Plants I've Tried

These are the plants I have attempted to grow indoors, or am currently growing indoors, as of 8 November 2015. All IDs are subject to revision, some more than others.

I've also indicated what kind of experience I've had with the plant in question, categorized as Disasters (very bad experience), Disappointments (somewhat bad), Residents (neither good nor bad), Successes (somewhat good), Favorites (very good), or Too Soon To Tell (newish acquisitions). These categorizations are subject to change at any time.

† indicates plants which are dead or otherwise not in my possession anymore; ‡ indicates plants which I don't possess and never want to try again.

My experience is not necessarily typical for the plants in question. Your results may vary.


Abutilon 'Bella Pink,' 'Bella Red,' 'Bella Vanilla' (wide range from Disappointment to Success, depending on specimen)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light leading to ugly

Adenium obesum (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: mistook dormancy for death?

Adiantum capillaris-veneris (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering, maybe also low humidity

Adromischus NOID (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Aechmea 'Del Mar' (Success)

Aechmea fasciata (Resident/Success)

Aeschynanthus longicaulis (Success/Favorite)

Aeschynanthus radicans (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: cutting fail, maybe underwatering

Aeschynanthus speciosus (Favorite)

Aeschynanthus 'Thai Pink' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, failure to rebloom or even pretend to rebloom, annoying growth habit

Agave angustifolia variegata (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Agave americana (Success/Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: unbelievably persistent scale

Agave americana, white marginal variegation (Success/Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Agave americana, yellow central variegation (Success/Favorite)

Agave attenuata 'Kara's Stripes' (Success/Favorite)

Agave attenuata, variegated (Disappointment/Resident)

Agave 'Blue Glow' (A. ocahui x A. attenuata) (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: persistent scale, inadequate light

Agave bovicornuta 'Reggae Time' (Resident/Success)

Agave desmettiana (?), plain green (Success)

Agave desmettiana (?), variegated (Success)

Agave lophantha (Success)

Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor' (Success)

Agave NOID (possibly potatorum, parrasana, or parryi; not sure which is most likely) (Resident/Success)

Agave NOID hybrid (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: rot, possibly also damaged by white oil spraying

Agave potatorum 'Kissho Kan,' variegated (Success)

Agave titanota 'Kyoto' or 'FO-076' (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: persistent scale, inadequate light

Agave victoriae-reginae (Favorite)

Agave victoriae-reginae 'Pinguino' (Success)

Agave vilmoriniana (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: persistent scale, ugly due to fall injuries

Aglaonema brevispathum 'Hospitum' and 'Thai Snowflakes' (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: overpotted? Underwatered? Overwatered?

Aglaonema 'Brilliant' (Favorite)

Aglaonema 'Cory' (Favorite)

Aglaonema 'Diamond Bay' (Success)

Aglaonema 'Emerald Bay' (Success)

Aglaonema 'Emerald Holiday' (Resident/Success)

Aglaonema 'Gold Dust' (Resident/Success)

Aglaonema 'Golden Bay' (Success/Favorite)

Aglaonema 'Jewel of India' (Favorite)

Aglaonema 'Jubilee' (Resident)

Aglaonema 'King of Siam' (Resident/Success)

Aglaonema 'Maria' (Resident/Success)

Aglaonema NOID (possibly commutatum) (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: ugly, boring

Aglaonema 'Peacock' (Favorite)

Aglaonema 'Sapphire Suzanne' (Resident)

Aglaonema 'Silver Queen' (Success/Favorite)

Aglaonema 'Silverado' (Success)

Aglaonema 'Sparkling Sarah' (Favorite)

Aglaonema 'Stars' (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: overwatered

Aglaonema 'Stripes' (Success)

Albuca bracteata (aka Ornithogalum caudatum) (Resident/Success)

Alcantarea imperialis (aka Vriesea imperialis) (Success/Favorite)

Aloe arenicola (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: insufficient light leading to ugly

Aloe brevifolia (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Aloe congolensis (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Aloe 'Crosby's Prolific' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Aloe 'Doran Black' (ID uncertain) (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot

Aloe dorotheae 'Sunset' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot from overwatering and/or cold

Aloe ferox (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Aloe 'Firebird' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale, boring, failure to thrive

Aloe 'Fire Ranch' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, ugly, partial defoliation of unknown causes

Aloe greatheadii var. davyana (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale, inadequate light

Aloe harlana (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: suspected of having scale (not confirmed), boring, too big

Aloe haworthioides (may be a hybrid of A. haworthioides and something else) (Resident/Success)

Aloe maculata (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale, inadequate light

Aloe 'Minibelle' (as received; could be A. juvenna) (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Aloe nobilis (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: returned to store because of aloe mites; given away or sold

Aloe NOID (looks like variegated Alworthia 'Black Gem;' possibly 'Walmsley's Bronze') (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Aloe NOID (possibly A. bakeri) (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Aloe NOID (probably 'Blue Elf' or 'Hedgehog') (Success/Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Aloe 'Pink Blush' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot, inadequate light

Aloe polyphylla (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale

Aloe rupestris (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: uprooted itself while I was spraying it for scale, and I decided I didn't like it well enough to bother potting it back up

Aloe 'Silver Ridge' (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot from overwatering/cold; scale

Aloe striata (Success until scale infestation)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale, too large for location

Aloe variegata (Resident/Success)

Aloe vera (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: rot; scale; ugly; inadequate light

Aloe 'Walmsley's Blue' (Success)

Alpinia zerumbet variegata (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: not in great shape to begin with; scale

Alternanthera dentata 'Purple Knight' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit

Alternanthera 'Partytime' (Disappointment/Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit

Alworthia 'Black Gem' (Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: motherfucking scale over and over

Amorphophallus bulbifer (Resident)

Amorphophallus konjac (Success/Favorite)

Ananas comosus (Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: rot / failure to root

Ananas comosus 'Mongo' (Success/Favorite)

