Blog

Here’s a plant that gets a lot of attention at Retreat. The woody trunk gives the aralia fabian stump a whimsical, outdoorsy look for an indoor houseplant. Since this plant looks unfamiliar, or different than your usual houseplants, we find some people are fearful to give it a try. The aralia Fabian stump actually does very well indoors in a container, and it does not require any exceptional care. We recommend allowing the first few inches of soil to dry before watering. When on the fence about watering, it’s probably better to wait just a bit longer—these plants do not like to be overwatered.

Want to enter this week’s giveaway? Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages.

Quick Tips and Tricks for your Aralia Fabian Stump:

• Water once the first few inches of soil has dried
  • Be careful not to over-water
  • Consider using a well draining soil
  • If you don’t mind the extra effort, these plants do seem to do better with filtered or distilled water—leaving out tap water for 24 hours does the trick
• Bright indirect, or medium indirect like is best for this plant
  • Consider occasionally turning your plant for nice, even growth
• This plant is considered toxic. If you need to see some pet friendly plants, we have complied a list on blog post here.

Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.

Whew, what a mouthful of a plant name! Also known as “Dwarf Monstera,” the rhaphidophora tetrasperma has a very similar look to the Monstera, but remains much smaller. This rare beauty is a great choice if you love the look of the Monstera plant but don’t want to commit to its large footprint. This plant is somewhat rare, and often not available, so we are thrilled to offer it to you as our plant of the week. It generally has similar care needs to other philodendrons, which means it prefers bright indirect light, and moderate watering. This plant is pretty good for beginners, too!

Want to enter this week’s giveaway? Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages.

Quick tips and tricks for the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma!

• Bright Indirect Light is definitely best for this plant
  • This is the brightest spot you have, with no direct sunlight exposure
• Water when first two-to-three inches of soil has dried
  • This plant enjoys being moist, but not soggy
• This plant loves high humidity
  • If your home is dry consider using a pebble tray with a little water to create humidity.
• Consider spinning your split leaf periodically to get it the most even exposure to sunlight as possible
  • This will help it both keep an aesthetically uniform look, and keep your plant happy and healthy
• Periodically, you will want to gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth 
• This plant is considered very toxic, so keep out of reach of curious eaters. Want to find some non-toxic options? We have some suggestions over on this blog post here.

Check out the Split Leaf Philodendron here

Read about the Philodendron Selloum here

Or, Read about the Heart Leaf Philodendron here

With a nickname like the Dragon Tree, it’s hard not to pay attention to this eye-catching plant. It is named for the bright red resin that is produced in the stems of the plant (that apparently people thought looked like dragon blood)—talk about a conversation starter! Not to mention, this plant is an excellent choice for any plant skill level. Dracaena really has a pretty easy temperament that will tolerate a little neglect. One thing to keep in mind with this particular plant, is that they do tend to develop brown tips fairly easily (like the spider plant). Optimal care can decrease the amount of brown on your plant, but you may not be able to totally avoid that. With several varieties to choose from, it seems there is a dracaena for everyone.

Want to enter this week’s giveaway? Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages.

Quick Tips and Tricks for your Dracaena Plant:

• Water once the plant has gone half-to-totally dry
  • Water until the water drains liberally from the bottom drainage holes
  • Make sure to have a well draining soil for this plant, they are especially sensitive to soggy soil
  • Drooping, yellow leaves can be a sign of overwatering
  • We recommend distilled water with Dracaena to keep it at its prime!
• Bright, indirect or medium, indirect light is best for this plant
  • Consider occasionally turning your plant for nice, even growth
• Dracaena is highly rated for cleaning the air, check out other plants that clean the air over here
• This plant is toxic to curious eaters, so please keep it out of reach for curious eaters.  Want to find some non-toxic options? We have some suggestions over on this blog post here.

If there ever was a plant that didn’t need an introduction, it would probably be this one! Pothos seems to be the quintessential office and houseplant. They are all over the place, and for good reason! They are one of the easiest plants that we carry. In their native climate, pothos grow rampantly like our backyard blackberry bushes here in the Pacific Northwest, so it really is no wonder that they make such amazingly resilient houseplants. They are also a versatile plant in the sense that you can grow them trailing down a bookcase, up a pole, on a tabletop, or hanging. Pothos are known to tolerate medium light conditions, however, you may notice that they do not grow quite as quickly as they would in bright indirect light. With their adorable heart-shaped leaves, several varieties, and easygoing temperament, it’s a hard plant to turn down!  

Want to enter this week’s giveaway? Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages.

