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Though cluster flies are a clear indoor nuisance, you can relax a bit, since these flies are not breeding in your walls. And unlike horseflies, they have no interest in biting. In fact, if they were outdoors, cluster flies would not even bother to visit your picnics and social gatherings, preferring instead to spend their time sipping plant nectar. It’s tough to say how long infestations typically last because they hide in your home and when they emerge, they are simply trying to find a way out of your home....

Cockroach issues need to be treated with thought and precision, as they can be difficult to get a handle on. Severe cockroach infestations can lead to a strong, sickeningly musty smell that can linger long after the problem has been addressed. Also worth mentioning: Palmetto bugs and other cockroaches are known to spread illness. What Do Palmetto Bugs Look Like? Palmetto bugs are the largest house-infesting cockroach, measuring 27 to 40mm long....

The simple leaves of the lavender star flower are deep green, shiny, and a bit hairy in texture. When flowers appear, it becomes obvious where this species derives its name. Appearing in the summer, the star-shaped blooms are a beautiful lavender color with yellow, filamentous stamens at the center of the blossom. Best planted in the spring, lavender star flower can be grown as a small tree, shrub, container plant, and even a bonsai tree....

Flower stalks grow quite tall (anywhere from two to seven feet), bearing small, yellow (rarely white), five-petaled flowers grouped closely on a leafy spike. Blooming a few at a time from June to September, they mature from the bottom to the top of the spike in spirals. In addition to its especially soft, felt-like foliage, another characteristic that makes this plant unique is that each individual bloom opens before sunrise and closes by mid-afternoon....

Sea green juniper is a ground-covering shrub that grows to about four to six feet at maturity, upright in the center but with a gently cascading habit towards the edges that makes it appear to spread wider than it grows taller. Besides its unique form that can lend itself to any landscape, it is highly valued because of its extremely high environmental tolerances. Once mature, the sea green juniper can survive with little care, making it a favorite coniferous shrub in gardens across the country....

Small, bright red apples, about 1/2 inch in diameter, appear in the fall and provide ornamental interest on the tree through the winter. In the fall, the leaves turn a golden yellow that strikes a natural contrast with the fruit. ‘Sugar Tyme’ is normally planted as a potted nursery specimen in the fall, or sometimes as a bare root tree. Compared to other crabapple cultivars, it is relatively fast-growing but short-lived....

A clumping plant with a rapid growth rate, blue oat grass has been described as dramatic and yet well-behaved. It produces abundant shoots of blue-green grass stalks during the spring, but rarely self-seeds and doesn’t have the reputation of taking over in a garden. In summer, spikelets of tiny blue-green flowers bearing seeds appear at the top of the tall grass stalks in groups called panicles. These gradually turn to wispy brown plumage as fall approaches, imitating the appearance of oats....

Chinese dwarf bananas bloom after two or three years of growth, during which they produce large, round leaves and build their stem up. You may need to wait a few years to witness one of these statement blooms. The plant may develop infestations from various insects, but you can generally avoid this with preventative measures. Light Chinese dwarf bananas require abundant sunshine. If you are planting your Chinese dwarf banana tree outside in a very hot climate, opt for a location with some dappled afternoon shade to relieve it from the heat and prevent the soil from drying out too quickly....

You will marvel at its dark green foliage, red fruit that turns a midnight blue, attractive exfoliating bark, and dazzling fall colors, medium to large size with a full canopy, and pollution resistance all add up to make this a fantastic tree with little downside other than it takes some time to come into its own. Light Planting your tree in a spot that receives full sun will ensure its at its healthiest and let it grow at a steady rate while producing an ample amount of its attractive fruit....

This aloe has white, hair-like teeth on the edges of the stems and leaves and striking, orange-red drooping flowers that can bloom at any time of the year, but usually in the spring. It’s ideal for trailing along sunny fences or trellises, although the leaves can have a straggly appearance. Light You’ll need to position your climbing aloe in full sun for it to thrive and produce abundant, bright blooms....

