Bird of Paradise’s tall stature and vivid green leaves make it a beautiful houseplant year-round. However, it’s in the spring that the bird of paradise produces big, beautiful blooms that mimic the look of a bird with its wings spread. The blooms are vibrantly colored and may be blue, purple, orange, yellow, or red. These tropical beauties are a showstopper!
Even when not in bloom, these plants make quite the statement. They grow to heights of 3-6 feet indoors! These plants are also cousins to the banana plant and have a similarly gigantic leaf, which is hard not to love. They are a perfect solution for well-lit homes that desire to have more of a jungle atmosphere. The Bird of Paradise does need quite a bit of light, which can sometimes be hard in the Pacific Northwest, and the biggest challenge with these plants is to allowing them to dry out before watering again.
Quick Facts about the Bird of Paradise:
These plants love really bright indirect light with some full sun
Watch out for stunning blooms in the spring!
You can fertilize the Bird of Paradise right before it begins to bloom.
It takes some Bird of Paradise plants a few years to bloom, but they are worth the wait.
Water once the plant is dry.
Root rot is a common problem for these plants, so be sure to allow plant to dry out before re-watering. This will ensure your plant is as healthy as possible.
Periodically wipe down the leaves of this beautiful plant.
These plants may be tempting to dogs, cats, and little ones, but the seeds are toxic so keep out of reach of curious eaters.
It’s plant week extravaganza! We are so excited this week to offer you a plant of the day instead of our usual plant of the week! Each day this week (Tuesday-Saturday), we will be featuring a different plant, which you can get 20% off of in-store, and you also have a chance to win one through our three giveaways: in-store, on Instagram, and also on Facebook. That’s three chances to win, everyday!
We wanted to briefly introduce you to the plants we will be giving away each day. These introductions will be shorter than our usual plant of the week blogs, but one of the most important things to do when you acquire a new plant is to get to know it. Spend a little time researching what makes your plant happy!
On Tuesday we are featuring the Pothos
There are several incredible variations on the pothos plant. There are variegated pothos, pothos green queen, neon pothos, and golden pothos, just to name a few. These plants are very easy to care for and make great houseplants.
Here are a few quick tips to help you succeed with your pothos plant:
These plants tolerated flexible light conditions, anywhere from bright indirect light to low light will work fine for them.
You may find your pothos grows more in bright indirect light, and if you have a variegated they will be least tolerate of low light. Try to get them in a medium or better-lit room.
Do not over-water pothos! Allow the soil to dry out before watering again. When watering, water fully, and also allow the water to drain fully.
These plants are poisonous so keep out of reach for curious eaters.
These plants are fantastic hanging!
On Wednesday we are featuring Asparagus Plumosa Fern
These plants are beautiful, lacy, and almost look like they belong to another era. Their rich green color is lovely, and they brighten any space. But be careful when handling. This plant does have thorns.
Here are a few quick tips to help you succeed with your Asaragus Plumosa Ferns:
Their name is deceptive as they are not a fern at all, but part of the lily family.
Bright indirect light is best for this plant!
Water the plant when just dry. This plant likes to stay pretty moist. In summer or spring this should be about a few times a week, and once a week in fall or winter when temperatures drop.
Mist between watering to keep plant looking its best.
On Thursday we are featuring Calathea
Once you’ve seen a Calathea plant they can be hard to forget! Their beautiful leaves differ from plant to plant making them look hand-drawn. The beautiful, vibrant colors often have people asking us: “is this plant real?”
Here are a few quick tips to help you succeed with your Calathea:
These plants do not like drastic temperature change. If you have a Calathea and are going on vacation, make sure to keep the heat up, or have a friend take them while you are gone.
These plants prefer bright indirect light but we tolerate a little less than that.
Definitely keep them out of direct light, their leaves can shrivel and fade in direct sunlight.
Water when dry, but keep plant well drained. They do not like to sit in water.