Ananas lucidus (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: outgrew location, then rot in a new location

Anthurium "hookeri" (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying habit, inadequate light, suspected scale / spider mites

Anthurium amnicola (Disaster/Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: overpotted? possibly not in great shape to begin with

Anthurium x 'Florida' (Success/Favorite)

Anthurium hybrids including 'Gemini,' 'Krypton,' 'Midori,' 'Orange Hot,' 'Pandola,' 'Red Hot,' 'White Gemini,' and crosses between same (Success/Favorite)

Anthurium 'Joli' (Resident/Success)

Anthurium NOID (medium pink spathes) (Success)

Anthurium NOID (orangish-red spathes) (Disappointment/Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: overpotted

Anthurium NOID (red spathes) (Success/Favorite)

Anthurium crystallinum 'Mehani' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate humidity, ugly

Anthurium podophyllum (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Anthurium schlechtendalii (Success/Favorite)

Araucaria bidwillii (Favorite)

Araucaria heterophylla (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: overpotted

Ardisia crenata (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale, boring

Ardisia elliptica (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Asparagus macowanii (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale

Asparagus plumosus (mostly Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: too dry, ugly

Aspidistra elatior (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly

Aspidistra lurida 'Milky Way' (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites; underwatering; spontaneous implosion of unknown causes

Asplenium antiquum (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatered, low humidity

Asplenium nidus (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatered, low humidity

Asplundia 'Jungle Drum' (Usually sold as Carludovica) (Success/Favorite)

Astrophytum myriostigma (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered, cold, rot

Astrophytum ornata (Resident/Success)

Beaucarnea recurvata, variegated (Favorite)

Begonia 'Erythrophylla' (Success)

Begonia 'Puffy Clouds' (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: long slow decline for no obvious reason

Begonia 'Tiger Kitten' (Disappointment/Resident)

Begonia rhizomatous NOID, star-shaped black leaves with red undersides (Success)

Begonia rhizomatous NOID, star-shaped red and green leaves (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot, but had never been very happy here

Begonia rhizomatous NOID, ruffly green and black leaves (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: unknown

Begonia NOID, cane type (Success)

Begonia NOID, another cane type with smaller leaves (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: too much direct sun leading to ugly

Begonia NOID, rounded green leaves with "eyelashes" around margin (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: spontaneous death, not well-established

Begonia rex-cultorum, four different cvv. (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: being a rex begonia

Billbergia 'Borracho' (Success)

Billbergia 'Foster's Striate' (Favorite)

Billbergia nutans (Favorite)

Brassolaeliocattleya Helen[e] Brown (Success)

Breynia disticha 'Roseo-Picta' (Favorite)

Browningia hertlingiana (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: overwatered, cold, rot

Bryophyllum daigremontianum (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit, inadequate light

Caladium NOID (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate heat and humidity

Calathea lutea (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: seeds failed to germinate

Calathea makoyana (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: spider mites, suspected scale

Calathea ornata (Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: spider mites, low humidity, underwatered

Callisia fragrans (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit

Callisia gentlei (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit

Carica papaya (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites; ugly; transplant failure; rot

Caryota mitis (Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: ugly, likely not well-established in the first place; rot

Cereus peruvianus (Success)

Ceropegia woodii (Success)

Ceropegia woodii, variegated cv. (Success)

Chamaedorea elegans (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Chamaedorea metallica (Success)

Chirita 'Deco' (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: sudden decline for no obvious reason

Chlorophytum 'Charlotte' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Chlorophytum comosum (both white- and yellow-variegated) (Success)

Chlorophytum laxum (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Chlorophytum x 'Fire Flash' (Favorite)

Cissus quadrangularis (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: long decline over a period of months, possibly too wet/cold, also ugly

Cissus rhombifolia (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, overwatered and underwatered, mildew

Cissus rhombifolia 'Ellen Danica' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered?

Clivia miniata 'Aztec Gold' (Success/Favorite)

Clivia miniata NOID (Resident/Success)

Codiaeum variegatum 'Andrew' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites

Codiaeum variegatum 'Gold Dust' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites

Codonanthe serrulata (Resident)

Coffea arabica (Favorite)

Columnea 'Light Prince' (Resident/Success)

Columnea microphylla (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: had never done well, possibly too cold, abrupt decline without obvious cause

Columnea orientandina (Success/Favorite)

Cordyline fruticosa (green) (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: too large for location, boring, suspected spider mite reservoir

Cordyline fruticosa 'Bicolor' or 'Tricolor' (ID uncertain) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: persistent spider mites, ugly

Cordyline fruticosa 'Bolero' (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: failed to resprout after being cut back

Cordyline fruticosa 'Kiwi' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: persistent spider mites, ugly

Cordyline fruticosa NOID (large dark red leaves with pink margins) (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: persistent spider mites, ugly

Cordyline fruticosa 'Red Sister' (or some similar dark-red cv. with pink margins) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: persistent spider mites, ugly

Cordyline glauca (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, underwatered

Crassula arborescens undulatifolia (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, inadequate light

Crassula falcata (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: main stem was broken off by accident, and then the plant rotted -- I couldn't salvage any pieces or offsets

Crassula muscosa (Disappointment/Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: mealybugs; not well-established when purchased

Crassula ovata 'Gollum' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: fungus, ugly

Crassula ovata, solid green (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; fungus, ugly

Crassula ovata, variegated (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, possible fungus

Crassula rupestris (possibly perforata) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: no roots (either never had them in the first place, or I'd overwatered and they rotted)

Cryptanthus [bivittatus?] 'Pink Starlite' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring; given away or sold

Cryptanthus cf. bromelioides (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: mealybugs

Cryptanthus 'Melody' (?) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering?

