What Are These Plants In My Mother’s Dish Garden?

Ask The Expert: What kind of plant is this? I would like to know what kind of plant this is and how I should take care of it please. My mother got it as a gift when her mother died. So i would like to keep it alive as long as possible..

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Crystal,
It looks like a dish garden with multiple plants. The tallest plants seems to be a type of parlor palm. However, to identify the other plants I need a close up picture of each one. If you intend to keep all the plants together in the dish garden, I would place it in a medium light location and keep it moderately moist but not soggy.

If you send me pictures of the other plants and want to separate them into multiple containers, I will tell you how to take care of each one.

Ask The Expert: Thank you for your prompt reply and help. These are the best photos I think I’m going to get… Using a crappy laptop webcam, LOL. But I took several, so I hope that helps. And again, thank you so much for your knowledge! :-D Also, the last picture I’ve attached shows what I hope you can see as something eating the plant??? What could that be, at what should I do? Oh, my mom DID mention something about wanting to split the plants up so they can grow more. Thank you, oh Flower Swami. LOL. :-D

FSN Plant Expert Reply:

The plant with the white in the middle of the leaf is a Dumb Cane – Dieffenbachia bowmanii.

The plant with the airy leaves is a Parlor Palm – Chamaedorea elegans.

The plant with the dark green leaves and white bloom is a peace lily – Spathiphyllum clevelandii.

I can’t tell what the other plants are – I might be able to once the plants are separated.

It should be easy to separate the plants. You will need a few things first:

• An 6 or 8 inch pot for each plant
• Houseplant potting soil – Baccto is a good brand
• Serrated knife – in case the roots are tangled together

Gently remove the container from the plants. Separate the plants – you might need to pull them apart just make sure the roots are not torn from the plant. Now fill your pots 1/2 to 3/4 full and place a plant in each pot. Fill the pot with soil, but keep the top of the rootball free from new soil. Then water in and take care of each plant according to their specific requirements.

Please let me know if I can help with anything else. Once the plants are separated, take a picture and I will try to identify them. For more, check out the House Plant Care & Info section of our blog!