This was on an old, protected prairie site. But that doesn't mean the plants weren't introduced many years ago. The other genus that seems possible is Hymenocallis. Not sure about those rounded leaf tips, though. I'll be returning to that area several times this season, because it had a managed burn last winter. That makes special plants like Drosera brevifolia easier to see.

I'd wondered that. It's possible a mole cut the root- or here's a thought. I may have accidentally used a little too much nitrogen fertilizer on this specific plant. Possible burnt roots from too much N? I may try and flush the soil around it tomorrow morning by watering heavily. You live and you learn, I suppose.

IT looks like chili thrip damage. I have roses, basil, hibiscus, peppers, and a bunch of other plants. This looks like the damage I get on those plants when the chili thrips are out. Why you would get in your house I don't know, except maybe they came in on your clothes or something. You can control them with spinosad. When it cools down they will slow way down and not be much of a nuisance. Left alone they will kill your plants, so you will need to spray.... sorry. I have a couple of the the aerogarden. I bought one and a friend gave me hers because she decided she didn't like the gurgling noise. To me it is better than a white noise. I have started lots of things with it. I just planted my tomatoes that I started in July. And I have some hollyhocks started too. Good luck with yours.

At what point should I remove some leaves? Light levels are a key element in how much stored energy the plant is likely to have and how much food it can make (a plant's true food is sugar, glucose - which it makes during photosynthesis), both of which should be at peak levels around the summer solstice (21 June in the Northern Hemisphere, where we live). The idea is to care for the plant as best you can, try to move it outdoors for at least several weeks before the solstice (you should be able to do that around Memorial Day), and make sure you're watering/ fertilizing appropriately. Good nutrition is essential to good vitality (health). An under-nourished plant can never be healthy. Let it adapt to being repotted first? I'm guessing you potted up as opposed to doing a full repot, which includes bare-rooting, root pruning, and a change of soil. If you potted up, there isn't any adjustment to be concerned about. As soon as you see new growth after repotting or potting up, your plant is "adjusted". You might need to be extra careful about your watering intervals because the plant is more vulnerable to over-watering in a larger soil mass. That "allow your plant to adjust to its surroundings" thing is way over rated and not grounded in science. When we bring a new plant home, it immediately adjusts to its surroundings. If unwanted symptoms are noticed, it's not because the plant is adjusting, it's because the plant doesn't like the cultural hand it's being dealt. Wait til spring? Yes and no. "Spring" lasts 3 months. Early spring (winter and late fall, too) is about the worst time to do heavy work like repotting, hard pruning, or defoliation on most houseplants. Those procedures should be done when stored energy and current ability to create energy/food is at peak, which is around the summer solstice. The reason is the plants metabolic processes are humming because energy availability is at peak. This means the plant recovers fastest from any heavy work you might do to it, and will be better able to defend itself against insects and disease pathogens. Doing hard work out of season makes the recovery period much longer, and that isn't necessary. Plants have natural rhythms. Learning to take advantage the plant's period of strength and making allowances for when it's weakest is much easier on the plant, and it will make us feel like we're better nurturers. Those of us who don't look at plants more like pets than decorations all have a nurturing bone that needs to be satisfied. Yes? It would be nice if I could induce branching too. Your rubber tree is a prolific back-budder, especially if you prune and defoliate a healthy tree at the right time. So get your tree healthy, and come back whenever you have questions, but especially come back in June so we can take another look. Here is one of my Ficus before and after defoliation: Ficus Benjamina w/fused trunk 2016 After defoliation: 2017 After partial defoliation, pruning and wiring: How the planting looked in 2007: Al