Bringing home a new plant is exciting, but it is worth taking a few minutes to inspect it before you buy. A healthy plant will have a much better chance of adapting to your home and continuing to grow, while a stressed or pest-infested plant can create problems for the rest of your collection.

Here are the most important things to check before making your selection.

Healthy Leaves and Overall Condition

Start by looking closely at the leaves. A few cosmetic imperfections are normal, especially on older plants, but widespread yellowing, brown spots, or significant damage can signal an underlying issue.

Look for:

• Firm, well-shaped leaves with good color for that particular species.
• Leaves that are not limp, severely curled, or unusually soft.
• Minimal yellowing, browning, spotting, or physical damage.
• Stems that feel sturdy rather than mushy, shriveled, or weak.

Older leaves near the base of a plant naturally die off over time, so one yellowing lower leaf is not always a concern. However, multiple yellow leaves can indicate a watering problem, poor root health, low light, or general stress.

Yellowing often begins on lower leaves and is commonly associated with overwatering. It can also occur when a plant repeatedly dries out too much between waterings. Pothos and Monstera Adansonii, for example, often show yellow leaves when their watering routine has been inconsistent.

Brown leaf tips are often caused by underwatering, low humidity, mineral buildup, or inconsistent watering. A few crispy tips are not necessarily a reason to avoid a plant, particularly if the rest of the plant looks healthy. Just be prepared to provide more consistent care once you bring it home.

Be cautious of dark brown or black spots surrounded by yellow halos. These may indicate fungal or bacterial leaf spot, especially if the spots are spreading or the foliage looks wet, soft, or damaged.

Check the Soil Moisture and Pot

Next, assess the pot and soil condition. Pick up the plant and feel its weight.

A pot that feels extremely heavy and has visibly saturated soil may be holding too much water. This is especially common at big-box stores, where plants are sometimes sold in decorative pots without drainage. Excess water can remain trapped around the roots and increase the risk of root rot.

If possible:

• Lift the nursery pot out of the decorative cover pot.
• Confirm that the nursery pot has drainage holes.
• Check whether standing water has collected in the bottom of the cover pot.
• Look for soil that is excessively wet, compacted, sour-smelling, or covered in algae or mold.

On the other hand, a pot that feels very light may mean the plant has been allowed to dry out too severely. Look for limp foliage, curled leaves, crispy brown edges, or soil that has pulled away from the sides of the pot.

A slightly dry plant is often easier to recover than one that has been sitting in waterlogged soil, but both conditions are worth considering before you purchase.

Look for New Growth

Visible new growth is usually an excellent sign. New leaves, emerging shoots, swelling buds, or active growth points indicate that the plant has enough energy to continue growing.

Depending on the plant, new growth may appear as:

• A new leaf beginning to unfurl.
• A fresh vine or shoot emerging from the base.
• A new growth point along the stem.
• A developing leaf spear or cataphyll.
• New roots growing through the drainage holes.

New growth does not guarantee that a plant is pest-free or perfectly healthy, but it is generally a positive indication that the plant is actively growing rather than simply surviving.

Inspect Carefully for Pests

Always inspect a plant for pests before bringing it home. Even a small infestation can spread quickly once the plant joins your collection.

Check the tops and undersides of leaves, stems, leaf axils, petioles, and the surface of the soil. Pay special attention to crevices where leaves meet the stem, since many pests hide in protected areas.

Common Pests to Look For

• Spider mites: These pests are very small and may be difficult to see without magnification. Look instead for fine webbing, pale stippling, or tiny pinhole-like specks across the leaves.
• Mealybugs: These pests often appear as white, cottony clusters. They commonly hide in leaf axils, around nodes, and where petioles meet the stem.
• Thrips: Thrips are slender, tiny insects that can resemble small grains of rice. Watch for silvery scarring, distorted new leaves, black specks of frass, or trail-like damage on foliage.
• Aphids: Aphids are usually easier to spot because they cluster on new growth, stems, and flower buds. They may be green, black, brown, yellow, or pink, and some winged forms may be present.
• Scale: Look for small, raised brown, tan, or black bumps attached to stems or leaf undersides. They can easily be mistaken for part of the plant.
• Fungus gnats: Adult fungus gnats are small flying insects that hover around damp soil. They are usually more annoying than directly damaging to mature foliage, but their presence can indicate consistently wet potting mix and they can spread to other plants.

It is also helpful to inspect nearby plants on the same store shelf. If surrounding plants have visible pests, webbing, leaf damage, or fungus gnats, it may be safer to choose a plant from another section—or another store.

A Quick Buying Checklist

Before purchasing, take a final moment to confirm that the plant has:

A few imperfect leaves do not automatically mean a plant is unhealthy. Plants in retail environments often experience shipping stress, inconsistent watering, low humidity, and poor light. The goal is not to find a flawless plant—it is to choose one with a healthy foundation and no major issues that will make acclimation difficult.

Happy plant hunting!