I hope someone there can help my wife and I. We received a plant from my brothers funeral and have no idea what it is or how to care for it. We were hoping that you could identify it for us and maybe you have a past newsletter on it or something. We also got a peace lily, (it was labeled) and found your web site had all the information we needed to take care of it! Hope to here from you soon.

Signed: Curious Couple!Mark and Andrea.

Hello Mark and Andrea:

The plant you have is a Red Margined Dracaena or Dracaena marginata.

red margined dracaena

For care and instruction review the following newsletter.

Houseplants Chase Away the Winter Blues

If we can help further please let us know.

Jannick Asks:

I have two large Peace Lily’s that have a black greasy substance on the leaves, they have stopped blooming flowers also. They are 3 1/2 years old about 4 ft. wide, planted in the ground in a patio area that gets sun in a.m. and bright the rest of the day. Bloomed always until this black substance got on them. Help, what should I do?

Flower Shop Network’s Reply:

The black substance you are seeing is actually a residual mildew from an insect. You probably have one of the following pests on your plant: aphids, mealy bug or scale. Scale looks almost like a fungus and will usually be at the base of the leaves where they join the stem. Aphids and mealy bugs will be on the backs of the leaves. All of these insects damage the plant by puncturing and sucking from the backside of the leaves.

You can eradicate these pests by using any house plant insecticide. It may take several applications over a period of time to get rid of them for good. Consult you local nursery or garden center for additional help

Kim asks:

I was wondering about a plant possibly called duranga. Have you heard of  it? COuld you tell me about it. Any help would be appreciated. I know it has purple flowers on it.

Brock’s Reply: Without a photograph or more description it difficult to be certain on the identification.

We think it is really Duranta erecta — common name dew drop or sky flower.

A semi-tropical plant with dense, slightly pendulous branches can reach to 15-25ft if trained to a single-trunked tree.  The flowers are a pale mauve-blue with darker streaks on the two lower petals and a cream eye borne from late spring to autumn.  The fruits are yellow about 1/2″ in diameter overlap with the flowers in late summer and last well into the winter.  Zones 10-12.
This plant most likely will not be readily available at garden centers.

I hope this helps.  If you can send us a picture we can probably nail it.

Can you tell me the name of a fern that similar to the Boston fern but

does not shed like the Boston does? Thank you, Anne

Reply

Ferns are touchy subjects at best in any indoor-growing situation; They prefer a humid atmosphere which is much more damp than most household interiors, particularly during our central-heated winters.

Some of the cultivars of the Boston Fern which have more finely-divided fronds, such as “Fluffy Ruffles”, seem to perform better indoors than the species.

Another choice might be the Dallas Fern, which is smaller than the Boston Fern but is similar in form. It has more leathery leaves which are less prone to drying out and shedding.

Meanwhile, ferns growing indoors will benefit from frequent (daily) misting with water. Place them in a cool, bright location out of direct sun. Keep them away from drafts and heating ducts or air vents; A summer outdoors in a shady spot helps a fern which has suffered through a dry winter indoors to recover and produce new growth.

Lou asks:

Hello,

I’m not sure you are the ones I should contact with my questions, but if not - maybe you could inform me who I SHOULD get in touch with. I’m certainly not a whiz on the computer, so I didn’t really know where to go.

I need to know how to care for a Peace Lilly. Once the bloom is gone, do I cut back the leaves, etc? Do I plant it outside and if not, should I put it in a bigger container? I really need help in caring for it from start to finish. Watering, feeding and the questions above.

Thank you for your time.

Brock’s Reply:

We just published a newsletter on the “Care for Peace Lily Plants” back in March. I think it covers most of your questions. You can view the newsletter by clicking on the following link or you can cut and paste it into your address bar.

http://flowershopnetwork.com/pages/newsletter/news_march_03.php

Unless you live in a tropical environment your Peace Lily will not do well out side. The size of pot will really depend on a lot of factors that could only be handled in person, your local florist will be glad to assist you further. If I can help in any other way please let me know.