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Most house plants are hybrids of plant species which grow wild, somewhere in the world. A good rule of thumb for keeping them healthy is to try to match the same environment from which they originated. You may not be able to match every criteria for your plant, but every small step you take to ensure the plants comfort will be a giant step towards keeping your friend healthy.
Proper lighting and watering are, by far, the most important criteria for the health of your house plant, but temperatures and humidity will drastically affect your plants as well. Generally, tropical plants enjoy a relative humidity of 50%-70% and warm temperatures. Unfortunately, when temperatures in the home rise above 67 degrees F., the humidity drops drastically, so it may be necessary to sacrifice a few degrees of warmth in lieu of an increase in the humidity.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. Succulents being the most notable, which prefer warmer and drier conditions. At temperatures below 60 degrees, African violets will stop blooming, Poinsettias may drop their leaves, and the leaves of Gardenias may turn yellow. It will be a great benefit to your plant if you do a little research about what the needs of your particular species happen to be.
I recommend reading "House plant problems" for a few more tips about keeping your house plants happy and healthy!
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