5 of the Best Indoor Plants for Serial Plant Killers
Do you flee in terror if your cubicle mate asks you to watch over her prized orchids? Have you resigned yourself to decorating with plastic because you can’t stand watching another plant perish?
Not everyone is born with a green thumb. However, you can develop yours by choosing the right plants for beginners. Once you master the gentle art of keeping houseplants, you can expand your repertoire.
1. Divine Devil’s Tongue
Welcome to the jungle, baby. If you adore long, trailing plants, check out the Devil’s Tongue. Line your work cubicle with these green gems and breathe easy as the long branches trail down your wall.
This plant prefers shady areas outdoors but will grow in partial sunlight when indoors. Place the pot in a window every few days or keep it in brighter spots. Devil’s Tongue requires little watering and thrives on neglect. A spritz or two during peak growth times keep it flourishing.
2. Sensational Succulents
Succulents come in a host of beautiful colors for accenting any decor. If you travel frequently or forget to water, give these vivid specimens a try. They grow in rocky soil and will perish if their substrate is too rich or boggy. You can even find realistic faux versions.
The fluid-filled leaves can provide health benefits. For example, you can snap off an aloe leaf to cool burns and heal small cuts. They adore sunlight, so line an open windowsill with these beauties. Every time you gaze outside, you’ll smile at your growing skills.
3. Pacifistic Peace Lilies
Like Sheryl Crow once sang, “It ain’t having what you want/it’s wanting what you’ve got.” Peace lilies appreciate water twice weekly but can live for extended periods without it. If you ship up to Boston for a weekend, you won’t need to hire a plant-sitter.
Peace lilies grow well in indirect light, making them perfect for dimly lit bedrooms lined with blackout curtains. Houseplants improve indoor air quality, helping you sleep better at night if you suffer allergies. Plus, what better way to end each day than by gazing at a living reminder of your successful efforts?
4. Fantastic Ficus
A lot of vegetation, from the rubber plant to large trees, fall into the ficus family. Although most varieties thrive best in a humid environment, they don’t like damp soil. Keep a spray bottle nearby — unless you live in a coastal region where the air provides adequate moisture.
If you notice leaves dropping from your ficus, try moving it to a sunnier, less drafty area. While these plants require little maintenance, they are sensitive to minor variations in temperature. They do like light, though. Perhaps place them in front of a well-insulated bay window?
5. Bountiful Bamboo
Walk into nearly any nail salon, and you’ll see a bamboo plant — or five — around the reception desk. Feng shui practitioners traditionally use bamboo to attract wealth and luck. Fortunately, you’re not taking a gamble with these easy-to-grow houseplants.
Bamboo adores sitting in water, so these plants work well if you tend to go overboard. The good news? Once you succeed with one plant, you have a lifetime supply! You can grow new plants from cuttings by putting branches in water and changing the liquid daily until new rhizomes sprout. Then, all you need is a pot and some decorative rocks, and you have the perfect holiday gift for a coworker or acquaintance.
Develop Your Green Thumb With These Houseplants
Did relegate yourself to killing plant after plant. Instead, give your green thumb another try with the best options for serial plant killers. Not only will you improve indoor air quality, but you’ll also develop a sense of newfound pride.
