Living in Pennsylvania means dealing with unique challenges for indoor plants. Our homes often lack the humidity, light, and temperature conditions that many popular houseplants crave.
While garden centers tempt us with beautiful options, not every plant thrives in the typical Pennsylvania home environment. Here are 12 common plants that frequently struggle when brought indoors in the Keystone State.
1. Fiddle Leaf Fig
Pennsylvania winters create the perfect storm of conditions that make fiddle leaf figs throw dramatic tantrums. Low humidity from heating systems causes their leaves to brown and drop.
In my experience, these finicky trees also hate drafts from doors or windows, common in older Pennsylvania homes. They quickly show their displeasure with yellowing leaves.
The short, gray days from October through March simply don’t provide enough natural light, even in south-facing windows. Without a grow light supplement, expect your fig to slowly decline.
2. Boston Fern
Few plants hate dry indoor air more than Boston ferns. When I brought one home last December, it shed more than my cat despite constant misting.
The heating systems in Pennsylvania homes create desert-like conditions during winter months. Without a humidifier running constantly, these moisture-loving plants rapidly develop crispy brown edges.
Regular Pennsylvania tap water contains minerals that build up in the soil over time. Boston ferns prefer rainwater or distilled water, making them high-maintenance houseguests during our long indoor seasons.
3. Majesty Palm
Majesty palms look stunning in garden centers but quickly decline in Pennsylvania homes. The low winter light levels simply aren’t enough to sustain their growth, leading to yellowing fronds.
These tropical beauties need consistent moisture without becoming waterlogged. Many Pennsylvania basements and homes have fluctuating humidity levels that stress these sensitive plants.
For me, spider mites became an absolute nightmare on my majesty palm during the dry winter months. These pests thrive in indoor conditions and can quickly infest a struggling palm.
4. Gardenia
Gardenias demand high humidity and bright, indirect light – two things in short supply in Pennsylvania homes during winter. Their glossy leaves quickly turn yellow and drop when conditions aren’t perfect.
Temperature fluctuations spell disaster for these fragrant beauties. Many Pennsylvania homes have varying temperatures between day and night, causing flower buds to drop before opening.
The alkaline water common in many Pennsylvania regions creates problems for acid-loving gardenias. Without specialized care and soil amendments, they’ll develop yellow leaves with green veins – a classic sign of iron deficiency.
5. Croton
The vibrant leaves of crotons demand serious sunlight to maintain their striking colors. Pennsylvania’s limited winter daylight hours cause new growth to emerge pale and lackluster.
When I tried growing a croton, it dropped leaves dramatically after being moved from the store to my home. They absolutely hate environmental changes, making them poorly suited for our seasonal climate shifts.
Dry indoor air causes leaf edges to crisp and curl inward. Without consistent humidity levels above what most Pennsylvania homes naturally have, crotons slowly decline despite your best efforts.
6. Orchid
Orchids often arrive as gifts but quickly fade in Pennsylvania homes. Their specialized needs include humidity levels far above what our heated winter homes provide naturally.
Root rot becomes a common issue when well-meaning owners overwater these tropical plants. Many Pennsylvania orchid casualties occur from soggy roots sitting in decorative pots without drainage.
Finding the sweet spot for light exposure proves challenging in our northern state. Too little light means no blooms, while direct sun through windows causes leaf burn – a frustrating balance that changes with the seasons.
7. Alocasia
Spider mites seem magnetically attracted to alocasia plants in Pennsylvania homes. The dry winter air creates perfect conditions for these pests to multiply rapidly on the large, stunning leaves.
Temperature fluctuations near windows or doors cause dramatic leaf drop. When I placed my alocasia near a slightly drafty window, it lost three leaves in a single week despite being several feet away.
Maintaining proper soil moisture becomes tricky during heating season. These plants hate both soggy soil and completely dry conditions, creating a challenging balancing act for Pennsylvania plant parents during winter months.
8. Calathea
Calatheas quickly develop crispy brown edges in Pennsylvania homes due to our typically dry indoor air. Their dramatic prayer-like leaf movements slow or stop entirely when humidity drops too low.
Tap water causes major issues for these sensitive plants. Many Pennsylvania water sources contain fluoride and chlorine that damage calathea leaves, requiring rainwater or distilled water for best results.
Finding adequate light without leaf burn challenges even experienced plant owners. During our short winter days, calatheas struggle to receive enough indirect brightness without being placed in harsh direct light.
9. Citrus Trees
Indoor citrus trees require more light than almost any Pennsylvania home can provide naturally. Without supplemental grow lights, they gradually lose leaves and fail to produce fruit despite your best efforts.
Scale insects and spider mites frequently attack indoor citrus during winter months. The dry air in Pennsylvania homes creates ideal conditions for these pests to multiply rapidly on stressed trees.
Maintaining proper humidity around citrus plants becomes nearly impossible without dedicated humidifiers. When I tried growing a lemon tree indoors, the heating system in my Pennsylvania home caused constant leaf drop despite regular misting.
10. Bird Of Paradise
Bird of Paradise plants rarely flower indoors in Pennsylvania due to insufficient light levels. These dramatic plants need more brightness than our northern winters can provide through windows alone.
Their massive size quickly becomes problematic in average Pennsylvania homes. Without sufficient ceiling height and floor space, these giants become awkwardly cramped and develop damaged leaves.
Maintaining consistent soil moisture proves challenging during heating season. The large leaves lose water rapidly in dry indoor air, requiring frequent watering that can lead to root problems in containers without perfect drainage.
11. Maidenhair Fern
Maidenhair ferns have delicate fronds that crisp up almost instantly in Pennsylvania’s dry indoor winter air. Their feathery foliage demands humidity levels that few homes can maintain without special equipment.
Watering becomes a delicate balancing act with these temperamental plants. Too dry for even a day causes browning, while soggy soil leads to root rot – a narrow sweet spot that shifts with indoor heating patterns.
Finding adequate light without leaf burn challenges even experienced plant owners. During our Pennsylvania winters, these ferns need bright indirect light that doesn’t dry them out – a nearly impossible combination in most homes.
12. Succulents
Contrary to their reputation as easy-care plants, many succulents struggle in Pennsylvania homes during winter. The limited daylight hours cause them to stretch and become leggy as they search for more light.
Overwatering becomes almost inevitable during winter months. With slower growth and evaporation rates, the same watering schedule that worked in summer leads to root rot by December.
Cold drafts from windows where succulents typically sit for maximum light cause temperature stress. When I placed echeverias on my windowsill last January, they developed black spots after particularly cold nights despite being inches from the glass.