Like many bulbs, Easter lily is planted in the fall and emerges each spring, growing quickly. And while the lily generally blooms in the summer, growers have cultivated varieties forced to bloom earlier to coincide with Easter. But don’t expect to have flowers for the holiday from bulbs you planted in the fall, as, once in the ground, lilies may not bloom until their second year. It’s also important to note that indoor and outdoor Easter lily plants are toxic to cats....

Light These cacti need full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days, to grow and flower their best. They can tolerate a bit of shade, but this can reduce flowering. When grown as a houseplant, place your Echinocereus cactus by your brightest window. A west-facing window is best. Soil Loose, sandy soil with sharp drainage is recommended for Echinocereus cacti. For container plants, a potting mix made specifically for cacti and succulents will provide ideal growing conditions....

This stunning beauty has golden-yellow flowers with which it drips in late spring. The racemes have a strong fragrance. The golden blooms may be 10 to 20 inches in length. On older specimens, the bark is often dark and quite fissured. Leaves are made of three leaflets that look like pointy clover leaves. Golden chain trees should be planted in the fall or early spring. They grow at a moderate pace....

Part of a group of 10 flower species known as “reticulated irises”, the Iris reticulata variety produces small, blue or purple blooms with yellow details. Like other flowers in the Iris genus, this variety has three upright petals (known as standards) and three drooping petals (known as falls). Foliage of the Iris reticulata is slender and grass-like. Best suited for areas with well-draining soil, these petite perennials are a great choice for borders or rock gardens....

Light While this shrub will survive in a location with nearly full shade, flowering will be better in full sun to partial shade. Soil The ground should be kept evenly moist, but the soil should drain well. Japanese andromeda does not thrive in soggy soil. Water Japanese Andromeda has average water needs and does not tolerate drought well. Water if the first 3 inches of the soil feels dry. Temperature and Humidity This plant thrives in a moderate climate, where the temperatures don’t get scorching hot....

Monkey puzzle tree looks much different than most conifers featuring unique-looking spikey protrusions. It has a pyramidal shape with unusual 2-inch triangular leaves that cluster around upward-facing branches—even the trunk may be covered with these plate-like leaves. The foliage is not like the typically needle-shaped type. Instead, they are leathery, broad, and dagger-like and can remain on the tree for 10 to 15 years. As it ages, the tree loses lower branches, assuming an umbrella-like shape....

This variety of impatiens boasts pointy leaves, of dark green, burgundy, and variegated, which stay attractive throughout the season. Flower colors include shades of orange, pink, red, white, and purple, with blooms similar to, but larger than, those of common impatiens. The flowers of New Guinea impatiens consist of five heart-shaped petals. This plant makes a perfect addition to a pollinator garden, as the blooms attract butterflies and other beneficial insects....

Light Grow in dappled sun or light summer shade. Plant bulbs along a woodland garden sunny edge with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun. Soil Give orange lilies open, well-draining loamy soil that is rich in humus. Though they will also grow in normal garden soil and adapt to light sandy, heavy clay, or calcareous soils. Water This perennial has average watering needs. Water about one inch a week while plants are growing, but only if the soil feels dry as wet soil can rot lily bulbs, and too much water on the foliage and flowers can cause mildew or mold....

Rue anemone is normally planted in spring from potted nursery plants or root divisions. (Seeds are usually planted in fall.) It is a slow-growing plant but will gradually spread to fill available space, creating a long-lived colony. Although T. thalictroides is not specifically included on formal lists of toxic plants, it should be noted that all plants in the Ranunculaceae family contain protoanemonim, which is mildly toxic to humans and animals....

The leaves can be deep green, bluish, or even striped, with considerable variation in the leaf shape. Some are round, some are banana-shaped, and some stand upright. The flowers range from red or white spires to yellow daisy-like flowers, forming clusters on long stems and persisting for weeks. However, it is the foliage that interests most gardeners. The best time to plant Senecio is in the early fall before the new growth period starts....