Even seasoned gardeners can kill houseplants. Why not eliminate the guesswork and stock your home with plants that don’t mind a little neglect? Here are 6 plants that are more likely to die from too much attention than from neglect.
Spider Plant
Spider plant’s thick, fleshy roots store water to keep it going through inconsistent watering. Thankfully, the spider plant gets its name from the way it propagates its “babies” from long trailing stems somewhat like spiders hanging from their webs. A spider plant can be all green or variegated and works well in a hanging basket or pot. Watering it well once a month is all it needs to succeed.
Bromeliad
Bromeliads look very difficult to grow, but that’s far from the truth. The flowers on a bromeliad can last months, however, once they start to fade the whole plant will also start to die. Often times, the plant will have pups in the pot, though that will replace the mother-plant. Place bromeliad in bright, indirect light and water it once every 2 weeks, but don’t let it sit in water. It really enjoys misting or a humid spot, like a kitchen or bathroom.
Sansevieria, or Mother-In-Law’s-Tongue
These are tough as nails and can do well with watering several times a year once established. As a low light plant, there are new varieties of Sansevieria every year. This plant is so low key and brings major retro vibes. What’s not to like?
African Milk Tree
Although it looks like a cactus, the African Milk Tree is a succulent plant that thrives on neglect. Even in a container in your living room, it can grow up to 5 feet tall if given bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. You can water this plant a little every month. The milky sap inside can be dangerous to your skin. Make sure to keep this plant in a bottom-heavy pot, you don’t want this one tipping over!
Aloe
Aloe is the easiest houseplant of all, add it to a sunny windowsill in a pot with drainage and that’s all it needs. You can water, just a little, every month and it will still look great! If you want it to get bigger, try throwing it outside on a patio or porch in the summer before bringing it back in for winter.
Orchid
Orchids seem like they would be hard to grow, but the opposite is true. The important thing to remember is that they will bloom for weeks and then it can be incredibly hard to get them to rebloom. So you can keep it around for the foliage or just compost it once it's done. Check out our blog about how to compost here. Give orchids bright, indirect light and plenty of humidity, and water just a little every 2 weeks or so. Orchids need great drainage and cannot sit in water.
