Fall Plant Sale 2019: Houseplants

'Camouflage' dieffenbachia. Photo: K. Hale

By Katherine Hale

Gardening isn’t limited to those of us with traditional houses and yards. Your space may be too small or dark or barren for a regular garden—but there’s nothing to stop you from living in a lush, temperate jungle, thanks to the flexibility of houseplants.

Houseplants come from around the globe, in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Some are known by their Latin names, while others accumulate a hodgepodge of nicknames and misnomers. The one thing they all have in common is an intolerance for freezing temperatures, which makes a heated abode a must.

While they may have beautiful flowers, a houseplant’s greatest charms are its showy foliage; an ability to flourish in the same warmth, light and humidity levels of modern buildings; and fewer special needs than their outdoor counterparts.

Despite their considerable variations, most species of common houseplants can be divided into two groups. Those with lush green leaves have their origins in the shady understory of tropical rainforests—which have the same low, diffuse lighting of a typical living or dining room. The thick, fleshy-leaved succulents hail from harsh deserts, where they are continually assailed by the elements and must cling fiercely to every drop of moisture. Plants in this group generally require more direct sunlight than the tropicals and will rot if over-watered.

Echeveria. Photo: K. Hale

We’ll be offering a wide selection of houseplants at our Fall Plant Sale this weekend, but here are three standouts that will fit into any home, apartment or dorm:

One look at  'Camouflage' dieffenbachia and it’s clear it falls squarely into the tropical camp. Its wide, elegant leaves—a light green flecked with darker specks like its eponymous pattern—allow it to easily blend in any setting or container. Like all dieffenbachia, ‘Camouflage’ is easy to grow, and it will have few problems as long as its soil is kept consistently moist. It’s important to keep curious children or pets from munching on it, as its leaves and stems are chock full of needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals known as raphides, which will cause a painful burning sensation in the throat and esophagus. But it is otherwise pest- and trouble-free.

Echeveria. Photo: K. Hale

On the succulent side, consider members of the genus Echeveria, a large group of Central American natives whose pale, fleshy leaves cluster in rose-like formations. Though they appear like flowers themselves, their actual flowers emerge from a separate shoot, spiraling upward in search of pollinating insects. Sturdy and compact, each echeveria is compelling on its own, but they are hypnotic when massed in groups. Our favorite is the hybrid ‘Topsy Turvy’, which boasts crimped and crinkled edges as if pinched into position by a mischievous sculptor.

Most bromeliads live in the rainforest, but puya (Puya mirabilis) is an exception—a desert-dwelling bromeliad that favors well-drained potting mix over hanging in mid-air like its cousin the air plant (Tillandsia sp.). In addition to its stiff, spiky foliage, puya flowers regularly, sending up bursts of eye-catching  green-white flowers that dangle like bells from elongated stalks. Still relatively obscure compared to better known philodendrons and ficuses, this is the houseplant of choice for someone who likes to to try new things.

Puya. Photo by Chris Carmichael,
UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

The sheer number and and versatility of houseplants means that you don’t have to let your circumstances—or even a so-called “brown thumb”—limit your choices when it comes to plants and gardening. No matter your tastes, schedule or living conditions, there’s a houseplant—or two, or three—out there for you.

FALL PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only previews sale and dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 27, and a full list of plants in advance, plus staff recommendations. Join online or on site.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your friends.

Thank you!

Fall Plant Sale: Dorm Plants + Student Giveaway

By Annie Yang
Duke T'20

Air plants are a perfect
low-maintenance plant for
students. Photo by Beth Hall.

Duke Gardens can be a wonderful respite from the rigors of Duke student life, with its beautiful landscapes to stroll through and lovely plants to admire and learn about. But students are increasingly recognizing the benefits of plants even in the confines of their tiny dorm rooms and apartments.

Duke Gardens’ Fall Plant Sale on Saturday will celebrate this healthy trend by featuring succulents and other plants that thrive indoors with low maintenance. And if you’re one of the first 75 students at the sale, which runs from 8 a.m. to noon, you’ll receive a free air plant. 

A dramatic air plant display
at Duke Gardens.

Taking care of air plants is somewhat different from other plants you may be used to growing, but once you get the hang of it, they shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. Air plants are the common name for plants of the Tillandsia genus and they get their name because they don’t require soil to grow. Their roots are not for soaking up water but instead attaching onto pretty much any surface—trees, rocks, seashells and more.

There’s plenty of room for creativity and imagination in displaying your air plant. Whether it’s in a terrarium, a mason jar or a hanging air plant rack holder, there’s a lot of room for creativity and imagination in displaying your air plant. Place them near a window to get bright, indirect light and good air circulation too.

But air plants can’t survive on sunlight and air alone. Every week or so, remove your air plant from whatever you’ve chosen to attach it to and soak it in room temperature water for about 20 to 30 minutes. After it’s soaked, gently shake your plant to remove excess water—sitting water can cause rot and harm or kill your air plant. Set it out to dry with the leaves facing down, and within four hours, or about when you get back from class, the plant should be completely dry and ready to be returned to its container. If you nurture your air plant, it may even bloom in wonderful colors—a once in a lifetime event for each plant.

Cristina Lai's low-maintenance succulent plant.

You can also expand your succulent collection at Saturday’s sale. Senior Cristina Lai got her succulent because having greenery in her room “brightens up the space and makes it feel more homey rather than temporary,” she says. Succulent-focused events at DuWell, Duke’s student wellness center, always draw an enthusiastic crowd. Justin Sharpe, a student development coordinator for DuWell, says students like the sense of responsibility in being able to “make something, call it their own, and take care of it all at the same time.”

Of course, taking care of succulents is low-maintenance and low-stress—you won’t need to panic too much if you’ve forgotten to water them for a few days or even a week or so. The key to taking care of succulents is to wait until the soil is completely dry and then soak them. If you’ve put your succulent in a pot with drainage holes, water the plant until water runs out of the holes. But if you don’t have a container with drainage, don’t worry. You can add pebble or sand layers to your soil to help with drainage, or tip the container to let the excess water run out.

So even with midterm season ahead, with its never-ending piles of work, these dorm-loving plants will be one less thing to worry about and one more thing to ground you.

Fall Plant Sale details:

Air plants look great together!

Date: Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Membership benefit: Duke Gardens members get 10% off! Join now or on site.
Student air plant giveaway: Each student will receive one air plant during the sale, while supplies last. Students must show a current Duke ID to qualify.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word on Facebook. Thank you!