This guide covers the tropical houseplants and other non-carnivorous plants we grow, including Hoya, Philodendron, Monstera, Syngonium, Peperomia, Ficus and Begonia. They're all basically the same care. If you've read our voodoo lily care guide, it's a lot like that, minus the smelly flower and the dormancy. None of these plants go dormant.
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Quick care summary
- Light: Bright indirect light to mostly shade.
- Water: Regular tap water is fine, when the soil is dry.
- Soil: A chunky, airy houseplant mix.
- Temperature: Tropical. Keep them above 40°F.
- Fertilizer: Osmocote or Nutricote pellets are easiest, but almost anything works.
- Dormancy: None. Care stays the same all year.
- Pets: Warning: Philodendron, Monstera, Syngonium, Ficus and Begonia are not pet safe. See the FAQ below.
Water
Water with regular water when the soil is dry. In a nice chunky, airy soil, it will dry out within a day or 2 during warm months. In my dry climate, that can mean watering daily.
Light
These are bright indirect light to mostly shade plants. I grow mine under 60% shade cloth.
Temperature
These are tropical plants. They don't mind heat, though leaf tips may crisp during extreme heat when the soil dries. During the cold, keep them insulated, and keep them above 40°F. If it's going to get colder than that, bring them inside.
Soil
Use a mix you would use for tropical houseplants, which can be anything chunky. I personally use a little peat moss, sometimes coco coir, perlite, pumice, coco chips, and/or clay pebbles. Any mixture of these works as long as you have a good ratio of the large pieces.
Long fiber sphagnum moss works for some plants too, but it holds onto water, so it's easy to overwater.
You can repot them any time of year, since they don't go dormant. Just do it carefully. A soft repot is all I can suggest.
Fertilizer
Osmocote or Nutricote pellets are the easiest option, but you can fertilize these with almost anything. They're regular plants. Get a small amount of Osmocote in our shop or a full-size bag on Amazon, or Nutricote in our shop or on Amazon.
Choosing a houseplant
- Hoya: Hoya carnosa 'Rope', Hoya 'Sunrise', Hoya mindorensis 'Red', Hoya pubicalyx 'Bright One' and Hoya pubicalyx 'Red Buttons'.
- Philodendron: Philodendron melanochrysum.
- Monstera: Monstera adansonii and Monstera standleyana.
- Syngonium: Coming soon. Check our Tropical Plants collection.
- Peperomia: Peperomia argyreia "Watermelon" and Peperomia prostrata 'String of Turtles'.
- Ficus: Ficus triangularis variegated.
- Begonia: Rex Begonia Boston Cherries 'n Chocolate.
See them all in our Tropical Plants collection.
FAQ
Do these plants go dormant?
No. Unlike voodoo lilies, none of them go dormant, so their care stays the same all year.
Are these carnivorous plants?
No. They're regular plants and get their nutrients from the soil, which is why fertilizer helps.
Can I use regular water?
Yes. Unlike our carnivorous plants, these do fine with regular tap water. I even use the waste water from my RO system so less water goes to waste. Water when the soil is dry.
What fertilizer should I use?
Osmocote or Nutricote pellets are easiest, but almost anything works. They're regular plants. See the Fertilizer section above.
Are these plants pet safe?
Warning: Philodendron, Monstera, Syngonium, Ficus and Begonia are not pet safe. Hoya and Peperomia are pet safe. Keep the others out of reach of pets. See the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plants list for more.
How cold can they get?
Keep them above 40°F. They're tropical plants, so bring them inside if it's going to get colder than that.
What soil should I use?
Anything chunky and airy, like a mix of a little peat moss or coco coir with perlite, pumice, coco chips and/or clay pebbles. Make sure there's a good ratio of large pieces.