Wren Ashby 
Coleus are grown for their leaves rather than their flowers, and few houseplants offer so much color for so little money. They are also thirsty, light-hungry, and quick to sulk in the cold, so most problems come from treating them like a tough, forgiving foliage plant. This guide covers coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides, long sold as … Read more
If your coleus has dropped leaves or flopped over, the usual first reaction is to soak it. Sometimes that is right, because coleus are thirsty plants that wilt dramatically when dry. But the same droop can come from soggy roots, cold, or too little light, and extra water in those cases makes things worse. This … Read more
Geraniums look cheerful and forgiving, and they mostly are, as long as they get what they were built for: bright light, a free-draining pot, and a watering can that is used sparingly. Most problems come from treating them like a lush foliage plant. This guide covers the common zonal geranium (Pelargonium) in the order that … Read more
If the lower leaves on your geranium have turned yellow, the first instinct is usually to water more or to feed it. For zonal geraniums (Pelargonium), that reaction often makes things worse, because these plants are built for sun, dry spells, and fast-draining soil. This page walks through the usual causes in the order worth … Read more
Rosemary is the herb that looks easy and is not. It is sold in every grocery store and garden center, and people bring it home expecting a hardy, scented bush for the windowsill. Indoors it can thrive, but it wants conditions close to the dry, bright, breezy places it grows naturally, and that is where … Read more
If your rosemary is turning brown, with needles going crisp from the tips or whole branches fading to gray, the plant is not always beyond saving. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, long sold as Rosmarinus officinalis) is a Mediterranean shrub, and indoors it is one of the herbs that struggles most. The usual first reaction is to … Read more
Hibiscus is the houseplant that looks like a vacation. The big, bright flowers are the reason people buy it, and they are also the reason people struggle with it. A hibiscus wants strong light, steady warmth, regular water, and regular feeding. Provide those and it flowers freely; fall short on one and it drops buds … Read more
If your hibiscus is dropping buds before they open, or the leaves are turning yellow and falling at the same time, the plant is not necessarily dying. Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) is a tropical shrub that reacts quickly to changes in light, temperature, and moisture, and shedding buds and leaves is its standard response. The usual … Read more
Lucky bamboo is a popular desk and shelf plant because it can live in a vase of water with almost no fuss. The name is a bit misleading: it is not a bamboo but a Dracaena (Dracaena sanderiana), a relative of the corn plant. The easy part is that it tolerates low light and indoor … Read more
If a lucky bamboo stalk or its leaves have gone yellow, the first instinct is usually to add more water or a splash of fertilizer. That is often the wrong move. Lucky bamboo is not bamboo at all but a Dracaena (Dracaena sanderiana), and it tends to turn yellow for a short list of reasons: … Read more