thedigitalgreenhouse

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Red Nerve Plant | Fittonia albivenis

Native to: South America

Toxicity: non-toxic

It will do well in high, indirect light. It prefers high humidity and consistently damp - not wet - soil. If a terrarium is not possible, misting the leaves daily can provide the necessary humidity, although not ideal. Prune regularly to promote bushier growth.

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Silver Nerve Plant | fittonia albivenis

Native to: South America

Toxicity: non-toxic

This plant will do well in high, indirect light. It prefers high humidity and consistently damp - not wet - soil. If a terrarium is not possible, misting the leaves daily can provide the necessary humidity, although not ideal. Prune regularly to promote bushier growth.

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Pink Angel Nerve Plant | fittonia albivenis

Native to: South America

Toxicity: non-toxic

This plant will do well in high, indirect light. It prefers high humidity and consistently damp - not wet - soil. If a terrarium is not possible, misting the leaves daily can provide the necessary humidity, although not ideal. Prune regularly to promote bushier growth.

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Elephant Bush / Dwarf Jade | portulacaria afra

Native to: South Africa

Toxicity: toxic to people and pets

This plant does well in bright, indirect light. Allow the soil to dry out between watering and plant in well-draining soil. It's slow-growing but pruning can help maintain a bushier shape.

I may have a new favorite plant because of how cute and delicate this one looks. I can't have many flowering plants indoors because my girlfriend is allergic to most of them, so any bright plant becomes a quick favorite.

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Wax Plant | hoya wayetii

Native to: Southeast Asia

Toxicity: non-toxic

This vining plant produces delicate flowers, but it may take some time before they appear. If you're lucky enough to keep this temperamental plant alive, do not remove the flower stalks when it's done blooming; it will continue to bloom from the same spot the following year. This plant prefers bright, indirect light and high humidity. It is considered a succulent and, as such, will hold water in its leaves. Be careful not to over water and only water when soil is almost dry.

I haven't found the right placement for this plant because we weren't sure what it was when we first got it. At first, we believed this plant to be toxic to the kitties, who will eat anything if given the chance. Now that I've learned it's okay if they happen to get a munch, I can put this lil guy in a brighter window and nurse him to better health.

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Sand Rose | anacamperos rufscens

Native to: South Africa

Toxicity: non-toxic

This succulent thrives in arid conditions and sandy or rocky soil. This plant should be watered sparingly and soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings. Pick planters with adequate drainage and one that will allow the succulent to grow out, as this plant likes to form a carpet. The tubers on this specimen are actually flower stalks!

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Stepping away from the format of this project, I wanted to share some of the details of this gorgeous planter. It reminds me of something you'd find in a museum or art history textbook. This planter is among my favorites and I love any excuse to get a new plant in this beauty. It looks especially nice with the inchplant growing inside of it.

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Parlor Palm | chamaedorea elegans

Native to: Rainforests of Mexico and Guatemala

Toxicity: non-toxic

This palm does well in bright, indirect light, but will tolerate lower lighting. Place in a north-facing window for best results. Keep soil on the damper side, but be mindful that, as a palm, it doesn't tolerate over-watering well. Yellowing leaves signal that the plant is not getting enough water.

This one was challenging to photograph because the photobox I've created for this project was too small. It's grown beautifully since we received this as a housewarming gift when I moved into my girlfriend's house.

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Spider Plant | chlorophytum comosum

Native to: Africa

Toxicity: non-toxic

This plant is very popular for an indoor plant as it's easy to care for and great for beginners. They are safe for pets but be aware that certain cats may think they're a snack! This plant does well in light shade; it does not need to be kept directly in the window. When it's well cared for, the spider plant will grow a thick stick-like growth that bears flowers. After blooming, the flowers will fall off and baby spider plants will be ready to be rooted.

This specimen belongs to my girlfriend and we've given more than 10 away as gifts due to how easy it is to propagate. We have two of them, which were grown before I moved in. I've never had any luck keeping them alive in my previous living situations, but that was probably more to do with lack of adequate sunlight.

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Jade Plant | crassula ovata

Native to: South Africa

Toxicity: toxic to pets

This plant is considered a succulent and does well in bright, indirect light. It likes to be watered sparingly. Plant in well-draining soil and allow to dry out between waterings. This plant does well root-bound, as many of the jade plants we have are thriving as such.