Cryptanthus NOID (tan/green w/ stripe) (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Cryptanthus NOID (all-green) (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Cryptanthus NOID (red/green, no stripe) (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Cryptanthus 'Ruby' or similar cv. (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring; mealybugs; given away or sold

Cryptanthus x 'Black Mystic' (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: rot following bloom (replaced itself with offsets but they were tiny and weak for some reason)

Cryptanthus fosterianus (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: unknown

Cryptbergia x rubra (Success)

Ctenanthe burle-marxii (Success/Favorite)

Cuphea ignea (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, underwatered, ugly

Cyanotis kewensis (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered; ugly; annoying growth habit; given away or sold

Cycas revoluta (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: sudden irreversible yellowing of unknown origin

Cyclamen persicum NOID (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: my failure to read dormancy cues and adjust watering accordingly

Cyperus alternifolius (Success/Favorite)

Cyrtomium falcatum (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: sudden decline for no obvious reason

Davallia fejeensis 'Major' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: too warm/dry?, ugly

Davallia trichomanoides (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: long slow decline for no obvious reason

Davallia tyermanii (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: overpotted?

Dendrobium 'Karen' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: probably rot from a potting medium that retained water too long

Dendrobium NOID "Humphrey Bogart" (Resident)

Didymochlaena truncatula (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: unknown, since I never did anything that it seemed to like

Dieffenbachia 'Camouflage' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit, boring

Dieffenbachia NOID (larger grayish variety) (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit, ugly, bored with, spider mites

Dieffenbachia NOID (possibly 'Compacta?') (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: failed to resprout well after being cut back; chronic underwatering

Dieffenbachia NOID (possibly 'Exotica' or 'Sparkle?') (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: not well-established when purchased; failed to transplant from water-rooting

Dieffenbachia 'Pacific Rim' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatered, annoying growth habit; long slow decline with no obvious cause

Dieffenbachia 'Panther' (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered

Dieffenbachia 'Starbright' (Success)

Dieffenbachia 'Sterling' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, top-heavy, spider mites, cut back and resprouted ugly

Dieffenbachia 'Tiki' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, annoying growth habit

Dieffenbachia 'Triumph' (Success/Favorite)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites, boring; top-heavy, ugly

Dieffenbachia 'Tropic Rain' (Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Dieffenbachia 'Tropic Snow' (Favorite)

Dischidia hirsuta (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: may have been damaged by shipping, not established to begin with

Dischidia 'Nova' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: may have been damaged by shipping, not established to begin with

Dischidia ruscifolia (Resident/Success)

Dischidia variegata (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: may have been damaged by shipping, not established to begin with

Dizygotheca elegantissima (Schefflera elegantissima) (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: mealybugs; scale

Dizygotheca elegantissima (Schefflera elegantissima) 'Olympia' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, suspected scale

Dracaena deremensis 'Art' (Resident)

Dracaena deremensis 'Jade Jewel' (Disappointment/Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: boring, had never done all that well for me but I don't know why

Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig' (Success)

Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig Compacta' (Success/Favorite)

Dracaena deremensis 'Lemon-Lime' / 'Goldstar' (Success/Favorite)

Dracaena deremensis 'Limelight' (Success/Favorite)

Dracaena deremensis 'Malaika' (Success)

Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckei' (Resident/Success)

Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (Success)

Dracaena fragrans 'Sol' (Success)

Dracaena marginata 'Bicolor' (brief Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Dracaena marginata 'Colorama' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Dracaena reflexa 'Riki' (Success/Favorite)

Dracaena reflexa 'Song of India' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, no/slow growth

Dracaena reflexa 'Song of Jamaica' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, scale

Dracaena sanderiana (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, boring

Dracaena surculosa (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, never performed well

Dracaena thalioides (practically never-ending Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: a *spectacular* spider mite infestation. Like, the kind of spider mite infestation people write songs about. (Country songs, obviously.)

Dracaena x 'Indonesian Tracker' (Success/Favorite)

Dyckia x 'La Rioja' (Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: rot

Dyckia, unnamed F2 offspring of 'Burgundy Ice' (Resident/Success)

Echeveria coccinea (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: insufficient light, ugly; given away or sold

Echeveria nodulosa (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: insufficient light, ugly

Echeveria NOID (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot, not well-established

Echeveria 'Perle von Nunberg' or 'Moonglow' or something (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: rotted after being cut back

Echeveria pulvinata 'Frosty' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; inadequate light

Echeveria 'Topsy Turvy' (Disappointment/Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly

Echinocactus grusonii (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: insufficient light leading to ugly

Epiphyllum NOID (pink flowers) (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, believed exposed to scale, annoying growth habit

Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, believed exposed to scale, annoying growth habit

Epiphyllum 'Tequila Sunrise' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, believed exposed to scale, annoying growth habit

Epipremnum aureum (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: boring

Epipremnum aureum 'Marble Queen' (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Epipremnum aureum 'Neon' (Resident/Success)

Epipremnum aureum 'N'Joy' (Success/Favorite)

Episcia, assorted NOIDs (Success)

Episcia 'Burning Embers' (Disappointment/Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: ugly due to underwatering?

Episcia 'Coco' (Favorite)

Episcia 'Faded Jade' (Resident)

Episcia 'Kempenfest' (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: poor performance to begin with, then mostly eaten by moth caterpillars

Episcia 'Pink Acajou' (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: all I recorded in the spreadsheet is "fuck I hate plants right now"

Episcia 'Pink Smoke' (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: unknown, probably watering-related somehow

Episcia 'Raspberry Parade' (Resident/Success)

Episcia 'Silver Skies' (Success)

Episcia 'Strawberry Patch' (Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: never did well, may not have been established, possible shipping damage

Episcia 'Suomi' (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: poor performance to begin with, then mostly eaten by moth caterpillars

Eriobotrya japonica (Success)

Eucharis grandiflora (Favorite)

Eucodonia NOID (Success)

Euphorbia ammak (Success/Favorite)

Euphorbia anoplia (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot

Euphorbia bougheyi variegata (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: fungus, awkward growth habit

