Expert: Tracy - 7/10/2009

Question
Tracy, can you tell me what kind of plant this is?  My son brought it to me and it has no name or instructions on how to care for it.  I don't want to kill it so can you help me?  Thanks!

Answer
Hi Joyce,
   I am sorry but I cannot identify a plant without a picture of the plant. Sometimes I can identify a plant with a detailed description of the plant but doing it that way can be unreliable.

If you had tried to upload a picture with your question it did not come through. Please resubmit your question with a picture of the plant and I will do my best to identify it for you.

In the meantime here are some general plant care information that you may find helpful.

~  One of the most important things about plant care is proper watering. As a general rule allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry between watering then water just enough for a small amount of water to drain out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.  
I recommend using distilled water. A lot of plants are sensitive to the fluoride, chlorine and hard water deposits found in most tap water. Water softeners add a lot of salts to the water which can also harm plants. By using distilled water you can avoid the problems that can be caused by water quality.
The most common problem caused by water quality is browning leaf tips.

~  Even medium to bright light plants do not always do well in direct sunlight. For most medium to bright light plants a curtain filtered east facing window is ideal. A curtain filtered west facing window is also a good place for most houseplants.
South facing windows usually have a great deal of heat as well as lots of direct sunlight. This is often too much for most houseplants. Only plants that require high light levels with direct sunlight should be placed in a south facing window.

~  Most plants require lots of humidity. One way to raise the humidity around a plant place the plant on a tray of pebbles filled halfway with water. Be sure that the bottom of the pot is not sitting in the water as this will cause the soil to stay too wet.
Another way to raise the humidity is to group several plants together.

~  Avoid over fertilizing. Some plants are especially sensitive to over fertilizing. Fertilizer should only be given to healthy plants that are in a active growing cycle. Never give fertilizer to a plant while it is dormant or to an unhealthy plant. Fertilizer will not ' cure' an unhealthy plant and will actually cause more harm. Only fertilize a plant when it needs it. A good sign a plant needs fertilizer is very little new growth during the plant's active growing cycle and/or new leaves are smaller than they should be.
Any well balanced fertilizer is good. I recommend using 1/3 of the amount called for in the directions on the package. Liquid fertilizers are best. Dilute 1 part liquid fertilizer to 2 parts distilled water.
Be sure to never fertilize a plant when the soil is dry. This could cause the plant to take up too much fertilizer at once. Also avoid using fertilizer sticks. There a risk of damaging delicate roots when the stick is pressed into the soil. When plant food sticks start to melt they can create chemical ‘hot spots’ causing damage to any roots that come into contact with these spots.

~  Check your plants often for signs of an insect presence. It does not take long for even a small insect population to damage a plant beyond it's ability to recover.

~  Avoid unnecessary repotting. It is one of the most common reasons for plant failure. Some signs a plant needs to be repotted is little or no new growth, roots growing out of the drainage holes on the bottom of the pot and an almost constant need for water.
Never repot a plant into a pot more than 2 inches bigger than the pot it was in. The soil in a pot that is too big can stay wet too long and cause root rot.

~  Use a good potting soil mix. The things plants need from a good potting soil is balanced moisture and nutrient retention, drainage and aeration. Most plants grow best in a well draining soil.


~  It is important to keep the leaves clean and free from dust. A thin coating of dust can clog pores and reduce photosynthesis by up to 50%. Regularly clean plants by gently wiping leaves with a damp cloth. In environments where there is cigarette smoke plants need to be cleaned more often.
Never use any kind of 'Leaf shine' products to clean plants. These products do more harm to a plant than anything else.


I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
          Thanks
              Tracy