Quick Tips and Tricks for your Pothos:

• Water once the plant is about half-dry
  • Despite being a tropical plant, pothos really does not like to be overly soggy
  • Consider using a well-draining soil mix
  • You can mist the leaves for extra humidity
• Bright-to-medium indirect light is best for this plant
  • Consider periodically turning your plant so that it can have nice, even growth all around.
• Pothos is highly rated for cleaning the air, check out other plants that clean the air over here
• This plant is toxic to curious eaters, so please keep it out of reach for curious eaters. Want to find some non-toxic options? We have some suggestions over on this blog post here.

Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.

Also known as the parlor palm (is there a cuter name than that?), the neanthe bella palm is a bright, cheery, fairly no fuss plant. Often found in offices, this palm will survive in a variety of lighting situations. They do best, however, in medium-to-bright indirect light. This is where you will see the most growth and happiest palms! Hailing originally from South American rainforests, these palms need typical tropical plant watering. We usually water them once the first few inches of soil has dried. Smaller neanthe bella palms will need more water. Overall, this plant is pretty easy for the big statement it makes. It grows to about 3 feet tall, so it doesn’t tend to outgrow spaces like some other, larger palms do. Perfect for a tabletop, the Parlor Palm is an easy houseplant favorite.

Want to enter this week’s giveaway? Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages.

Quick Tips and Tricks for your Neanthe Bella Palm:

• Water once the first few inches of soil has dried
  • Smaller plants will need a bit more water
  • Consider misting the leaves of your palm, or using a pebble tray for a little humidity
• Bright indirect, or medium light is best for this plant
  • You’ll want to avoid any direct sunlight on this plant as it can scorch the leaves
• Consider periodically turning your plant for nice, even growth—especially if it is in a corner
• This plant is considered a good air cleaner, you can check out other plants that clean the air over here
• The neanthe bella palm is considered non-toxic for both pets and people. For more pet-friendly plants you can see our blog post on it here

Interested in seeing more palms? Check out this post on the Sago Palm.

Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.

There are numerous health benefits to having houseplants! Houseplants reduce stress, increase happiness, and promote a sense of calm. In addition to benefitting our mental health, a study done by NASA states that plants can also clean the air in your home. Plants have ability to convert the carbon dioxide we breathe out into oxygen. They also have the ability to filter toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde and mold particles from the air, making our homes, and us,healthier.

Here are five of the top plants that clean the air:

Snake Plant — Also known as mother-in-law tongue, this plant is one of the easiest to care for. It prefers an area with low-to-medium light. It is sensitive to over watering, so allow the soil to dry out completely in between watering.

Pothos — This fast-growing, trailing plant also does well in low-to-medium light. It prefers to be a bit dry in between watering.

Dracaena — There are many varieties of this strappy leafed plant. Some prefer low light and others prefer bright indirect light, so you should be able to find one that suits the lighting needs of your home. Water when the top half of soil is dry using distilled or filtered water (the tips of their leaves are sensitive to minerals found in tap water).

Peace Lily — An easy to grow option, this plant is one of the few tropical plants that will flower indoors. It prefers to be placed in low-to-medium light, and should be watered when the surface of the soil is dry to the touch. The plant’s leaves will droop if you forget to water it.

Spider Plant — This is another plant that is easy to care for. It prefers medium-to-bright indirect light. Allow the surface of the soil to dry out in between watering. The mother plant will send off shoots (called “pups”), which can easily be propagated.

The more plants that you have, and the larger their leaves are, the more they do to clean the air in your home, so you shouldn’t feel bad about buying more than one. Visit our shop, and we would be happy to show you any of these plants, or make other recommendations for the right plant for your home.

Still looking for other suggestions? These plants also appeared as good air cleaners:

• Bird’s Nest Crispy Wave
• Aloe Vera
• Chinese Evergreen
• Palms
• Rubber Plant
• Umbrella Tree

And more!

(Post thanks to Laurie Welling)

This colorful, unusual cactus is definitely an attention-grabbing plant with a story to tell. One could consider the grafted cactus the Frankenstein of houseplants. The cactus begins as two separate plants, which are cut and bound together at their wounds to create a single plant, and it’s alive! There are a lot of reasons to graft a cactus. One common reason in the moon cactus (pictured here) is that the top plant cannot survive without the bottom one. That colorful top plant is called gymnocalycium and it is so colorful because it does not produce chlorophyll, meaning it cannot photosynthesize properly on its own. It will not survive without a host plant (in this case, hylocereus) creating nutrients for them both. However, if one half of the plant begins to die, being re-grafted can save the other half. It’s pretty amazing!

The grafted cactus requires your standard cactus care, making it easy to maintain. Like most cactus, the easiest way to go astray is to overwater, so be sure to use a well-draining soil and allow your cactus to fully dry out in-between watering.

Get 20% off your purchase of your grafted cactus, all this week. You can also enter to win this plant three different ways: in store, or online through our  Instagram and Facebook accounts. Winners must be able to pick up in store.

