You may not have a green thumb, but these 15 houseplants will still work for you.
So, you’ve finally got the big essentials for decorating your apartment. Now, it’s time to add some finishing touches and a houseplant is one of the best decorations for an apartment. Bringing a little green into your home not only brings joy but can even help your health too. If you’ve ever gardened or taken care of a plant you know that it can be a daunting task. However, it doesn’t have to be. There are many options for houseplants that are hard to kill no matter your lifestyle.
What makes a houseplant hard to kill?
Before looking for your hard-to-kill houseplants you should know the qualities of a durable plant. Here are some things to consider when looking for your perfect, easy houseplant.
Bright light or low light
Consider what type of lighting the plant needs to stay alive. Some plants require direct sunlight while others will survive in indirect light or even filtered light. When picking out a plant keep in mind what the lighting situation is in your home and pick accordingly.
Water
Obviously, we all need water to survive and plants are no exception. Consider your time and the effort you want to put into watering your plant. If you are a forgetful person or just don’t have a lot of time on your hands then pick a plant that can survive without consistent watering.
Soil
Different plants need different types of soil and pots. Some do well in basic potting soil while others need special soil. Soil also comes into play when it comes to watering. Sometimes you should keep the soil moist between waterings, while other times it must dry out in between. Keep this in mind when plant hunting.
Plants that anyone can keep alive
This might seem like a lot but fear not we’ve done some of the work for you. Here are 15 plants that are hard to kill for you to check out.
1. Snake plant
With their tall and beautiful green leaves, the snake plant — also known as mother-in-law’s tongue — is a great option when looking for a resilient plant. Unlike other plants, the snake plant can go for weeks without being watered or cared for and still look great. In fact, it’s best to wait until the soil dries out before watering the plant again.
Snake plants can survive in low light and will even grow in artificial light or indirect sunlight. Another great thing about this plant is that it can actually make the air in your home cleaner.
2. Spider plant
Spider plants are some of the most adaptable indoor plants making them some of the easiest to grow. Their long, bright green leaves can be placed in a standard pot and survive well in potting soil. Spider plants prefer even watering, making sure to not have soggy soil. However, they can miss a few waterings and still be just fine. Just make sure that there’s well-drained soil before watering again.
They do best in bright light but will also do well in medium light. One of the best features of these plants is that come summer they grow flowers also known as baby spider plants.
3. Cast iron plant
Growing plants is difficult, especially if you aren’t someone with a green thumb. If this sounds like you, then the cast iron plant might just be your best option. As the name suggests, the cast iron plant is a very hardy plant and can survive without much attention at all.
Like other plants, it does best in well-draining potting mix and doesn’t require a watering schedule. The cast iron plant thrives in a variety of temperatures and lights from direct sun to low light. It grows beautiful deep green leaves and sometimes will blossom small purple flowers near the base of the plant.
4. ZZ plant
The ZZ plant’s green glossy leaves sometimes resemble a fake wax plant, and it needs about the same attention as the fake ones. This durable plant that is hard to kill can almost thrive even in neglect for a while.
It only needs to be watered once a week once the soil is dry. While it can grow faster if kept in bright light it will also do well in other lighting situations, even artificial light. Something to keep in mind with the ZZ plant is that it is toxic if ingested. So, make sure to keep it away from small children and pets. Other than that it’s a great choice for adding some green into your home.
5. Pothos
Pothos, also known as devil’s ivy, grows heart-shaped green, gold and even white leaves. Similar to the snake plant, pothos plants help purify the air in your home. They can be housed in pots on the ground but they also make great hanging basket plants.
Pothos grows best with bright indirect light but since it’s not a picky plant it will also do fine in low light. They grow in regular potting soil and don’t need to be watered frequently. Before watering, however, make sure that it’s dry soil and not moist soil. The vines on this hanging plant can grow to be very long, so they might need a little trimming here and there.
6. Chinese evergreen
Chinese evergreen is a great choice for people who don’t have a lot of natural light in their apartment as they can be kept in very low light and still survive. They slowly grow beautiful dark green and sometimes pink leaves.