On Friday we are featuring Tiny Tropicals
We lovingly refer to our tiny tropical table as “the babies” around Retreat. They need to constantly be looked after as their tiny size means they dry out quickly. But, you can’t really be mad at their constant demands to be watered—they’re just so cute!
Here are a few quick tips to help you succeed with your tiny tropicals:
Water frequently!
Watering is key with these tiny plants. Because of their size they dry out quickly. We check this size plant everyday at Retreat, and typically will water about every other day.
Bright indirect light is going to be best for most of our tiny tropicals. However, because we are talking about a large group of plants be sure to verify what type of tiny tropical you are taking home, and if they have any unique lighting needs.
On Saturday we are featuring Cacti
Cacti hardly even need an introduction. Their adorable shape can be found on clothing, towels, dishes, you name it! And for good reason: they’re so cute! Despite their spines, we can’t help but love these easy-to-care-for plants.
Here are a few quick tips to help you succeed with your Cacti:
Hailing from the desert, cacti are extremely drought tolerant. Take care not to over-water these plants
Over-watering is one of the easiest ways to kill your cactus.
Again, when you think of these plants in their natural habitat they need a ton of bright DIRECT sunlight. Put these plants right in your window if you can.
Ouch! Got poked? Consider investing in a pair of cactus gloves to handle or plant, or use tongs to keep your distance.
Already poked? Try a little aloe vera to expedite the healing process.
When you think about the king of the jungle, you probably think of lions. Maybe Tarzan comes to mind if you are a big Disney fan. What if I told you that there is another king of the jungle…the Tillansia Xerographica! The Xerographica, nicknamed “the king of air plants,” is a stately air plant that can be found in the tops of trees in tropical South America. Its location (perched high in the jungle), as well as its large size, makes the Xerographica the lion-equivalent of air plants. It’s truly a unique and beautiful plant.
Keeping to the Epiphytes Theme
Last week when we featured the amazing Staghorn Fern as our plant of the week, and told you that they are epiphytes. In case you missed it, epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants without being parasitic. Air plants, the Tillansia Xerographica included, are also epiphytes that grow on host plants.
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. Giveaway ends on November 17, 2019.
Quick Facts on the Tillansia Xerographica
Water once per week by submerging the air plant for 20-30 minutes in a bowl of water, or filled up sink
Fun fact: Because we carry so many of these plants, Jenni actually waters them weekly in her bathtub—if you buy enough of these, you could also
Air plants absorb water from their fronds. When watering them, place them in water roots-up, and submerge fronds fully.
Allow the air plant to dry fully, upside down, on a towel before returning the air plant back to it’s home. We suggest an hour, and we recommend the towel because it helps to draw out any water left in the crevices of the plants that can lead to rot.
Between watering, mist your plant if you wish. While not absolutely necessary, these plants are used to humid climates and are watered by heavy dew, so they love to be misted!
Fertilize your air plants once a month to assist their growth
Keep your air plant where you want–on a shelf, in one of our amazing hanging air plant holders. However, please do not put your air plant in soil.
These plants will tolerate flexible light situations, but bright, indirect light is really bes
Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.
The name of this plant alone should be enough to intrigue you. It is called the Staghorn Fern because these plants look like stag horns on a mount—no taxidermy required. The bright green fronds will actually branch out to either side of the larger shield frond, and it creates an amazing art piece you can hang on your wall. How does the staghorn fern feel about being mounted, you might wonder. Well, they actually love it!
Here’s why:
These plants are also epiphytes, which means these beautiful ferns grow upright on surfaces like trees in tropical climates, so this method of hanging is actually more what they are accustomed to. Although, epiphytes grow on other surfaces they are not parasitic, they simply co-habituate. Another popular type of epiphytes right now is the air plant.
Like the air plant, the Staghorn Fern absorbs water from its fronds. It has a fairly small root body that is used primarily to attach the Staghorn Fern to its host plant. These amazing ferns are such a popular houseplant right now, and it’s no wonder, their whimsical character and uniqueness make them stand out.