Quick Tips and Tricks for on the Grafted Cactus:

• Water once the soil has fully dried all the way through
  • Water your plant thoroughly until the water drains generously out of the bottom
  • Be sure to let your plant fully drain before putting it back where it goes, and if you are using saucers, make sure they are not pooling with water—your plant will drink this back up, and it could become overwatered
• Use a well-draining soil like a cactus potting mix with perlite
• Place your plant in an area of partial sun, like near a window
• These plants prefer low humidity

Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.

The goldfish plant appropriately gets its name from their bright orange blooms that resemble goldfish. These fun tropical plants hail from rainforests, particularly in South America. Interestingly, the goldfish plant is an epiphyte, meaning that it grows on trees and structures in nature. Well-draining soil, and not letting your plants get too soggy is key for epiphytes to thrive, including this one. With its thick, glossy leaves and bright blooms, this plant is hard not to love!

Get 20% off your purchase of your gold fish plant, all this week (November 17 – November 23). You can also enter to win this plant three different ways: in store, or online through our  Instagram and Facebook accounts. Winners must be able to pick up in store.

Quick Tips and Tricks on the Goldfish Plant

• Bright indirect light is best
  • Avoid Direct Sunlight which can scorch your plant’s leaves
  • Consider rotating your plant occasionally for nice, even growth
• Keep plant moist
  • Water once the first few inches of soil has drained
• These plants prefer mild to moderate humidity
  • If your home is dry, consider misting your goldfish plant periodically
• Use a potting soil that is well draining
• This plant is considered non-toxic by the ASPCA
  • Looking for non-toxic houseplant options? Check out our blog post on it, here.

Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.

Talk about a resilient plant—this sturdy palm dates back to the prehistoric era. Doesn’t it look like a plant straight out of Jurassic Park? It is sometimes referred to as a “living fossil,” because it resembles the plants we only know from fossils dating back to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. It probably comes to no surprise that the Sago Palm’s longevity translates to an easy plant care-wise. The Sago Palm likes a bright space, and is one of the few plants we carry that can even handle harsh direct light. It doesn’t have major watering requirements, but it is important not to overwater. You will also want to be careful when handling your plant as it’s scales on the trunk can be quite pokey.

Get 20% off your purchase of any size Sago Palm, all this week (October 27 –November 2). You can also enter to win this plant three different ways: in store, or online through our  Instagram and Facebook accounts. Winners must be able to pick up in store.

Quick Tips and Tricks for your Sago Palm:

• Water your plant once the first few inches of soil has dried to the touch
  • You can stick your finger in the soil to feel for moisture
  • Be careful not to over water your sago palm—over watering is probably one of the easiest ways to kill this particular plant
  • Because this plant dislikes excess moisture, consider using a well-draining soil with perlite
• This plant really prefers bright light
  • It can even handle the bright, harsh direct light in summertime!
• Consider occasionally spinning your plant for nice, even growth on all sides
• All parts of the Sago Palm are considered toxic, so be sure to keep this plant away from any curious eaters. For a list of pet-friendly plants you can read our blog post on it here.

Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.

Around Retreat, we call zamioculcas zamiifolia, easy ZZ. The ZZ is a truly easy houseplant that’s absolutely perfect for beginners. It is low-light friendly, requires minimal watering, but still has a deep green glossy leaf that’s stunning. We’ve even had a few customers dub this particular plant “un-killable.” If you were to kill a ZZ plant, it would probably be from over-watering. Otherwise, we would tend to agree!  

Hailing originally from Africa, this amazingly resilient plant will usually tolerate whatever neglect you throw at it.  As a bonus, it also tends to be pest resistant. Can you think of a better plant? Check out our care tips below to see how to keep your ZZ going strong.

Get 20% off your purchase of any size ZZ Plant, all this week (October 13 – October 20). You can also enter to win this plant three different ways: in store, or online through our  Instagram and Facebook accounts. Winners must be able to pick up in store.

Quick Tips and Tricks for your ZZ Plant:

• Water the ZZ Plant once it has pretty fully dried
  • Not over-watering is key for the ZZ as it naturally stores water
  • When in doubt, wait a little longer to water
  • Consider using perlite in your soil to make it more well-draining, and make sure your pot has a drainage hole
• This plant is light-flexible
  • Anywhere from bight indirect light, to low light works
  • Be sure not to put your ZZ plant in direct light as it can scorch the leaves
  • The ZZ plant will grow more quickly when in bright indirect light, but it makes an excellent low-light plant as well
• Consider turning your plant occasionally for nice, even growth
• When repotting your ZZ you’ll notice it is quite bulbous (it grows from rhizomes). You may even need to cut the ZZ out of it’s grow pot if it has become compacted
• This plant is quite toxic so you’ll want to avoid or keep out of reach of curious eaters
  • For our full list of pet friendly plants you can read our blog about it here

Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.