Firecracker plants are popular for their colorful tubular flowers, compact growth, and ability to attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. Cuphea ignea, also called cigar plant or cigar flower, can bloom from late spring into fall and handles heat particularly well. The biggest challenge is usually not getting the plant to grow but keeping it compact, ...

Butterfly plant, also called swallowtail plant or butterfly wing plant, is an unusual houseplant grown primarily for its beautifully patterned foliage. Its leaves can feature green and burgundy markings that resemble butterfly wings, making it an attractive choice for plant collectors who want something different from common pothos, philodendrons, or snake plants. The challenge is ...

Coral bells plant care is surprisingly simple once you understand the plant’s biggest needs: the right light, good drainage, and careful watering. These compact perennials are prized not only for their delicate bell-shaped flowers but also for colorful foliage ranging from lime green and silver to burgundy, bronze, purple, and peach. The most common problems ...

Amaryllis plant care becomes much easier once you understand that the bulb stores the energy needed for its spectacular flowers. The biggest problems usually come from treating the bulb like an ordinary foliage houseplant, especially by keeping the soil constantly wet or cutting off healthy leaves too soon. With the right combination of light, moisture, ...

Bridal veil plants are popular hanging-basket houseplants because their fine trailing stems and tiny white flowers create a soft, cascading display. However, their delicate appearance can make watering, lighting, and pruning seem more complicated than they really are. The key is balance. A bridal veil plant generally performs best when its soil stays lightly moist ...

Pink quill plant care can seem confusing because Tillandsia cyanea is often sold alongside air plants, yet it behaves differently from many of the silvery, soil-free Tillandsia species. Its green, strap-shaped leaves and colorful pink flower bracts make it an attractive houseplant, but its watering needs are easy to misunderstand. The biggest mistake is treating ...

Hellebores are valued for bringing flowers and evergreen foliage into the garden when many other plants are dormant. Often called Christmas rose or Lenten rose, hellebores are not actually roses; they belong to the buttercup family and include several species and hybrids with different growing preferences. The good news is that most popular hellebores are ...