Euphorbia drupifera (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: fungus

Euphorbia enopla (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered + injury sustained in a fall = rot

Euphorbia flanaganii (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Euphorbia flanaganii var. cristata (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, ugly, possible rot

Euphorbia grandicornis (Resident)

Euphorbia horrida var. noorsveldensis (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot

Euphorbia ingens? (Success/Favorite)

Euphorbia lactea, variegated (Success)

Euphorbia leuconeura (Success/Favorite)

Euphorbia milii (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: ineradicable fungus

Euphorbia milii 'Candyland' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: fungus, and the treatment for the fungus

Euphorbia NOID (Success)

Euphorbia pseudocactus (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, partial rot

Euphorbia tirucalli (Success/Favorite)

Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks' (Success/Favorite)

Euphorbia tortilis (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Euphorbia trigona (Success)

Euphorbia trigona 'Red' (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: ineradicable fungus

Excoecaria cochinchinensis (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit, spider mites, buyer's remorse

Fatshedera x lizei, variegated (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: had never done particularly well, then spider mites

Fatsia japonica (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: mealybugs

Fenestraria rhopalophylla (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: being a Fenestraria (i.e., overwatering. I.e., watering at all.)

Ferocactus (?) NOID (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: mealybugs

Ficus benjamina (Success)

Ficus benjamina 'Black Diamond' (Resident/Success)

Ficus benjamina 'Exotica' (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: underwatered

Ficus benjamina 'Margarita' (Resident/Success)

Ficus benjamina 'Midnight' (Resident/Success)

Ficus benjamina 'Monique' (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: underwatered

Ficus benjamina 'Spearmint' (ID uncertain) (Favorite)

Ficus benjamina 'Starlight' (Resident/Success)

Ficus maclellandii (Success/Favorite)

Ficus elastica 'Burgundy' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: insufficient light and no overhead light leading to annoying growth habit

Ficus elastica 'Tineke' (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Ficus lyrata (Success/Favorite)

Ficus microcarpa (Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: severe scale, on several different plants

Ficus microcarpa (?) 'Green Island' (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale, annoying growth habit

Ficus pumila, variegated (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: never did very well; underwatering

Ficus religiosa (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: spider mites

Ficus triangularis (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: chronic underwatering

Fittonia albivenis (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatered, cold, failure of cuttings to root

Furcraea foetida 'Medio-Picta' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: ineradicable scale, over and over

Gasteraloe 'Green Gold' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot

Gasteraloe 'Green Ice' (Resident/Success)

Gasteraloe 'Midnight' (sold as Aloe gastrolea 'Midnight') (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, boring, had been exposed to scale even though I never actually saw scale on it

Gasteraloe x beguinii (A. aristata x Gasteria batesiana) (Success/Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: persistent scale

Gasteria bicolor (ID uncertain) (Resident/Success)

Gasteria bicolor var. lilliputiana (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Gasteria x "pseudonigricans" (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; root rot, offsets failed to root, was never happy

Gasterworthia cv. (possibly 'Banded Pearls' or 'Royal Highness') (Resident)

Glechoma hederacea (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: was never established to begin with, mildew

Guzmania NOID, two cvv. (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; ugly; rot; got tired of waiting for it to bloom

Gynura aurantiaca (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; mealybugs; ugly, underwatered, boring

Haemanthus albiflos (Resident/Success)

Hatiora cv. ("Easter cactus"/Rhipsalidopsis), magenta-flowering (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: being an Easter cactus

Hatiora cv. ("Easter cactus"/Rhipsalidopsis), red/orange-flowering (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: being an Easter cactus

Hatiora salicornioides (Favorite)

Haworthia attenuata (Resident/Success)

Haworthia batesiana (ID uncertain, and probably wrong) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: failure to root from offset; given away or sold; ugly; rot

Haworthia comptoniana (may have been H. tessellata) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: mealybugs

Haworthia cymbiformis (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatering

Haworthia limifolia var. limifolia (Resident/Success)

Haworthia limifolia var. ubomboensis (Resident/Success)

Haworthia NOID (sort of like H. truncata, except it may or may not be) (Success/Favorite)

Haworthia retusa or maybe mirabilis (ID uncertain) (Success/Favorite)

Haworthia tessellata (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Hedera canariensis 'Gloire de Marengo' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites

Hedera helix cv. (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites

Heliconia psittacorum 'Bright Lights' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: probably not really a houseplant -- inadequate light / heat / humidity

Hemigraphis exotica (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering

Hibiscus acetosella 'Brown Sugar' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, annoying growth habit

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis NOID (orange flowers) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: pain in the ass to overwinter, spider mites

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Mrs. Jimmy Spangler' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: pain in the ass to overwinter, reluctant to bloom, underwatered, spider mites

Hippeastrum x ? (Resident)

Homalomena 'Emerald Gem' (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: chronic miswatering of some kind or another (never figured it out), unknown mite-like bugs

Homalomena 'Perma Press' (Success)

Homalomena 'Selby' (Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: "grotesquely underwatered," according to the spreadsheet

Hoya bella (Success)

Hoya carnosa "holliana" (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: Sudden Hoya Death Syndrome

Hoya carnosa 'Chelsea' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: Sudden Hoya Death Syndrome, given away or sold

Hoya carnosa 'Exotica' / 'Krimson Princess' (ID uncertain), three times (Diappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: exposed to scale, awkward growth habit, large, failed to bloom

Hoya carnosa 'Krimson Queen' (unclassifiable; has been all the categories at one time or another)†
Cause(s) of death: Sudden Hoya Death Syndrome; given away or sold; suspected scale; not well-established when I got it; root rot and/or injury

Hoya curtisii (Disaster/Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: weak to begin with, probably underwatered

Hoya kentiana, probably actually H. wayetii (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold because boring

Hoya lacunosa (Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: Sudden Hoya Death Syndrome

