Journal/Authors

Dr. Lena Okafor

Dr. Lena Okafor

Plant Science & Curiosities

22 articles

Lena is a botanist who thinks the strangest thing about plants is how rarely we ask why they do what they do. She covers the science side of the Journal — photosynthesis, plant communication, disease biology — translating research into things you can actually use at the potting bench.

Articles by Dr. Lena Okafor

Sunlight streaming through a dense forest canopy

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

Do Plants Really Communicate? The Science

Plants send chemical distress signals, share nutrients through fungal networks, and click ultrasonic sounds when stressed. The science, without the woo.

A bright living room filled with houseplants

Plant Science & Curiosities · 5 min read

What Houseplants Do to Your Brain: The Research

Reduced cortisol, faster attention recovery, lower blood pressure — a summary of the peer-reviewed research on what plants do to the human mind.

Snake plant on a modern side table

Plant Science & Curiosities · 5 min read

Do Plants Really Clean Indoor Air? What NASA Actually Found

The famous 1989 NASA Clean Air Study is quoted everywhere — and misunderstood everywhere. Here's what the research actually shows.

Sunlight passing through a translucent green leaf

Plant Science & Curiosities · 5 min read

Photosynthesis, Explained Simply

The two-stage chemistry of photosynthesis, in words a beginner can follow — plus why understanding it makes you a better houseplant parent.

Vintage botanical illustration with Latin labels

Plant Science & Curiosities · 5 min read

Why Plants Have Two Names (and How to Read Them)

Monstera deliciosa, Zamioculcas zamiifolia — the two-word system explained, with tricks for pronouncing and remembering the hard ones.

Variegated tropical foliage in a bright greenhouse

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

10 of the Rarest (and Priciest) Houseplants in the World

From the Monstera obliqua to the £6,000 Anthurium — a guided tour of the world's rarest houseplants and why they cost what they do.

Cat sitting near a houseplant on a windowsill

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

The Complete Pet-Safe Plant Guide

The definitive list of common houseplants that are toxic to cats and dogs — plus 15 genuinely safe alternatives.

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

Why Is My Plant Dripping Water? Guttation Explained

Those droplets on your plant's leaf tips in the morning are guttation, not dew. Here's the science of why plants 'cry' at night — and when it's worth noticing.

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

Why Some Plant Leaves Move at Night

Prayer plants raise their leaves at dusk and lower them at dawn. The science of nyctinasty — plant sleep movements — explained simply.

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

Why Do Hydrangeas Change Colour?

Blue or pink? Hydrangea colour is soil chemistry in bloom. How pH and aluminium set the shade — and how to change your hydrangea's colour.

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

Why Are Some Plant Leaves Variegated?

What makes a leaf variegated, why variegated plants grow slower and can revert to green, and how to keep the pattern bright. The science, plainly explained.

Plant Science & Curiosities · 5 min read

Why Do Sunflowers Face the Sun?

Young sunflowers really do track the sun across the sky — and mature ones settle facing east. Here's the science of heliotropism, explained simply.

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

Why Do Succulents Turn Red? Sun Stress and Colour Change Explained

Why succulents turn red, pink, purple or orange — the role of anthocyanins, sun and stress, and when the colour is healthy or a warning.

Plant Science & Curiosities · 6 min read

Coffee Grounds for Plants: What Works, What's a Myth

Do coffee grounds help plants? What the research says: pH, nitrogen, the caffeine problem, slug myths — and the one way to use them well.

Seasonal · 6 min read

When to Stop Fertilizing Houseplants (and Why It Matters)

Late summer is the moment to taper houseplant feeding. When to stop fertilizing, why winter feeding harms roots, and the exceptions to the rule.

Care Basics · 7 min read

Croton Care Guide: How to Keep Those Fireworks Colours

How to care for croton (Codiaeum variegatum): the light it needs to stay colourful, watering, humidity, and what to do when it drops its leaves.

Seasonal · 7 min read

How to Make a Christmas Cactus Bloom

Get your Christmas cactus to bloom on time: 12–14 hours of darkness, cool nights and less water — the six-week autumn routine that sets buds.

Seasonal · 5 min read

How to Dry Hydrangea Flowers

When and how to cut hydrangeas for drying, the vase water method step by step, plus silica gel tips to keep colour in dried blooms for months.

Care Basics · 7 min read

How to Repot an Orchid (Without Killing It)

Repot a phalaenopsis orchid step by step: the signs it's time, bark vs moss, trimming dead roots, what to do with aerial roots, and aftercare.

Troubleshooting · 7 min read

Why Is My Plant Leggy? Causes and Fixes for Stretched Growth

Long bare stems and shrinking leaves mean your plant is stretching for light. What etiolation is, how to fix a leggy plant, and why old growth never fills in.

Vegetable Garden · 7 min read

How to Grow Herbs Indoors (All Year Round)

Grow basil, mint, chives and more on a windowsill all year. The light, pots, watering and harvesting rules that keep indoor herbs producing.

Indoor Styling · 6 min read

Moss Poles: How to Train Your Plants to Climb

How to use a moss pole: which plants need one, installing it without wrecking roots, attaching stems, keeping it moist, and when to extend it.

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