Hi Angela,


The first plant is a Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura). The large patterned leaves of a Prayer Plant, with hues of red, green, brown, and cream, lift up and fold together each evening as though praying and open again the next morning. Here are some care tips for a prayer plant. You can read more on how to grow a Prayer Plant in the Popular Houseplant section of the website.
https://www.houseplant411.com/houseplant/prayer-plant-how-to-grow-plant-care
Light: Prayer Plants do well in medium to
high light, but no direct sun. When there is not enough light, the leaves of a Prayer Plant close at night and do not fully open during the day. When a Prayer Plant gets too much light, the color in the leaves starts to fade.
Water: Keep the soil of a Prayer Plant moist but never soggy. Unlike most houseplants, a Prayer Plant does not like to dry out before you water.
Fertilizer: A Prayer Plant is an acid loving houseplant. Feed a Prayer Plant with a basic houseplant food like Miracid, at ½ the recommended strength, every two weeks in the spring and summer. It’s not necessary to fertilize a Prayer Plant in the winter and fall. A Prayer Plant will love your extra tea.
Temperature: A Prayer Plant prefers normal household temperatures between 60-80 degrees. Lower temperatures can damage the leaves of a Prayer Plant.
Humidity: Since a Prayer Plant likes a very humid environment, the humidity in ours homes is often too low. Increase the humidity around a Prayer Plant by grouping plants together, putting a small humidifier or bowl of water near the plant, or setting a Prayer Plant on a tray filled with water and small stones. Be sure the Prayer Plant is sitting on the pebbles and not in the water.
This is a Rubber Tree Plant. Like a Weeping Ficus , a Rubber Tree plant doesn’t like to be moved around and prefers constant temperatures. These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants.
Here are some care tips. You can click here to read more on how to care for them.
Light: Rubber Tree houseplants do best in medium to
bright indirect light. The solid green and dark burgundy varieties can adapt to less light, but the stems may be weak and the leaves small.
Water: Rubber Tree houseplants are a little difficult to water. Always allow the top 25-30% of the soil to dry out before watering. Keep the soil even drier when your plant is in lower light or the room temperature is cooler. The leaves of Rubber Tree plants turn yellow from under-water and over-water. Perfectly fine green, burgundy, or variegated leaves may fall off from over- water.
Fertilizer: These houseplants do not need much
fertilizer. Feed a Rubber Tree plant every other month when it is actively growing.
Temperature: Rubber Tree houseplants do well in warm temperatures between 70-80 degrees with a night-time temperature around 65 degrees. Keep them away from cold drafts, air conditioners, heaters, and fireplaces.