Hoya lacunosa 'Royal Flush' (Resident/Success)

Hoya NOID 'DS-70' (possibly cv. of H. tsangii) (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: Sudden Hoya Death Syndrome

Hoya obovata (Success)

Hoya picta (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: cuttings failed to root

Hoya polyneura (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: Sudden Hoya Death Syndrome

Hoya pubicalyx, possibly cv. 'Pink Silver' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: Sudden Hoya Death Syndrome

Hoya retusa (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: may have been damaged by shipping, not established to begin with

Huernia oculata (Resident/Success)

Huernia schneideriana (Favorite)

Huernia zebrina (Resident/Success)

Hylocereus undatus (or other Hylocereus sp.; ID is uncertain) (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, annyoing growth habit, inadequate light

Hypoestes phyllostachya (both pink and white versions) (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatered; needs too much maintenance to avoid looking ugly

Iresine herbstii 'Blazin' Rose' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly; chronic underwatering; failed to resprout after being cut back; annoying growth habit; given away or sold

Isolatocereus dumortieri (Success)

Kalanchoe beharensis (?) 'Fang' (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot, not established to begin with

Kalanchoe bracteata 'Silver Teaspoons' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: self-uprooted due to shallow root system, bored with Kalanchoes

Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: failure to root

Kalanchoe luciae (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: overpotted?

Kalanchoe marmorata (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, top-heavy, didn't actually like, inadequate light

Kalanchoe millotii (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, slow to re-root following blooming and senescence

Kalanchoe orgyalis (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: either overwatered, underwatered, or both

Kalanchoe prolifera (Success?)‡
Cause(s) of death: rotted after being cut back, and cuttings failed to root; given away or sold

Kalanchoe tomentosa (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly; damaged in fall

Kohleria 'Peridots Kitlope' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: chronic underwatering

Kohleria 'Queen Victoria' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatered

Kohleria 'Silver Feather' (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: arrived as a tuber. Started to sprout when planted, but then the shoot was covered by soil during watering, and it stopped trying

Lampranthus blandus (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, insufficient light

Laurus nobilis (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering?

Ledebouria socialis (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: failed to root; given away or sold; rot (too cold?); don't know; long slow decline of unknown causes; propagation failures

Leuchtenbergia principis (Favorite)

Liriope spicata 'Cassidy' (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly (chlorotic), no/slow growth, likely not a good houseplant candidate in the first place

Ludisia discolor (syn. Haemaria discolor) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: overpotted; cutting failure

Mammillaria elongata 'Pink Nymph' (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot from overwatering, possibly also bad specimen

Mammillaria spinosissima (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Manfreda undulata 'Chocolate Chips' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale

Mangave 'Bloodspot' (Resident)

Mangave 'Macho Mocha' (Disappointment)

Maranta leuconeura erythroneura (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites; mealybugs

Maranta leuconeura kerchoveana (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: exposed to scale, not performing well anyway because of underwatering, low humidity; failed to recover after being cut back

Maranta leuconeura 'Marisela' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: mealybugs; ugly, underwatered, boring

Microsorum musifolium 'Crocodyllus' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: too cold, dry air, possible underwatering

Monstera deliciosa (Success)

Monstera deliciosa 'Cheesecake' (Success)

Murraya paniculata (Success/Favorite)

Musa x 'Cheeka' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly

Myrtillocactus geometrizans (Success)

Nautilocalyx forgetii (all over the place; unclassifiable)†
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; underwatered; propagation failure; sudden decline for no obvious reason

Nautilocalyx pemphidius (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: may have been damaged by shipping, not established to begin with

Nematanthus NOID (orange flowers) (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale and/or exposed to scale; annoying growth habit; given away or sold

Nematanthus NOID (pinkish-orange flowers) (Success/Favorite)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale and/or exposed to scale; given away or sold

Nematanthus NOID (yellow-orange flowers) (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale

Nematanthus 'Tropicana' (yellow-orange flowers with brown stripes) (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: long slow decline of unknown causes; annoying growth habit; given away or sold

Neofinetia falcata 'Amami Furan' (Success)

Neoregelia ampullacea 'Dark Star' (Resident/Success)

Neoregelia 'Ardie' (Success)

Neoregelia 'Fireball' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: long slow decline of unknown causes; propagation failure; given away or sold

Neoregelia 'Gazpacho' (Success/Favorite)

Neoregelia NOID (dark green leaves with purple tips; plant center is pink-purple when blooming) (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: scale-exposed, failure to thrive

Neoregelia NOID (dark purple leaves with green flecks) (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: scale, whitefly

Neoregelia NOID (green leaves with yellow variegation in center; plant center is red when blooming or in strong light) (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: underwatered; propagation failure

Neoregelia NOID (green leaves, pink-purple center when blooming) (Disappointment/Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: fungus

Neoregelia pauciflora x wilsonia (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: failure to root

Neoregelia 'Zoe' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered and/or overpotted

NOID NOID (looked like a Hoya or Dischidia) (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: may have been damaged by shipping, not established to begin with

NOID NOID (looked sort of like a sick Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, but wasn't) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: unknown

Oncidium NOID (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: failed attempt to salvage a dying plant

Oncidium Tsiku Marguerite 'NN #1' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: was never actually happy, probably underwatered (?)

