We’ve all been there as new plant parents before. Going to bed filled with hopes and dreams of growing your very own in-home jungle, only to awaken to find your new little plant pal completely fried, or even worse, dead.
Knowing there’s nothing to blame but you and your own neglect, you give up. But don’t! If you want easy success with house plants, here are six hardy plants even the most notorious plant killers would have a hard time taking down.
Disclaimer: No plant is immortal, but if you’re new to plant keeping or have a poor track record, these options are probably your best bet.
Snake Plant
This plant is extremely drought-tolerant, meaning you can completely forget you even have one and it is likely to thrive. Because there are no branches, its slender profile makes it an ideal floor plant for small spaces. Snake plants need well-drained potting mix that doesn’t hold a lot of water. And they like to be in bright but indirect sunlight. However, you can park it in a dark corner and it’ll be just fine.
Spider Plant
Like its eight-legged namesake, the spider plant is a true survivor. Its hardiness and versatility make it a very popular houseplant. I don’t have one because I think they’re ugly, but if you want a plant you won’t kill and don’t care how it looks, give this one a try! This plant can grow in a wide range of conditions and suffers from few problems, other than brown tips. The spider plant is so named because of its spider-like leaves, or spiderettes, which dangle down from the mother plant like spiders on a web.
Aloe Vera
Aloes are some of the very first plants I remember seeing around my house growing up. My mom told me the gel inside this plant’s leaves is magical and can cure any ailment. Turns out they’re not magic at all, although the gel inside is great for treating sunburns and small cuts. They make for a very hard-to-kill plant, requiring very little upkeep, and thrive in a wide range of temperatures, meaning they’ll likely always feel comfortable in your home. Make sure it gets a fair amount of sunlight or its leaves will begin to droop — and only water it every three weeks or so.
Air Plants
Three words: no soil required. Even if you consider yourself the most neglectful plant parent, you can keep these little shoots alive. Air plants are epiphytes — plants that attach themselves to other plants for support, without relying on the host to thrive. They absorb moisture and nutrients through their leaves, not their roots, which they use only to anchor themselves to other plants or objects.
Pothos
Pothos go by several different names — devil’s vine, devil’s ivy, and golden pathos. Some plant parents say it is the easiest of all houseplants to care for as they thrive in low-light conditions and even don’t mind artificial light. These guys prefer to be watered when their soil is completely dry so it’s perfect for all the chronic forget-to-waterers out there. Pothos have very pretty heart-shaped leaves that are attached to vines which can grow up to 30 feet long and propagate very easily.
Peace Lily
If you want to impress your friends with a plant that looks like it requires a lot of effort and maintenance but doesn’t, give a peace lily a try. They are low maintenance, easy to grow, and are marked by their striking white flowers and dark green foliage. Peace lilies are not for plant parents who forget to water as they need a lot of water to stay healthy. I find I water mine every two weeks or so and use at least a litre of water each time.
Got a green tip to share with us or something plant-ey you would like us to investigate? Send your ideas to Jace at aestheticSnail@outlook.com.
