Dense foliage, rich colors and ornate patterns greet visitors as they walk through the door at Darling Botanical. The flourishing jungle-like shop in Traverse City’s Warehouse MRKT teems with plants—towering fiddle leaf figs, wispy ferns, spiky cacti. Owner and botanical expert Megan Kellogg knows each and every one, and she loves helping others find the right plants for their space.
Here she shares some of her favorite medium and low light houseplants.
Low Light Houseplants
- ZZ plant
- Sansevieria fernwood
- Aglaonema
- Heartleaf philodendron
- Bird’s nest sansevieria
- Neon pothos
- Sansevieria cylindrica
- Silver philodendron
- Golden pothos
Read Next: Succulents for Your Northern Michigan Home
Medium Light Houseplants
- Rubber tree
- Rhaphidophora tetrasperma
- Fiddle leaf fig
- Silver peperomia
- Rhipsalis
- Hoya carnosa
- Pilea peperomioides
- Ficus Audrey
SHOP ON INSTAGRAM: Darling Botanical regularly shares plants in its Instagram stories, along with prices and light requirements. Message to reserve and pay for a plant. Curbside pickup is available. @darlingbotanical
TERRARIUMS TO-GO: Due to COVID-19, Darling Botanical is no longer letting customers make terrariums in the store, but you can get supplies to-go!
What’s the biggest mistake new plant parents make?
“Watering—too much or too little. I always tell people to think of soil as a sponge. If you only get it a little wet, a lot of roots are staying dry and dehydrate to the point they’re compromised. Overwatering the soil makes it anaerobic and there’s no oxygen, so roots can’t breathe and so they decompose and die. Always completely saturate the soil, and then let it dry down before you water again.” –Megan Kellogg
TIP: Go by weight. Lift the plant and if it feels light, it’s ready for a drink.
How do you pick the right plant for your space?
“When going plant shopping, the first question to ask is what kind of light do you have? The next part is design: My advice is to think of what shape you want—tall, skinny, round, pyramid. That visual texture can help narrow down choices.” –Megan Kellogg