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Niger' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: spider mites, chronic underwatering, finished off by badly-timed repotting

Osmanthus fragrans (Disappointment/Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: unknown + spider mites

Oxalis triangularis (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Pachycereus marginatus (Resident/Success)

Pachyphytum NOID (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, annoying growth habit

Pachypodium lamerei (Favorite)

Pandanus amaryllifolius (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: mealybugs; rot, spider mites, badly-timed repotting

Pandanus veitchii, both plain green and variegated (Favorite)

Paphiopedilum Supersuk 'Eureka' x Paph. Raisin Pie 'Hsinying' x Sib (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: it super-sucked (never very happy; either over- or underwatered)

Parodia microsperma (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, ugly

Pedilanthus tithymaloides (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: ineradicable fungus (and believe me, I tried)

Pedilanthus (tithymaloides?) 'Silver Star' (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: ineradicable fungus

Pedilanthus x 'Jurassic Park 2' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ineradicable fungus, insufficient light, never seemed happy though it was here for several years

Pelargonium x hortorum 'Moonlight Dark Pink' (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: insufficient light, ugly

Pelargonium x hortorum 'Mrs. Pollock' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: insufficient light, ugly

Pelargonium x hortorum 'Vancouver Centennial' (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: insufficient light, ugly

Pellaea rotundifolia (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering

Pellionia pulchra (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: boring, annoying growth habit, overwatering/rot

Peperomia argyreia (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, overwatering

Peperomia caperata, various cvv., several times (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering; overwatering; ugly; annoying growth habit

Peperomia clusiifolia (Success/Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: boring, possible root rot, uprooted self a lot

Peperomia clusiifolia 'Rainbow' (Disappointment/Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: ugly, was never happy

Peperomia ferreyrae (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Peperomia glabella (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; annoying growth habit, boring, exposed to scale

Peperomia griseoargentea NOID (new growth was pink-orange) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: overpotted

Peperomia 'Mini-Melons' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatering

Peperomia obtusifolia 'Gold Coast' (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: overwatered; ugly

Peperomia obtusifolia, variegated (Resident/Success)

Peperomia orba, variegated (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered, cold

Peperomia pereskiifolia (Success/Favorite)

Peperomia rugosa (Success/Favorite)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatered

Peperomia verschaffeltii (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, boring, underwatered

Pereskia aculeata var. godseffiana (Success)

Persea americana (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, ugly

Phalaenopsis NOID (Success)

Philodendron 'Autumn' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatered, ugly

Philodendron bipennifolium (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, annoying growth habit

Philodendron bipinnatifidum (Resident/Success)

Philodendron brandtianum (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: never happy, ugly (possibly inadequate heat and humidity)

Philodendron 'Congo Green' (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale-exposed, boring

Philodendron erubescens (?) 'Golden Emerald' (Success/Favorite)

Philodendron erubescens 'Red Emerald' (Success)

Philodendron gloriosum (Success)

Philodendron hastatum (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: ugly

Philodendron hederaceum (Success)

Philodendron hederaceum 'Brasil' (Favorite)

Philodendron hederaceum 'Frilly Philly' (Success)

Philodendron hederaceum NOID chartreuse cv. (Favorite)

Philodendron hederaceum micans (Favorite)

Philodendron hederaceum NOID (green w/ dk. green speckles) (Success)

Philodendron 'Imperial Green?' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale-exposed, boring

Philodendron 'Imperial Red?' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, long slow decline from unknown causes

Philodendron mexicanum (Favorite)

Philodendron 'Moonlight' (Resident)

Philodendron pinnatifidum 'Spicy Dog' (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit, too big, stem injury

Philodendron squamiferum (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Philodendron xanadu (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, bacterial rot

Pilea cadierei (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: boring, ugly

Pilea depressa (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; boring, ugly, annoying growth habit

Pilea involucrata (?) 'Norfolk' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly

Pilea microphylla (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: sudden decline from unknown causes

Pilea mollis (?) 'Moon Valley' (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, boring

Pilea nummulariifolia (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; underwatered

Pilea peperomioides (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: was never happy, unknown cause of death

Pilosocereus pachycladus (Success/Favorite)

Platycerium sp. (suspected of being P. bifurcatum) (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: was never actually happy, overpotted?, underwatered

Plectranthus amboinicus (Success)

Plectranthus ciliatus (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, overwatered, inadequate light

Plectranthus oertendahlii (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered, boring, annoying growth habit, cold; given away or sold

Plectranthus verticillatus (Favorite)

Plectranthus x 'Mona Lavender' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, underwatered, transplant fail, cutting fail; given away or sold

Podocarpus macrophyllus (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering; scale; given away or sold

Pogonantherum paniceum (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering

Polypodium aureum 'Mandianum' (Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: scale

Polypodium grandiceps (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, ugly

Polyscias balfouriana, variegated (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: never did well, ugly, spider mites

Polyscias fruticosa (Favorite)

Polyscias fruticosa 'Elegans' (Success/Favorite)

Polyscias fruticosa 'Snowflake' (Resident)

Polyscias scutellaria (Resident/Success)

Potinara Eye Candy 'Mellow Yellow' and 'Sweet Sensation' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: unknown; neither were ever happy here

Porphyrocoma pohliana 'Maracas' (Success)

Portulacaria afra (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, underwatered and overwatered

Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa (Resident)

Pteris hybrid? (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: overpotted, may have been damaged or weakened in transit, was small to begin with

Radermachera sinica (Disaster)‡‡‡‡‡‡ ALL OF THE ‡S
Cause(s) of death: slightly imperfect watering

Rhapis excelsa (Success/Favorite)

Rhipsalis ewaldiana (Success/Favorite)

Rhipsalis grandiflora (Resident/Success)

Rhipsalis NOID (Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: cutting failed to root

Rhipsalis NOID, possibly R. rhombea (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring

Rhipsalis teres var. heteroclada (Success)

Saintpaulia ionantha cvv. (many) (variable; probably Disappointment on average)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatered; underwatered; soil overly water-retentive; rot; cold; cyclamen mites, treatment for cyclamen mites; weak to begin with, damaged during shipping; never did well; given away or sold; ugly; frustrating; horrible

Salvia elegans (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: spider mites; difficult to overwinter; underwatering; overwatering; damaged when dropped; given away or sold; moved outdoors

Sansevieria cylindrica (Resident/Success)

Sansevieria hargesiana (Success)

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Bantel's Sensation,' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot, inadequate light, overwatering or maybe underwatering or perhaps both

