Is it borage? Is it forget-me-not? No, it's green alkanet! Photograph: Jane Perrone. Editor’s note: This post was first written in 2016 but was last updated in April 2024. If you're a member of more or less any social media platform, you've probably seen a post in the past month that reads something like this: "I've seen this plant in my garden/on my allotment/on a grass verge, can anyone tell me what it is/whether it's a weed?" The comments below will go like this: "It's borage." "Forget-me-not, I think." "No, it's green alkanet, it's a dye plant." "Green alkanet, it's a horrendous wee ..read more

Want to channel your inner Prince? Look no further than my top three houseplants honouring Prince's Purple Rain era. Yes, it's a houseplant Prince-off! Velvet plant So the small orange-yellow flowers of the velvet plant, Gynura aurantiaca, smell of BO. Just cut them off and enjoy the gorgeously purple foliage, as plush as any Prince jacket. This one is one of those 'shortlived' types, meaning it gets leggy, and quickly, so take lots of cuttings. Pruning and removing the flowers will help it stay compact longer.  Purple oxalis Oxalis triangularis is a multipurpose wonder: i ..read more

This week I am championing a trio of underrated houseplants (which I last did back in January 2023, where I set out the case for coleus, parlour palms and florist sinningia). Aeschynanthus aka lipstick plant: it took me YEARS to find out how to pronounce this plant's name, but once you know, you know. (It's ess-kin-AN-thus, by the way). I've never met an Aeschynanthus I didn't like - this member of the Gesneriad clan is easier than many Hoyas that are less beautiful (don't come for me, Hoya heads). My particular faves are A. 'Black Pagoda' for its incredible black swirly leaf variegation ..read more

Sometimes it's good to let go of your houseplant-related rage, so here's my list of houseplants I will NEVER buy again - the 'spill the tea' edition. Feel free to disagree with me, and be as catty as you like: I'll post the best sick burns and hot takes here. 1. Goeppertia orbifolia Aka nothing, because no one has bothered giving this one a common name because you will not have it long enough to think of one. Love orb-shaped leaves? You won't when they've crisped up like those chips you forgot about in the air fryer. Alternative: If you MUST grow a one of this genus,  ..read more

Here's something you may not know about me. Before I majored on houseplants, I was gardening editor at the Guardian for nine years. Before that, I was on the news side at the Guardian's website.* One of my favourite things to edit when working on Guardian gardens was the 'How does your garden grow' series, a first person piece by someone about their garden, their relationship with plants and a lot more besides, alongside a beautifully-shot photograph of the gardener in their green space. You can go and read them all here: there are some fascinating people featured.  What I ..read more

Thanks for all of you who have been in touch after last week's column about On The Ledge turning seven - I have replied to most of you I hope - and it was wonderful to hear about your plant collections and what you love about the show, even though I was surprised to hear that some of you only ever read the newsletter and have never downloaded or listened to On The Ledge. The horror! If you're not a listener to my podcast On The Ledge, one of the many things you've missed out on is my On The Ledge sowalong - the podcast's annual mission to get listeners to tr ..read more

Grow happy, healthy houseplants with the help of these simple, illustrated cards. The 60 informative cards, illustrated by artist Cody Bond, and 32-page book packaged in a giftable box. I answer hundreds of questions, including: What sort of plants love a bathroom? How can you bring an orchid back into flower? What needs regular watering, and what doesn’t mind if you forget? What can you put on a sunny windowsill, and what will send foliage tumbling attractively from a shelf? Drawing on years of experience and research, her cards provide sensible, practical, and inspiring advice. The accompan ..read more

Are you on TikTok? Despite nearing my half century, I am absolutely loving sharing houseplant knowledge on this platform. In fact, I am rather regretting not getting on board a little earlier. On Instagram, I only seem to reach existing followers, which is lovely, but on TikTok, every single interaction is with someone who is new to me: what a thrill! You can find me there as @j.l.perrone (I am also @j.l.perrone on Insta - the L stands for Lindsey in case you wondered). Here are five of the (mainly) planty accounts I've been enjoying... let me know who else I need ..read more

Searches for my post on Hoya kerrii - the sweetheart vine - have gone skyrocketing this week, I suppose as a result of the approach of February 14 - Valentine's day. I always struggle with the irony of this plant as a symbol of your growing love for someone, given that it literally is NOT going to grow into a plant (unless you are very lucky and wait several years for a tiny slip of stem tissue attached to the leaf stalk to generate into a new vine). Likewise, maybe Dieffenbachia, the leopard lily, carries way too much freight of history to make a suitable gift for your lover - (it ..read more

An Insta post from horticulturist Leslie Halleck really made me chuckle this week. Entitled 'stop FLFing yourself', it explained why the fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) makes a really terrible houseplant for the vast majority of households.  I agree. I wrote a chapter on this plant for Legends of the Leaf, and although it's a fascinating species, you need to remember that this is an African tree. It gets massive outside and is often grown as a shade tree, in other words it sucks up full sun like candy. And not your pathetic dribble of light coming in through a partially-obs ..read more