How we rate plants
Every Grove plant profile has a ratings card that shows how easy a plant is to care for, whether it's safe for pets and children, and what it needs. This page explains exactly how we build each card.
Where the facts come from
We use university extension services, botanical gardens and the ASPCA, and we link every source on the plant's page. Each value needs two agreeing sources where they exist. We state facts in our own words and never copy text. Every card shows the date it was last verified, and we recheck every card once a year.
The Grove care rating
No authority publishes a single care-difficulty score, so we built one from published facts. We score five factors from 0 to 2, where 0 is easiest and 2 is hardest:
| Factor | 0 | 1 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missed waterings | Drought tolerant | Moderate | Needs steady moisture |
| Light flexibility | Low to bright light | Medium to bright indirect only | Bright or direct, little flexibility |
| Humidity | An average home is fine | Prefers above 50% | Needs 60% or more, or an enclosure |
| Pests and disease | Rarely | Sometimes | Often |
| Sensitivity to change (moves, drafts, repotting, water quality) | Low | Moderate | High |
The five scores add up to a total from 0 to 10, shown as leaves:
| Total | Leaves | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | 1 leaf | Easy |
| 3 to 4 | 2 leaves | Easy to moderate |
| 5 to 6 | 3 leaves | Moderate |
| 7 to 8 | 4 leaves | Challenging |
| 9 to 10 | 5 leaves | For experienced growers |
As a check, the rating has to land within one step of the maintenance level published by NC State Extension or the Missouri Botanical Garden. If it doesn't, we review the plant by hand before publishing. Some plants get a second line, such as getting a poinsettia to color again, when one task is much harder than everyday care.
Pet and child safety
We follow the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant lists and cross-check NC State Extension. When the ASPCA doesn't list a plant, we use NC State's listing and the card names NC State as the source. If any reputable source lists a plant as toxic, we show it as toxic, with how severe it is and the main signs. Each card includes the ASPCA Animal Poison Control number, (888) 426-4435.
Needs at a glance
Light is rated 1 to 4 (low light is fine, medium indirect, bright indirect, some direct sun). Water is rated 1 to 3 (let the soil dry completely, let the top 1 to 2 inches dry, keep lightly moist). Humidity is average, above average or high. Soil type, temperature, feeding and size are written out in words.
Growing outdoors
We list the USDA hardiness zones where a plant can live outside all year, using the 2023 USDA map, and the coldest winter night those zones mean in °F and °C, so the information works outside the US too. If a plant is listed as invasive anywhere we cover, the card says so.
Spotted a mistake?
Email hello@groveplantcare.com with the plant and the source, and we'll check it and update the card.