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Black Gold' (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: rot, inadequate light, overwatering or maybe underwatering or perhaps both

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Black Robusta' (ID uncertain) (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; overwatered

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Golden Hahnii' (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Hahnii' (Success)

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Hahnii Pearl Young' (Success)

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii' (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Sansevieria trifasciata NOID 'Hahnii'-type (Resident/Success)

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Moon Glow' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: unknown

Saxifraga stolonifera (Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: sudden decline of unknown cause

Schefflera actinophylla (Favorite)‡
Cause(s) of death: multiple injuries from being blown over outside, ugly, finished off by scale

Schefflera arboricola (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: ugly, boring

Schlumbergera x buckleyi (Resident/Success)

Schlumbergera 'Caribbean Dancer' (Favorite)

Schlumbergera 'Exotic Dancer' (Success)

Schlumbergera NOID (light salmon/peach flowers) (Favorite)

Schlumbergera NOID (magenta flowers) (Success/Favorite)

Schlumbergera NOID (pink-lavender flowers) (Success)

Schlumbergera NOID (yellow flowers) (Success/Favorite)

Schlumbergera NOID (white flowers) (Success)

Schlumbergera 'Stephanie' (Success)

various Schlumbergera seedlings (Success)

Scindapsus pictus (Success)

Sedum burrito (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: never liked that well, annoying growth habit

Sedum morganianum (Success)

Sedum rubrotinctum (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, annoying growth habit

Sedum rubrotinctum 'Aurora' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: never did well, probably at least partly because of inadequate light. Also annoying growth habit

Selenicereus anthonyanus (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale; ugly, little to no growth

Selenicereus chrysocardium (Success/Favorite)

Sempervivum 'Red Beauty' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; ugly; over- or underwatered or both

Senecio crassissimus (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light leading to ugly

Senecio jacobsenii (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: inadequate light, boring

Senecio macroglossus (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit; given away or sold

Senecio rowleyanus (Favorite )†
Cause(s) of death: unidentified pests (tiny like spider mites, but left sticky residue like aphids or scale and didn't spin webs)

Solenostemon scutellarioides, multiple cvv. including 'Electric Lime,' 'Fishnet Stockings,' 'Glennis,' 'Kingswood Torch,' 'Kong Rose,' 'Peter Wonder,' Quarterback,' 'Rainbow Mix,' 'Saturn,' 'Splish Splash,' 'Tilt a Whirl' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: being Solenostemon scutellarioides; inadequate light; underwatered; planted outside

Sophrolaeliocattleya Hazel Boyd 'Debbie' (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale

Spathiphyllum cv. (dark green, smallish leaves) (Success/Favorite)

Spathiphyllum cv. (green, medium-sized leaves) (Success)

Spathiphyllum cv. (small plain green) (Disaster)†
Cause(s) of death: lack of drainage

Spathiphyllum cv. (huuuuuuuuge green leaves) (Success/Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: overwatering/rot

Spathiphyllum NOID (chartreuse leaves; possibly 'Golden Glow') (Resident/Success)

Stapelia gigantea (Favorite)

Stapelia variegata (= Orbea variegata) (Resident/Success)

Stenocereus pruinosus (Success/Favorite)

Stenocereus thurberi (Success)

Strelitzia juncea (Resident/Success)

Strelitzia nicolai (Favorite)†
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold; scale; too big for location

Strelitzia reginae (Success)

Streptocarpus 'Purple Martin' (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering? too warm? dry air?

Streptocarpus saxorum 'Good Hope' (Disaster/Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: not an established plant, possibly damaged in shipping

Streptocarpus 'Tanager' (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering? too warm? dry air?

Stromanthe sanguinea (?) 'Magic Star' (Success/Favorite)

Stromanthe sanguinea (?) 'Triostar' (Success/Favorite)

Synadenium grantii (both regular green cv. and red-purple cv. rubrum) (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: ineradicable fungus

Syngonium podophyllum (ID uncertain; probably one of the 'Allusion' series) (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: unknown

Syngonium podophyllum 'Maria' (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatering?

Syngonium podophyllum NOID, lt. pink tops with green undersides (Resident/Success)

Syngonium podophyllum NOID, maybe 'Confetti' (green leaves with pink flecks) (Success)†
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Syngonium podophyllum NOID, maybe 'Gold Allusion' (chartreuse leaves) (Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Syngonium podophyllum 'Pigeon Schitt' (very vigorous, but variegation is disappointingly unstable, which averages out to Resident)

Tetrastigma voinierianum (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: damaged by a fall, annoying growth habit, never did well

Tillandsia abdita, Mexican form (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: given away or sold

Tillandsia cyanea (Resident)†
Cause(s) of death: sudden decline for no obvious reason, possibly overpotted and/or too wet

Tillandsia NOID (Disaster)‡
Cause(s) of death: rot?

Tolmiea menziesii (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: underwatering

Tradescantia fluminensis variegated cv. (Disappointment)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, annoying growth habit

Tradescantia NOID (possibly T. cerinthoides?) (Success)

Tradescantia pallida (Success/Favorite)

Tradescantia pallida variegated cv. (Disappointment)†
Cause(s) of death: the spreadsheet says underwatered, but I have a hard time believing this

Tradescantia spathacea (Success)

Tradescantia zebrina, "red" cv. (Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, annoying growth habit; given away or sold

Tradescantia zebrina, "muddy" cv. (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, annoying growth habit; given away or sold

Tradescantia zebrina "standard" cv. (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: boring, annoying growth habit; given away or sold

Vriesea NOID small hybrid cv. (Disappointment/Resident)‡
Cause(s) of death: over- and underwatering; ugly; natural senescence after blooming; rot

Vriesea ospinae var. gruberi (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: annoying growth habit

Vriesea splendens ('Splenreit?') (Resident/Success)†
Cause(s) of death: rot, natural senescence after blooming

Yucca guatemalensis (Success/Favorite)

Yucca guatemalensis, gray-variegated cv. (Favorite)

Yucca guatemalensis, yellow-margined cv. (Favorite)

Zamia sp., probably Z. furfuracea (Favorite)

Zamioculcas zamiifolia (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: overwatering, water-retentive soil

Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Mini' or 'Zamicro' (Success)

Zingiber malaysianum (Resident/Success)‡
Cause(s) of death: scale, inadequate heat/humidity


21 comments:

huiray said...

