The HSCL Wellness Team periodically provides easy to grow plants for anyone to take home and care for! This page is dedicated to care instructions for plants most commonly available.
The handouts uploaded below are downloadable and can be used at home to care for your plants!
Succulents generally – Succulents are plants with fleshy leaves and stems. They tend to like sun and they do well with limited water. They do like sufficient drainage, and to dry out thoroughly in between watering and they do like warmth. They also can do quite well if waterings are 3 or 4 weeks apart.
If a leaf falls off of your succulent- or you just want to grow from a leaf- dry the leaf for a few days, set the leaf on top of the soil and spray regularly. A baby plant will grow from the leaf and will fall off when it is ready to plant. For more information on growing succulents from leaves: https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/gardening/indoor/how-to-propagate-succulents
Mother of thousands plant- this type of succulent plant propagates from its leaves, and it also grows many babies along the edges of its leaves. The babies fall off and start growing wherever they land. Like all succulents, his plant likes to be well-drained and can tolerate drying out. These are hardy and easy to grow- it is recommended not to let them grow outside as they can spread easily.
All of these should be kept as house plants and not planted outside
Pregnant onions= although it is known by a number of popular names, the term pregnant onion describes one way it reproduces is to grow small bulbs inside its layers. They also produce small and fragrant flowers. They need a lot of sunlight and like regular watering- as long as the soil is able to dry out thoroughly between waterings.
Spider plants= do well if watered well, kept in well-drained soil (they don’t like to dry out but also don’t like to sit in water), and exposed to bright, indirect light. They are very hardy and easy to grow- since they spread so easily outdoors it also is recommended not to grow them outdoors.
Inch plant- needs bright, indirect light, to be kept moist (although do not like to be watered in the foliage). These plants grow well from cuttings. This plant is a beautiful house plant that should be kept indoors because it can be invasive.
Mother of thousands plant- this plant grows many babies along the edges of its leaves. This plant likes to be well-drained and can tolerate drying out. These are hardy and easy to grow- it is recommended not to let them grow outside as they can spread easily.
Cuban oregano (although not from Cuba nor oregano), also called Mexican mint, Spanish thyme, Indian borage is a very aromatic and very easy to grow member of the mint family. It can easily be propagated by cuttings. It needs a lot of light and prefers well-drained soils. It is used as a cooking herb.
Loquat seedlings- loquats are large shrubs/small trees originating in China. They bear edible fruit and the leaves are used for tea. The fruits can be eaten fresh or can be used to make jelly, jam, or chutney. They grow well in Florida- liking a sunny spot and don’t require a lot of attention. They also grow pretty quickly so these seedlings will probably start bearing fruit in 8 or so years. They probably will not grow large enough to produce fruit in a pot so should be planted in the ground.
Night blooming Cereus (several species)
You can root these cuttings from the Night-blooming Cereus easily by putting them in water- after leaving them to dry and form a “callus” on the cut ends for a few weeks. Once the callus has had a chance to form, the roots will grow from that tissue. Once calluses form, you can plant the leaf directly into cactus potting soil or a mix of sand and peat. Once rooted and established, they prefer pots that drain well and thrive if they have the chance to dry out completely (they also can root, although less reliably, if you put the cutting in water until roots form).
Once planted and established, this plant likes light although it can do well with in indirect light situations.
The plants grow quite large and can be very leggy- so it is recommended to keep them if you have sufficient space.
These plants are best known for their large, if short-lived- flowers that open at night and are ready to close up by morning.
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