Quick Facts on The Staghorn Fern
These plants love humidity, so consider a humid location for your staghorn.
Bonus: think about misting your staghorn ferns in-between watering—they would love it.
They prefer bright to medium indirect light, and can burn if put in direct sunlight.
Water thoroughly, about once a week in hotter months, and every other week in colder temperatures.
If your staghorn is in a pot, avoid watering in the center nest-like area of the fern or it can develop too much moisture build-up there.
If your staghorn is on a mount, submerge the fern (board and all) into water for a few minutes until it is fully wet. You can also leave it under a trickle of water in a sink for about 20 minutes. Allow the plant to dry fully before rehanging it.
These plants are non-toxic, and can easily be hung out of reach away from children and pets (although non-toxic, we do not suggest allowing children or pets to handle or ingest).
Do you love this plant and want to attend a workshop on it? We have a workshop coming up in just a few days on Monday, September 24th, all about the Staghorn Fern and how to mount it! Tickets are $45 dollars and can be purchased over the phone by calling Retreat Interiors during business hours, or purchased in person at the shop.
When we saw the beautiful watercolor packaging on a plant-based Instagram feed we were intrigued. We had to know more. What is Good Dirt, we wondered.
After a little searching, we found the small company run by Suzy and Al Newsom, and the more we read, the more we felt their products belong in our shop! The family of hobbyist gardeners, with a professional horticulturalist behind the helm (Al Newsom), created this product to be an environmentally cleaner option that really works. Other products the Newsoms tried fell short, achieving sustainability, but at the expense of superior performance.
The Model
The Good Dirt model is threefold: “Simple, Successful, and Sustainable.” Their products are simple in the sense that they cater to novice and expert gardeners alike. They’re sustainable because they are completely non-toxic, use the recycled by-product “bogbits,” and operate out of a “zero-waste discharge manufacturing facility.” Finally, these products are successful simply because they really work.
We immediately felt that Good Dirt would be a good fit for the Retreat brand. Here at Retreat, we are all about finding good quality, beautiful products that work for you. After all, why can’t you have a hard-working product that is simultaneously beautiful, and makes you excited about gardening? We think you can!
That is why we are excited to be offering you this product, and hope you give Good Dirt a try.
We currently carry:
Soil Conditioner: Comes compact in convenient packaging featuring an easy-carry-handle. Formulated for optimal root growth, this (outdoor) soil conditioner uses bogbits to create a porous texture in soil. That texture helps with water retention.
Potting Mix: Comes compact in convenient packaging featuring an easy-carry-handle. Formulated for optimal root growth, this (outdoor) potting mix uses bogbits to create a porous texture in soil. That texture that helps with water retention.
Indoor Potting Mix: Comes compact featuring watercolor art. Like the other products in this line, the indoor mix is specially formulated with bogbits. This mix also includes some plant food and plant probiotic. Bonus!
Plant Food: Comes with convenient pump for easy use and handling. Use this mix for both indoors and outdoor planting. It contains amino acids proven to aid in overall plant-health. This plant food is pathogen and heavy metal free.
If you’ve ever had a philodendron, you know they are fairly easy to care for, and the Lickety Split varity (with the cutest name ever), is no different. These plants have grace abound. They can grow in flexible light conditions, and can survive occasional neglect. This non-picky plant is perfect for a novice houseplant gardener.
The leaves of the Lickety Split are a bright green with deep splits that give the plant a very tropical appearance. Think Jurassic Park jungle-like foliage. The plant processes a fullness of the leaves as well, which makes a statement in any space.
Philodendrons in general are an easy win in our book. They are very green, full plants that are also easy to care for. What’s not to like? The Philodendron Lickety Split hybrid, however, feels a little extra special. One particularly interesting aspect of this plant is how the leaves are not uniform. Each new leaf that grows is a little different than the others, so as your plant grows, it will actually transform a little bit—amazing right?
