Houseplant Happenings – Fine Gardening

Happy Friday GPODers!

A new year means a new batch of gardens to showcase, but as I was preparing for the holiday break I realized it has been awhile since I’ve given an update on some of my favorite plants: my cacti and succulent collection. When I became Garden Photo of the Day editor back in May 2024, I introduced myself with a handful of photos from my indoor garden (Cacti and Succulent Gardening in Connecticut). Since then, I have occasionally shared a few highlights, but there have been plenty of updates and additions that I haven’t gotten around to sharing on the blog. Today I’m finally sharing some new houseplant photos in hopes of inspiring more GPODers to submit photos of their indoor plant collections.

My taste in plants might not be for everyone, but I’ve always been attracted to unconventional shapes and interesting growing patterns. Cacti and succulents are no longer hard to find at nurseries and plant shops, but I’m always keeping my eye out for species that stand out from the crowd. When I was browsing one of my local indoor plant stores, this variegated Joseph’s Coat (Opuntia monacantha variegata, Zones 9–10) instantly grabbed my attention.

Another new addition that was too fascinating to leave behind was this ‘White Ghost’ euphorbia (Euphorbia lactea ‘White Ghost’, Zones 10–11). At the time of purchase, it was flushed with pink, but that has since been replaced with lots of new growth. This is by far the largest plant in my indoor collection and it has been a big adjustment adding it to my maintenance routine, but it has encouraged me to consider even larger additions in the future.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, some old favorites gave me new excitement this year. This Zebra haworthia (Haworthiopsis attenuata, Zones 9–11) is one of the oldest in my collection, a plant I’ve had for many years now. It has been low-maintenance and soldiered on through extended periods of neglect. What started as three little rosettes has grown wider and much taller, but, for the first time this year…

We have babies! As if out of nowhere, I peeked inside this pot one day and saw three offshoots reaching for the sun. It might be time to start dividing this plant, but that is a decision and project for spring.

New to me but not necessarily new, this bird’s nest snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii Jade’, Zones 9–11) has grown from remnants of a plant that my mother was planning on sending to the trash. After potting up a couple cuttings and a tiny chunk of the plant that hadn’t completely died, it sprung right back to life. During the summer it started thriving, sending out lovely, bright green growth.

Lastly, a plant I’ll never tire of sharing: Baby’s Necklace succulent (Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’, Zones 10–11). Last year my plant suffered some serious leaf loss and needed major rehabilitation. After hours of trimming I collected enough cuttings to fill two small pots. This is the smaller of the two, and it brings me so much joy to see them thriving again and soon in need of a repot.

I hope you all enjoyed this little indoor plant update! Now that most of our outdoor gardens are in their winter slumber, many of us turn to houseplants to itch that gardening scratch. Although Garden Photo of the Day tends to be dominated by the outdoor plants that make our hearts sing, I hope this post inspires you to share some of the indoor plants that make the colder months a little bit more green. Follow the NEW directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!

We want to see YOUR garden!

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form.

You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

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Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Buffalo-Style Gardens is a one-of-a-kind, offbeat garden design book that showcases the wildly inventive gardens and gardeners of Buffalo – and offers readers “the best of the best” ideas to use in their own small-space gardens.

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Sturdy yet lightweight, these obelisks provide ample support for climbing plants while being easy to install and move. The medium obelisk stands 68 1/2″ high overall with a diameter of about 9 1/2″, compact enough for smaller containers indoors or out. The large size stands 86 1/2″ high with a diameter of 15 3/4″, ideal for larger outdoor spaces and containers.

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