually assailed by the elements and must cling fiercely to every drop of moisture. Plants in this group generally require more direct sunlight than the tropicals and will rot if over-watered.

Echeveria. Photo: K. Hale

We’ll be offering a wide selection of houseplants at our Fall Plant Sale this weekend, but here are three standouts that will fit into any home, apartment or dorm:

One look at  'Camouflage' dieffenbachia and it’s clear it falls squarely into the tropical camp. Its wide, elegant leaves—a light green flecked with darker specks like its eponymous pattern—allow it to easily blend in any setting or container. Like all dieffenbachia, ‘Camouflage’ is easy to grow, and it will have few problems as long as its soil is kept consistently moist. It’s important to keep curious children or pets from munching on it, as its leaves and stems are chock full of needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals known as raphides, which will cause a painful burning sensation in the throat and esophagus. But it is otherwise pest- and trouble-free.

Echeveria. Photo: K. Hale

On the succulent side, consider members of the genus Echeveria, a large group of Central American natives whose pale, fleshy leaves cluster in rose-like formations. Though they appear like flowers themselves, their actual flowers emerge from a separate shoot, spiraling upward in search of pollinating insects. Sturdy and compact, each echeveria is compelling on its own, but they are hypnotic when massed in groups. Our favorite is the hybrid ‘Topsy Turvy’, which boasts crimped and crinkled edges as if pinched into position by a mischievous sculptor.

Most bromeliads live in the rainforest, but puya (Puya mirabilis) is an exception—a desert-dwelling bromeliad that favors well-drained potting mix over hanging in mid-air like its cousin the air plant (Tillandsia sp.). In addition to its stiff, spiky foliage, puya flowers regularly, sending up bursts of eye-catching  green-white flowers that dangle like bells from elongated stalks. Still relatively obscure compared to better known philodendrons and ficuses, this is the houseplant of choice for someone who likes to to try new things.

Puya. Photo by Chris Carmichael,
UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

The sheer number and and versatility of houseplants means that you don’t have to let your circumstances—or even a so-called “brown thumb”—limit your choices when it comes to plants and gardening. No matter your tastes, schedule or living conditions, there’s a houseplant—or two, or three—out there for you.

FALL PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only previews sale and dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 27, and a full list of plants in advance, plus staff recommendations. Join online or on site.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your friends.

Thank you!