Quick Facts about the Lickety Split:
Bright, indirect or medium, indirect sunlight is ideal for these plants
Water these plants when the surface of the soil dries. You can check the first inch or so of soil by inserting your finger and feeling for moisture. When no moisture is felt it is time to water your plant
When watering, saturate the plant, allowing a generous amount of water to trickle out the bottom of the pot drainage holes
The Lickety Split Philodendron can Grow up to 2-3’ as an indoor plant
Clean off the leaves of your plant regularly with a wet, damp cloth
These plants are poisonous to both pets and humans, so please keep them out of reach of curious eaters
When looking through any kind of nursery, it’s hard not to notice the rubber plant. It’s shiny, dark green leaves with burgundy undersides are hard to miss.
You might have wondered why is it called the rubber plant. The explanation is simple. The sap of this plant is actually used in the commercial production of rubber—amazing right? This cannot occur until the plant reaches maturity (at around 7 years), and they will produce for about 30 years.
The rubber plant is native to Asia. In their natural climate, these plants are magnificent, growing to heights of 100 feet tall. As a houseplant, the rubber tree grows to about a maximum height of about 9 feet. With proper care and pruning your rubber plant should grow to about 5-8 feet tall. This hardy houseplant makes quite the statement wherever you put it.
Quick Facts on the Rubber Plant:
Bright, indirect light is ideal for these plants to survive, but they will tolerate some medium to low light situations
It is key to find a spot for your rubber plant, and leave it. These plants hate to move frequently
Water these plants well, allowing the water to drain liberally out of the bottom of the pot
One of the most common problems with the rubber plant is lack of drainage—make sure this plant is in a pot with a drainage hole
Bonus: Consider adding additional rocks, soil, or gravel to the bottom of your pot for extra drainage. These plants hate to sit in soggy soil.
Clean off your leaves periodically to prevent dust from setting on them—a clean washcloth and water should do the trick
Fertilize once a month, during the growing season only
Since the this plant is tropical, mist them in-between watering
These plants are mildly poisonous to both pets and humans, so please keep them out of reach of curious eaters
Back to school is just days away here in the Pacific Northwest, and what a better way to inspire our teachers for all the young minds they mold than by giving them a little gift. No, we don’t mean any red apple plaques, sticky notes, or erasers. Yes, even the red apples with the cutest green worms peaking out are arguably passé.
We have the perfect cozy solution with the Paddywax Library Collection of candles.
Trade the red apples, and other more clique gifts, for something the teacher in your life will really love, like one of these fun candles that they can burn all fall as they grade papers.
Each candle features a classic author, including a famous quote and scent that many of our customers can attest to smells just like that author should! Whether you are looking for something earthy, floral, or sweet there is a candle here for everyone.
Candle scents we currently carry are:
William Shakespeare (with notes of eucalyptus, sweet lime, and cardamom)
Louisa May Alcott (with notes of cyclamen, cherry blossoms, and orange flower)
Ralph Waldo Emerson (with notes of sweet orange, clove bud, and chilled ozone)
John Steinbeck (with notes of black raspberry, apple, and nectarine)
Jane Austen (with notes of citrus zest, sparkling aldehydes, and coconut water)
Mark Twain (with notes of orange, cinnamon, and tobacco)
Edgar Allan Poe (with notes of nutmeg, cinnamon leaf, and dewy greens)
Oscar Wilde (with notes of mandarin, lime, and peppermint)
Leo Tolstoy (with notes of cinnamon, orange zest, and plum)
We love how each scent is so unique, and so fitting to the author they celebrate. These candles are a great fall gift for the reader in your life, whoever that may be! Whether you are looking for a back-to-school gift, a birthday present, or a little self-indulgence, we think you are going to love this collection.
If you have been eyeing this collection, now is the time to come down to Retreat and pick out a candle! We will be offering customers 15% off their Paddywax Library Collection purchases for a limited time!
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