Easy care Asparagus Fern plants, native to South Africa, are not true ferns at all but rather members of the lily family.
The name asparagus fern comes from the fact that the new growth resembles tiny asparagus spears. Asparagus sprengeri, a cultivar of
asparagus densiflorus is the most popular variety of this plant.
The fern may dry out to the point it appears dead; however, outdoor springtime temperatures generally revive them.
Keep the plant well watered in all situations and repot every few years. Care of asparagus ferns indoors involves misting
the arching stems to provide humidity to the plant.
Money Money Money
In its native habitats in Central and South America, the money tree plant, also called a Malabar chestnut or Guiana chestnut (Pachira aquatica),
grows in freshwater swamps and along rivers; the plant thrives with lots of water.
A money tree plant benefits from quarterly feeding with a balanced, water-soluble or liquid fertilizer applied according to the package directions.
Grown as a tree outdoors, the plant needs little pruning, except to remove branches that get in the way or are damaged in a windstorm. If you want to keep the plant small,
remove older, larger branches at the crown of the plant as needed. Commercially available trees are often braided together to form one thicker trunk.
A Sunburns Best Friend
The aloe vera plant is an easy, attractive succulent that makes for a great indoor companion. Aloe vera plants are useful, too,
as the juice from their leaves can be used to relieve pain from scrapes and burns when applied topically.
Water aloe vera plants deeply, but in order to discourage rot, allow the soil to dry at least 1 to 2 inches deep between waterings.
Water about every 3 weeks and even more sparingly during the winter. Use your finger to test dryness before watering. If the potting mix stays wet, the plants’ roots can begin to rot.
Fertilize sparingly (no more than once a month), and only in the spring and summer with a balanced houseplant formula mixed at ½ strength.
