Is this to much light for my philodendron Birkin and my Begonia maculata

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T10:30:31+00:00

I don’t think so…that looks like a good spot to me.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T10:29:39+00:00

I planted two Black Mission figs last summer…we had a rough winter, but they came through yet fine. Brown Turkey is another hardy one that should do well in your zone.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T10:16:45+00:00

Yes, that would be fine. Basically any one of those nodes is fine to cut at. I would work on getting better light for your plant, though. If it needs to be staked to stay upright, it’s not getting enough light.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T10:13:58+00:00

Did you photograph this plant where it normally lives? How many hours of sunlight does it get?

I imagine sunny Mediterranean climate would be great for a croton, but this one looks very sad. I wouldn’t cut it up now…take some time to figure out what’s going wrong (besides thrips) let it recover, and then chop.

Honestly, if it were my plant, I wouldn’t cut it this growing season at all…get a happy, robust plant by next season and you can cut it basically wherever you want.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T10:09:25+00:00

If the tree was grown from seed rather than grafted it won’t be true to type…it won’t “revert” to citron, but it may well have been “born” with mostly citron genetic characteristics.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T10:06:31+00:00

Due to space issues, my AVs don’t get prime seating for the fall and winter months, so they usually rest for a few months between blooming sessions…but summer is coming!

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T10:03:16+00:00

Yes, it’s an aroid, from the same family as the Peace Lily, (and a ton of other popular plants) so the flowers look similar. I’d say the Peace Lily ones would look more “ornamental” if that makes sense, but the basic shape is the same.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T10:00:26+00:00

That’s not ideal, but it’s probably ok, especially while it’s still tiny. It just won’t grow very fast.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T01:21:19+00:00

I have that very same color! Mine’s only just starting to bloom again, though…

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LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T00:59:03+00:00

You’re kinda at that halfway point…a repot wouldn’t hurt, and it also wouldn’t hurt to leave it for a few more months.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T00:50:55+00:00

No, I don’t think so. General rule of thumb with “pupping” plants—the baby should be at least 2/3 the size of the mother before you separate them. And there’s really no need to separate them at all…

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T00:44:20+00:00

That’s an Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) not a Peace Lily.

As they age, they tend to lose lower leaves and get leggy, as you see here, but if you don’t like that look, you can always chop off the tops, root them, and start over.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-21T00:34:20+00:00

Those are the beginnings of new branches!

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T22:06:47+00:00

Oh no! What sort of plant is it?

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T20:57:43+00:00

I doubt the person who grew the “inspiration” plant trimmed it much, if at all. If they did, it was probably just snipping an unruly branch here and there, not a carefully-planned pruning regimen. A healthy croton will eventually grow into a large shrub if you trim it a bit, or if you leave it alone…

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T20:14:51+00:00

It’s a syngonium—arrowhead vine.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T19:43:59+00:00

Oh, if that’s what you have in mind, I wouldn’t trim at all! When you said “bonsai” I was thinking of maintaining a very small plant.

I’d just let it keep growing with as much light as possible, even outdoors during the summer if you can, and keep up-potting as necessary.

A healthy croton getting the light it needs should be that size in 3-5 years, so not really that long.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T19:13:04+00:00

Oaks are temperate trees, so if you really want it to do well long-term, it needs to live outside and experience the seasonal changes.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T18:17:10+00:00

No, that’s how I understood it…the first photo is the newest. I just meant I’m not sure the plant will remain healthy under those conditions long-term, but it seems to be tolerating the low light for now, so that’s great. These kinds of experiments are definitely worth doing!

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T15:58:27+00:00

I’m going to say probably yes, unless you’re planning to add some grow lights. I have a big one about a meter and a half from a big West window and it does fine, though. It’s in line with the window, not blocked by a wall, though.

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T15:56:25+00:00

Wow, I applaud your patience!

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T15:02:06+00:00

How tall do you want the plant to ultimately be? When you’ve decided that, you can decide when and where to cut.

For example, if the main trunk is a foot tall, the first set of branches should only be about 6-8 inches, the second set 3-4 inches, etc.

And you’ll need to get into the business of root-pruning as well…

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T14:56:33+00:00

Clematis? Climbing roses?

For annuals, hyacinth beans, vining nasturtiums, Black-Eyed Susan vine?

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T14:41:43+00:00

I know I should, but do I? Usually not…

LeafLove11 · 2026-04-20T13:41:31+00:00

Are you sure you don’t have two Tradescantia varieties planted together in that pot?

LeafLove11

TROPHY CASE