You can keep the Chinese evergreen in potting soil as well and it doesn’t need to be fertilized. Similar to other plants, it can go without water for a while. If you’re looking for a fun, new plant to spruce up your current decor then this is the one for you.
7. Prayer plant
The prayer plant is a beautiful indoor tropical plant. Unlike some of the other indoor plants, this one requires a little more work. They thrive best with kept near indirect sunlight and live near other plants to maintain the humidity, similar to their native habitat.
Prayer plants need to be watered every two weeks. If they start to look a bit dry you can always spritz them with water or a damp cloth.
8. Aloe vera
Aloe vera is a part of the succulent plant family and is a very hard-to-kill plant. It does best in a porous pot with a succulent potting mix. Although this plant doesn’t need a lot of water, it does need a fair amount of sunlight. Keep this little guy in a bright corner where it can soak up the sun.
Aloe vera also contains medicinal benefits. The liquid from the inside of the leaves can help soothe burns and cuts. Before buying this new plant, keep in mind that is it toxic to cats. If you have a fuzzy feline, this might not be the best plant for you.
9. Madagascar dragon tree
The Madagascar dragon tree has a rich history and is a great choice for indoor gardening beginners looking for a hard-to-kill plant. This tree oozes red blood-like fluid when cut, making it seem more alive.
This houseplant does best in bright indirect light but will also do fine in other light such as fluorescent lights. It should be kept in well-draining soil and only watered when the soil is dry.
Like aloe vera, this tree can be poisonous to cats and dogs and should be kept out of their reach.
10. Chinese money plant
Another great hard-to-kill indoor plant is the Chinese money plant. It grows flat, almost round green leaves and adds a great pop of color to any room.
It does best when kept in indirect light and doesn’t require much watering. The Chinese money plant’s soil should be partially dried out before watering again.
11. Jade plant
Looking for a long-term plant? Then the Jade plant is just for you! Jade plants are low maintenance and live for quite a while, making them great indoor plants. Their wood stems and leaves can resemble miniature trees which can add a bit of the outdoor feel to any home.
These plants do best with more watering in spring and more relaxed watering during winter and fall. However, similar to other indoor plants their soil should dry out before watering again.
12. Peace lily
Peace lilies are great for anyone who just wants to keep their plant alive and well. They’re a great option for beginners looking for hard-to-kill houseplants. They’re also known for being some of the best air purifying plants, according to a NASA study. One feature that is appealing about his houseplant is the beautiful white flowers it sprouts.
Watering is simple as well, only needing water once a week. Keep it in indirect sunlight for best-growing results. Your peace lily will let you know if it needs more light because it won’t bloom.
13. Moth orchid
Often thought of as throwaway houseplants, moth orchids or Phalaenopsis orchids are beautiful and hard-to-kill houseplants. While most people think they only bloom once, it is possible to get them to rebloom each year.
The best way to sustain this plant is to soak the bulb in water each week, but not for too long. You should also repot it every couple of years and keep it in medium indirect light. While this is one of the more demanding houseplants, it’s well worth it once you see its beautiful flowers bloom.
14. Umbrella tree
There are two types of these trees, Schefflera arboricola and Schefflera actinophylla, and they get their names from their umbrella shapes.
These trees do best when kept in bright indirect light. They can grow in lower light, however, not as quickly. These little guys do well in regular home temperatures and humidity making it very low maintenance.
Water your umbrella tree regularly as it thrives in moist soil. Don’t fret too much if you forget a watering or two as it’s a forgiving tree, but don’t overwater it as it doesn’t do well sitting in water.
15. Rubber plant
Ficus elastica, also known as a rubber plant, is a houseplant with wild origins. In the wild, the rubber plant can grow up to 80 feet tall! Don’t worry though, your houseplant won’t grow that big.
Although they’re relatively low maintenance, they do require low indirect light in order to properly grow. Keep the soil damp, but these plants don’t need too much in the watering department. If you notice yours collecting a bit of dust, just give them a wipe off and it’ll look good as new.
Houseplants for everyone!
Everyone needs a little extra life in their homes and plants are a great way to achieve it. Although you may at first fear keeping your chosen houseplant alive, you don’t need to worry. If you chose from these 15 low-maintenance plants, then you’ll do just fine.
Source: rent.com