I stay at our store for an hour after everyone else leaves.

Get to catch up on emails and orders and promos and recalls, all that.

I often use some of that time to just mess with the houseplants we propagate and sell.

Great way to unwind.

New pothos water cuttings from my 3 mothers tonight.
Also 4 5" pots of Tradescantia fluminensis? with 9 cuttings per.
And 2 2" plectranthus with 3 per.

Going for another 18 plectrantus by Saturday, more 2" and some dense 5".

Love that plant.

We have it at work in literally 12 different lighting situations.

Indirect through cling-coated windows behind a north-facing 10" overhang.
Under T5 Fluorescent.
Under T8 Fluorescent
LED 34w
LED 51w
Regular store lighting from 8' away.

They're in the fish room, 12 terrariums, 3 different office spots.

How/when do you guys deal with your work plants?

Thanks for asking!

Which Plectranthus? Swedish ivy? (verticillatus, is it?)

I work in a public library. I currently have about a dozen plants there, my own plus a couple adopted from work
2 big Dracaena bruanii- lucky bamoboo as potted in soil
i big Sophie begonia
i mixed pot,= a spider plant, a chopped off and budding Dracaena (massangeana?) and a Sophie begonia.
1 fan palm, about 12 years old, with purple oxalis wandering in the pot with it
2 big pot but smaller leafed peace lily
i big pot -a mixed planting from a florist that kept growing and I moved to bigger pots, the usual parlor palm, Aglaonema, peace lily, heartleaf philo
Smaller ones in about 4 -5 inch pots.. Tradescantia oyster plant, purple oxalis (people love that one, lots of comments), Marble queen pothos.

I've worked there about 8 years. Plants have come and gone, but are well settled now as to what works for me and the plants. I have had more Aglaonema but they got mealybugs, so came home for summer or trash. Knock on wood, no other bugs. I took big cane begonia maculatas last year but they got gangly. Epipremnum pothos had a big older one for ages but it took a dive, I had no idea why.

It's been a lesson seeing that these plants are doing well. The artificial light is consistently brighter than a typical home and it is on 10-12 hours a day except Sunday. There are skylights that give a little extra sun for very short and changing times. The air is very dry. The heat/AC is unpredictable.

I usually water every Thursday- slow night. They have cache pots or good dishes. I let a little trickle, then stop. I try to use rainwater from home- sometimes tap water.

I made up a few dozen small pots for coworkers over the last few months- striped inch plant, swedish ivy, coleus.. took cuttings from my outside plants, it's a treat for them and fun for me. 3 cuttings per about 3 inch pot that I get used for 10 cents at a nursery. Have also shared with a few patrons- the Epipremnum needed pruning anyway, the purple oxalis with a delightful preschooler and her grandma, the swedish ivy someone 'shared' to himself without asking haha..

I am not really tempted to fuss with the plants. I don't want someone saying- The library staff has nothing better to do with my tax dollars than fuss with plants?

Every time I visit the library I always go look at the houseplants , I think they really add on to the overall "vibe" of the library

That's nice to hear, sedumzz! I think it says 'somebody cares'.

When we had to close for COvid I got the plants home after a few weeks- most survived the custodians well meaning care. Then when we had to re open with hastily arranged sneeze guards, my coworkers said ''Bring the big plants back, so we can block the holes where people will want to stick their faces around the sides of the glass, and to keep people farther from the counter' Plant defenses.

sallyg said:Thanks for asking!

Which Plectranthus? Swedish ivy? (verticillatus, is it?)

I've seen it referred to as Creeping Charlie and Swedish Ivy, yes.

Scalloped leaves, slightly waxy.

Humboldt said:

I've seen it referred to as Creeping Charlie and Swedish Ivy, yes.

Scalloped leaves, slightly waxy.

Got it! Literally. I have it, It roots incredibly easily, even starts little root nubs before even cut off the plant.

