��������

Your growing buddies deserve to be admired each and every day for their benefits, beauty, and resolve. In honor of houseplants everywhere, here is a quiz to test your “inside” knowledge. 

Scroll down to see the answers!

10 Questions to Test Your Houseplant Knowledge

1. Houseplants can boost our productivity and reduce our anxiety. True or false?
    
2. Which wavelength of light tends to be the most beneficial for plant photosynthesis? 
   a. Blue 
   b. Green 
   c. Red
    
3. Air plants don’t need water to survive. True or false?
    
4. From the 17th through 19th centuries, this mainly glassed-in structure was especially popular with the wealthy for housing citrus and other exotic plants in cold climates. What is its name? 
   a. Parterre 
   b. Orangery 
   c. Sunroom
    
5. Pebbles in the bottom of a pot will improve drainage. True or false?
    
6. The finicky but flamboyant primrose is a birth flower for which month? 
   a. February 
   b. March 
   c. April
    
7. The botanical name Peperomia came from the Greek �辱��é����, for “pepper,” and ��ó���Ǿ��Dz�, for “similar,” because the plant resembles the black pepper plant, Piper nigrum. By which common name is Peperomia also known? 
   a. Pepperpot 
   b. Radiator plant 
   c. Spice plant
    
8. The leaves of the Maranta houseplant are famous for doing what? 
   a. Folding upright at night  
   b. Glowing faintly in darkness 
   c. Changing color to match their environment
    
9. According to feng shui practice, hosting a money tree (Pachira aquatica) will bring good fortune. Which of the following plants is believed to be unlucky? 
   a. Jade plant (Crassula ovata) 
   b. Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) 
   c. Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)
    
10. Plants respond to music. True or false?

Answers

1. True. , working near plants can benefit concentration, productivity, and memory—increasing retention by as much as 20 percent! Plants in the workplace can produce a faster reaction time—up to 12 percent—on computer tasks requiring visual concentration and help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Learn more about how houseplants can benefit you.

2. c. Red. In many cases, however, a combination of full visible light spectrum plus UV and infrared is best for healthy plant development and flowering. For photosynthesis, most plants need light in the range of 400 to 700 nanometers (nm), especially in the blue and red wavelengths. (By comparison, visible light is about 380 to 740 nm.) 

Blue light (400 to 500 nm) contributes to photosynthesis, but to a lesser extent than red; it can also cause plants to grow stocky and dense and enhance root development, which is good for the early stages of growth. is especially efficient for photosynthesis and also causes a plant to stretch; it helps in the later stages of growth and in flowering/fruiting. Far-red light (700 to 800 nm) can aid in photosynthesis and cause an increase in leaf and stem growth; in some plants, it can also promote flowering/fruiting. 

Green/yellow/orange light, although not absorbed by chlorophyll as efficiently as red and blue, is still needed for photosynthesis. Scientists have found that UV light does not affect photosynthesis but may enhance the color, aroma, and flavor of plants. 

3. False. need to be misted regularly (at least once a week). Once or twice a week, they also need to be soaked in tepid water for 10 to 30 minutes (depending on species) and then shaken and dried upside down so that water does not accumulate in the crown, which can lead to rot. Tropical types, which tend to have dark green, scaly leaves, need more frequent watering and soaking than arid types, which can have silvery, fuzzy leaves. Brown or curling leaves may indicate your plant needs more water. 

4. b. Orangery. The first orangeries were created for Italian gardens during the Renaissance, as exotic fruit became popular as treats in parts of Europe. The buildings, which often featured large, south-facing windows, became status symbols among the wealthy during the 17th through 18th centuries: Not only did they house oranges and other citrus trees from overseas, but the structures were costly to build, in part due to the price of glass at the time. Eventually, exotic fruits and glass became easier to come by, and orangeries shifted in purpose. Today, they are usually an extension of a home rather than a separate building and are more often used as indoor living spaces than for growing exotic plants. 

5. False. This is a common belief. However, scientists have now found that a bottom gravel layer will not improve drainage and may lead to root rot and plant failure. The lowest soil in a pot is the most saturated; adding gravel at the bottom raises the wet soil layer, bringing it closer to roots and potentially drowning them. You can improve drainage in other ways, such as making sure that your houseplant’s pot has drainage holes and that the saucer it sits on is not filled with water after you use the watering can. 

6. a. February. (Its other birth flower is the violet.) Primroses typically flower in early spring. These perennial plants can be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 3 to 8 (depending on species) and prefer partial shade and moist, well-draining soil. However, they can also be grown indoors as short-lived houseplants—their cheerful blooms are a welcome addition to the home. Nurseries may force primroses into early bloom and then sell them as houseplants; these are typically expected to be discarded a few months after the flowers fade. Although not an easy task, you can attempt to extend the life of these plants and encourage further blooms by planting them permanently outdoors once blossoms fade; allow the plants to slowly harden off beforehand to help them adjust to their new environment. Alternatively, you can place the pots outdoors after blooming is over (hardening off beforehand) in late spring and summer and move them inside when temperatures cool. If conditions are ideal, your finicky primroses might just reward you with another round of perky blossoms. 

7. b. Radiator plant. Famed American botanist Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858–1954) coined the term “radiator plant” to describe the plant’s affinity for warmth and bright, indirect light, such as found on a windowsill above a radiator. Many species, however, can tolerate fairly low light levels. 

8. a. Folding upright at night. Maranta leaves lie fairly horizontal during the day but rise upward at night to an almost vertical position, folding loosely together to earn the plant its common name, prayer plant. Called (sleeping movements), this leaf motion is a response to darkness and involves changes in cellular turgor (fluid pressure) associated with the plant’s circadian rhythm. Several theories suggest why this behavior may have evolved—such as helping the plant to remove surface water, regulate temperature, or deter predators—but no one knows for certain. 

9. c. Tamarind. Feng shui principles discourage people from growing tamarind as a houseplant because it may bring negative energy into the home. However, money tree, jade plant (also called money plant), and Swiss cheese plant are said to bring wealth and prosperity. 

10. True—sort of. Some studies show that plants respond favorably to certain types of music. However, many experts believe that it can be tricky to conduct these types of experiments reliably as there are many factors to manage. The common thinking is that it is not because plants emotionally “like” a particular type of music—as humans might—but because the vibrations from certain genres may stimulate a greater physiological response than others do. In fact, research suggests that plants respond at the cellular level to certain sound frequencies—depending on plant species, growth stage, and duration of exposure—producing such reactions as improved seed germination, increased root and stem growth, better immunity/defense responses, delayed ripening of fruit, higher yield, or enhanced photosynthesis.

There is another loose connection between plants and music: By using setups, such as certain apps, one can make “plant synthesizer music.” This form of biodata sonification involves hooking up two sensors to a houseplant’s leaves to measure variations in electrical resistance, which is graphed as a wave and translated into pitch, with each pitch representing a degree of variation. Via a synthesizer, these pitches can then be scaled and set to the listener’s choice of instrument. To be clear, the plants don’t make this music themselves—the devices transform normal botanical functions into musical art, fostering a closer connection with nature. 

So, how did you do? Are you a smarty plants? Tell us all about it in the comments below!