Hmm. The two Dendrobium plants you list - do they have the actual names shown on the tags? (along the lines of Genus + grex and the 'variety' ... e.g. Dendrobium xxx 'Karen' where the xxx is currently missing)

mr_subjunctive said...

huiray:

Nope. One of them doesn't have a name at all (I'm the one who named it "Humphrey Bogart," because that's what it reminds me of; there's a post about it somewhere in the archives.

The other came with the sole ID of Dendrobium 'Karen,' nothing else. Our suppliers weren't consistent about including labels.

underarock said...

I have been trying to get stapeliads to grow out here in Los Angeles but I kinda suck at it. Any advice or got any posts about it? i had a stapelia giagntea and also an orbea commutata. They rot easily for me.

mr_subjunctive said...

underarock:

No full-on posts yet, no. And actually not that much advice, either. Are you trying to grow them indoors or outdoors?

Anonymous said...

Pertaining to stapelia.
Try less water! Rocky or perlite rich soil (freely draining/quick drying) with not a lot of peat. Filtered sun. I water less in hot summer and slightly more in fall spring. Good luck guy!

luvFoliage said...

Colocasia missing from your list? What a cool plant, I highly recommend elephant ear!

mr_subjunctive said...

luvFoliage:

Well, it's not missing. I've never been that interested. As a rule, I don't like plants that require a dormant period, because I don't have a good way to store dormant plants here. And I had many, many bad experiences with Alocasia and Colocasia getting spider mites at the ex-job, which soured me on them pretty much forever. I mean, I still think they're attractive and interesting plants, but I have no intention of trying to grow one inside: they're just not well-suited for the kind of care I'm willing to offer.

Anonymous said...

What went wrong growing Alpinia zerumbet variegate? It's a new plant for me and is outdoors under a tree. Currently growing rapidly and not being bothered by grasshoppers, but I'm guessing you had it inside, so I'm wondering about the coming winter.

Texas Anon

mr_subjunctive said...

Texas Anon:

I've tried two. The first only lasted four months, but it was a half-pricer from Lowe's, and purchased in December no less, so it's not too surprising that it failed. The second lasted for a year and a half, but was slowly declining the whole time. Some of that was probably related to spider mites, which came and went. I threw it out in the end, because it had scale.

I think they're neat plants: I like the look of them. But they're awfully big, and seem to need more tropical conditions than I have here.

Anonymous said...

Thanks. Spider mites don't sound good for keeping thru the winter. I'm not sure there's room to keep it in isolation w/the croton that overwintered in a very small bathroom. Neither are small plants, but the alpinia is growing a lot wider than taller and I wasn't expecting that. It may end up too large to manage well. Wonder if the garage is an option.

Texas Anon

Kay said...

I found your blog while looking up Pandanus amaryllifolius and how to care for it. I'm sorry you didn't have much luck with it either. A close friend had given me one for my birthday over a year ago and I'm having a heck of a time caring for it too. It seems to like sitting out on my patio next to the pool, but it's absolutely infested with mealy bugs no matter what I do. Right now it's sitting in solitary thanks to those cursed mealy bugs! Can I ask what happened with yours since I didn't find a blog post about it?

mr_subjunctive said...

Kay:

I had it for eleven months; it never really looked like it was growing (though it did, technically, just not much). Eventually I tried to divide it and up-pot the parent, for reasons I no longer remember, and all three of the plants that resulted from that fell due to root/stem rot and spider mites. I still think it probably could be made to work indoors, but it's not something I'm especially wanting to try again, and it's certainly not as easygoing as P. veitchii.

Kay said...

@mr_subjunctive, I concur on the difficulty of P. amaryllifolius. Mine looks root bound and its aerial roots are going crazy. I feel like it needs to be re-potted, but I'm too afraid to move it for fear of killing it. My friend was well-meaning, but I'm a total plant newbie and am quite shocked it's lived this long. I think a large part of my success has to do with the fact that I'm lucky to live in zone 9. Thank you for the quick reply!

Anonymous said...

@mr_subjunctive,
Read your blog about the pandan plant. I have the same experience where it didn't smell good as the description said. Even when crushed there is no fragrance. Did your plant ever turned fragrant after a little bit of growth ?

mr_subjunctive said...

Anonymous:

No, it never did. I can't remember for sure, but I want to say the smell doesn't happen until the leaves are heated / cooked? It was something like that, anyway.

milocat4 said...

I thought I was the only one experiencing sudden hoya death syndrome.

Anonymous said...

THIS BLOG IS AWESOME! I work at a photo studio and we have plants coming in and out all the time. I haven't really cared for plants before this job, so I don't know what i'm doing most of the time. The information here is so good and enjoyable to read, thank you thank you.

Tamara said...

Mr Subjunctive. A sincere thank you for your blog. Pertinent and impertinent, dedicated, imaginative, honest, and with undying affection for indoor tropicals, even the ones cheeky to no fault. A definite breath of fresh air from the all too often matronly, stiff, desperate stepford wives approach to writing about plant care especially here in France. Again many thanks.

Rozz said...

cause of death..ugly?

mr_subjunctive said...

Rozz:

Sometimes, yes. ("Ugly" = The plant doesn't have pests, the roots are intact, I'm giving it the best care I'm capable of, but it looks like crap anyway and I want to throw it out.)

Ron Bruce said...

I just love this list. Thanks so much for your blog even though no new posts these days, still it's a great source of info, amusement and hope perhaps. :-)