That sounds like this kind.
Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)

I've never met a Plectranthus I didn't like.

purpleinopp said:That sounds like this kind.
Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)

I've never met a Plectranthus I didn't like.

That's it.

I adore that plant.

Funny though, I've grown it for 25 years.

Dozens upon dozens of them, my oldest is about 14.

I don't recall ever seeing one bloom, but my sister just sent me a picture of hers with gorgeous little dotted flowers.

I've had them primarily indoor but also outdoor, perfect light, too much and too little light.

Sandy, loamy, store bought straight and customized, homemade soils.

Heavily pruned to totally ignored.

Any ideas?

sallyg said:
I am not really tempted to fuss with the plants. I don't want someone saying- The library staff has nothing better to do with my tax dollars than fuss with plants?

Probably a good idea.

I consider myself lucky in that sense.

We sell the plants very well, so I have no guilt over spending time re-potting, taking cuttings, it's part of my job making money for the store.
I've got about $1,200 invested in plant and display planted-terrarium lighting.

Putting it to good use!

I'm also blessed with the freedom to swing by the local plant stores once a month or so after doing a bank run.

I'll just pick a random one every few weeks, buy what I want with store money, and try to make it reproduce.

Even better, my good buddy manages a huge gardening supply store and hooked me up with an excellent member discount.
Sometimes he hands me a cold beer while I'm shopping.

Great place, everything you could imagine.

Great situation, Humboldt
My hanging basket swedish ivy had a big display of bloom last month. I think most of summer is was hung in the dogwood tree out front, -- bright shade, rain, some help with water, not really fertilized (or maybe a random here or there).

Whoever had it before me, it got leaves over 3 inches across, huge for that plant, lush, full, beautiful. Mine currently is yellowing, no idea why except the season.
I cannot imagine why you never get bloom.

Do you do Aglaonema? They seem to root and regrow so slowly when I try.

So pretty.

Humboldt said:
I don't recall ever seeing one bloom, but my sister just sent me a picture of hers with gorgeous little dotted flowers.

I've had them primarily indoor but also outdoor, perfect light, too much and too little light.

Sandy, loamy, store bought straight and customized, homemade soils.

Heavily pruned to totally ignored.

Any ideas?

Are you able to add any pics? I have this blooming in a couple of pots at the moment, and in a few spots where it is in the ground.

purpleinopp said:

Are you able to add any pics? I have this blooming in a couple of pots at the moment, and in a few spots where it is in the ground.

Oh boy.

Yes. Tuesdays are harsh, but soon.

I have the ceramic mother on my desk, a plastic square 5" super young (6 week) mother, 2 2" with 3 cuttings per (about 1 week-old), 9 bio-active terrariums with LED lighting for everything from poison dart frogs and scorpions to fire-bellied toads and mourning geckos. In the terrariums it will dominate the tank with the fattest and healthiest leaves if you don't keep it in check.

And on our aquatic plant CO2 display tank, under some real funky lighting tailored for aquatic plants. Grows slowly, super dark and dense, and very happily.

I'll try to take a few shots. Terrariums are hard unless the glass is really clean.

Sounds very interesting! If you get a decent pic, pls. share it. I'm wondering if there's not quite enough light if the foliage is so dark and large (and not blooming at this time). But as far as blooming plants go, these blooms are barely more showy than Coleus, very similar to Coleus, just a little bigger.

Sally, my potted plants are usually toward the yellowish side like your pic but the ground plants are usually a little greener. When I repot the few pots that have this in it, I will probably put all of it in the ground since it has done so well the past few yrs and doesn't seem to need to be brought inside to have it around. I wonder if you could find a spot where the roots could stay alive over winter where you are? Might be something to try next year if you have an interest, and a spot.

Tiffany, interesting thought. I may be able to get the pot into my warmest flowerbed.. nothing to lose

Or just stick some snippings in there in the spring.

sallyg said:

I bought a Swedish ivy online and it didn't look anything like that and died within a week. That's what I wanted with the almost succulent type leaves but what they sent me was completely different.