Through this project, I've discovered that many of the plants my girlfriend and I have an affinity to are variations of jade. She's also propagated so many of these that half our plants are from the same original jade plant.

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Baby Rubber Plant | peperomia obtusifolia

Native to: Tropical Americas

Toxicity: non-toxic to people and pets

This plant does well with indirect sunlight. Water when the top inch of soil is dry and allow for proper drainage to avoid root rot. This plant prefers higher humidity and will benefit from being misted.

This is another plant I rescued from my girlfriend. I'm amazed she hadn't killed this plant, but there are numerous iterations of this specimen, so it's easy to care for and propagate. She had no idea what it was, and I had to use Google Lens to check. I might be wrong on the specimen, but this is the best match I could find.

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Neon Pothos | epipremnum aureum

Native to: Australia

Toxicity: toxic to people and pets

This vibrant vining plant is identifiable by its bright green, but almost yellow, leaves. It thrives indoors if kept in bright, indirect light but can tolerate lower lighting. Plant in well-draining soil and water regularly, keeping soil damp but not soaking. This plant is easy to care for and low-maintenance, making it great for beginners. Draught tolerant, this plant will also survive those who have a tendency to under-water their plants.

This cutting is small and has some damage because it spent a night in my coat pocket after being clipped from a much larger plant. I'm hoping it will get some new growth so I can trim off the damaged leaves.

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Marble Queen Pothos | epipremnum aureum

Native to: Australia

Toxicity: toxic to people and pets

This marbled vining plant thrives indoors if kept in bright, indirect light but can tolerate lower lighting. Plant in well-draining soil and water regularly, keeping soil damp but not soaking. This plant is easy to care for and low-maintenance, making it great for beginners. Draught tolerant, this plant will also survive those who have a tendency to under-water their plants.

This particular plant is almost 30 years old! It was a gift to my parents when they moved into their second house, right around the same time my mother was pregnant with me. It was the plant I chose to take when my parents sold that house and moved 800 miles away. It's a reminder for me of the home I grew up in and has been a constant in my ever-changing life, considering I've moved upwards of 5 times.

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Fantasy Venice | tradescantia nanouk

Native to: Central and South America

Toxicity: toxic to pets

This beauty is identifiable by its striated pink leaves. It prefers bright, indirect light, but be careful as too bright of conditions will scorch the leaves. It would be better suited for an east or west-facing window. It's very low-maintenance, making this a great plant for beginners. It propagates easily, so one plant can easily multiply. Pictured is the parent plant, who has produced several offspring. I got the original cutting from a good friend when I moved into my new home. This is one of the plants I'll be hanging with macrame hangers because it has begun to droop beautifully in the windowsill.

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Wandering Jew | tradescantia zebrina

Native to: Central and South America

Toxicity: toxic to pets

This beauty is identifiable by its striated purple leaves. It prefers bright, indirect light, but be careful as too bright of conditions will scorch the leaves. It would be better suited for an east or west-facing window. It's very low-maintenance, making this a great plant for beginners. It propagates easily, so one plant can easily multiply - I find it's a great plant to have in multiple rooms, because who cares if you have ten of the same plant, or it can make a wonderful gift for others. Its ease of propagation also makes it a wonderful plant to grab a clipping of; I got this one from a larger plant at a coffee shop I was visiting with a friend. Once this plant gets big enough, its limbs will begin to droop, making it suitable for a hanging basket. I've already made some macrame hangers in expectation for this and its siblings who will drape well.

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African Violet | streptocarpus ionanthus

Native to: Africa

Toxicity: non-toxic to people and pets

This plant does particularly well in bright, indirect light. If allowed to be root-bound, the plant will focus on producing bright pink or violet blooms. When it's not root-bound, it will grow taller and produce more leaves. When watering, allow the soil to dry out slightly but do not allow soil to be bone dry. Water from the bottom to avoid getting the leaves wet - they will rot when wet. Every month, I recommend clipping the bottom leaves - this will allow you to shape the plant and encourage growth.

For this specimen, it's growing a bit lopsided and needs work to encourage it to remain in its pot. I blame my girlfriend, who was taking care of this before I took over - it's a miracle she hadn't killed it! Since I've taken over on most of our plants' care, I find this one is among my favorites for its beautiful blooms.

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We will be exploring what we mean by material rhetoric, a culmination of a semester-long project. Join me as I unravel what it means to have a collection through my collection of plants.

Stay tuned for more information on the launch tomorrow!