Every new houseplant comes with hope and promise. Busy schedules and inconsistent indoor climates often turn that bright green into a shriveled brown mess within months. For those who struggle with houseplant planting and care, starting with hardy plants will help avoid the inevitable misery.
For indoor greenery success, start with hardy houseplants.
There are many amazing houseplants that are designed for life low lightfull sun, regular watering and almost everything in between. We reached out to two plant experts to find out the most difficult choices for new plant parents or anyone with a fixed habit.
Rebecca Sterling is a houseplant expert at Easyplant, a self-watering plant startup, and Puneet Sabharwal is the founder of Horti, a monthly plant subscription service. Both explored why most houseplants don’t — and which ones are easiest to keep alive.
1 reason why houseplants die
Both plant experts point to overwatering as the No. 1 cause. 1 of plant death.
Both experts cite overwatering as the most common mistake that kills houseplants.
As a safeguard against overwatering, Sabharwal recommends pots with pipes, especially if you’re a new plant parent. “Excess water tends to clog the bottom of pots without water and can cause the plant’s roots to rot. With the drainage holes, water your plants liberally each time until the water begins to seep to the bottom. Let the plant absorb what’s in the drainage tray and after a few hours, discard the rest.”
Sterling touts the EasyPlant potting system as a natural fix. “Customers don’t have to worry about overdosing.” Besides, Sterling points out the bad habit people have of starving plants of light.
“Many people think that low light means that their plant will grow and continue to grow even if it only gets light for an hour or two a day,” he said. “In fact, many tropical houseplants can adapt to less-than-optimal natural light conditions but still need a constant light source.”
Here are nine they recommend, even for the most casual plant parent.
9 house plants that are hard to kill
The ZZ plant is popular among houseplant lovers for its low maintenance. It is durable and easy to maintain. It has thick, leathery leaves and rhizomes that store water, making it tolerant of neglect.
ZZ prefers soil that is always moist but not soggy or wet. Depending on the size of the pot and the environment, you should water the plant approximately every seven to 14 days.
Be sure to test the soil before watering to make sure it isn’t excessively water and allow the top few inches of soil to dry before watering again. Additionally, make sure the pot has adequate water as stagnant water can cause root rot.
Maintenance tips:
“Since the ZZ plant thrives in bright indirect light, placing it near a window is ideal.”
– Sabharwal
“If you need to prune it, avoid leaving the stem bare. Prune it below or just above the leaf to help keep it looking natural.”
– Sterling
Parlor palms are great for beginners because they are forgiving. This palm’s leaves grow in dense, feathery clumps, Sterling says, so even when it’s time to remove a few leaves your palm will continue to look full, green.
Maintenance tips:
“This plant appreciates a healthy amount of humidity so if you feel like the air in the room is too dry for you, then it is too dry for your plant. It’s time to add humidity or a tray of pebbles to increase the humidity around the plant.”
– Sterling
These iconic houseplants are hardy and hard to kill because of their adaptability. They have aerial roots, which allow them to cling to the surface and obtain moisture and nutrients from their surroundings. This means that the plant can survive in many different conditions, including low light, high humidity and low water availability.
How do they do it? Monstera plants can store water in their thick, opaque leaves to help them stay moist in dry conditions. Finally, this plant has extensive roots that help stabilize it and allow it to search for water and food sources far away.
Siltepecana plants sport small green leaves with silver markings. They enjoy bright, indirect light but adapt well to low light, too. Just avoid direct sunlight as it can burn the leaves.
Care tips:
“Monstera siltepecana plants should be watered regularly, but allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. To avoid overwatering, check the soil moisture level before watering. If the top inch of soil is dry, it’s time to water.”
– Sabharwal
Hoyas are amazing houseplants that can last for decades and are the kind of plants that people pass generations on. I love the beautiful foliage of Hoyas because the vines can be encouraged to grow green or dense. Their tough, waxy leaves help make Hoyas more tolerant of lower humidity than plants with smaller leaves. You can create a collection of Hoyas with different varieties.
Care tips:
“Hoya can take years to bloom, especially if it doesn’t get enough light. After the flowers fall, don’t cut off the part of the stem where the flowers were formed, called the Pendacule, as there is a good chance that the next round of flowers will appear in the same place.”
– Sterling
Also known as the Chinese evergreen, Aglaonema Siam Pink plants have unique patterns on each leaf and have been cultivated in Asia as ornamental plants known to bring good luck for centuries. In summer, it may bloom small flowers that eventually turn into berries.
This plant is hard to kill and can tolerate a variety of conditions including low light areas. “They have a slow growth rate,” Sabharwal explains, “so they don’t need regular pruning or maintenance.”
Care tips:
“These plants like indirect sunlight and can adapt to places with little light. If you use a heater in your bedroom to keep the air humid, put Aglaonema Siam Pink there. It prefers a slightly humid environment and will look good in your bedroom.”
– Sabharwal
Pothos are great for purifying the air in your home and the vining variety is great for beginners. They have a matte texture and a slightly velvety feel, hence the satin nickname.
It is considered one of the most invincible indoor plants because of its hardiness and ability to tolerate various conditions including drought, low light and even a little neglect. Satin Pothos can survive in low average light but variegation (multiple colors) show best in bright light.
Care tips:
“Satin Pothos plants can grow very large so find a spot in your home where they can spread out and thrive and protect away from direct sun.”
– Sabharwal
“When you see that young people are leaving [have] changed size, that’s how this plant adapts to it [the] lighting conditions of your choice. Talk about tough”
– Sterling
Read more: Looking for Clean Air? This Houseplant Sorts Better Than 30 Other Times
This popular variety is usually planted by parents, fresh and seasoned. The snake plant is known to be drought tolerant, according to Sabharwal, and thrives in low light and direct sun conditions. Sansevieria are plants with hard, tough, plastic-like leaves that retain water.
Care tips:
“Although rare to see indoors, Sansevierias can flower. This can be exciting but be sure to cut off the flowering stem before the flowers begin to drip sticky nectar.”
– Sterling
“Treat it like a succulent when caring for it as it has large roots that store water in drought conditions.”
– Sabharwal
Sabharwal refers to this versatile plant because of its ability to support abuse. Baby rubber plants are succulent-like, meaning they can store moisture in their fleshy stems or leaves that act as backups. These plants are “easy to care for” and are easily propagated by cutting a stem or leaf and soaking it in water until the roots develop.
Maintenance tips:
“Overwatering can cause root rot so it’s important to let the soil dry to the touch before watering again. This lovely plant grows well in medium to bright indirect light but can also tolerate low light conditions. Too much direct light can burn the leaves.”
– Sabharwal
This heart-leaf philodendron is native to South America. Its leaves, colored yellow and green, resemble the Brazilian flag — hence the name. Brazil is a vine plant and grows tall, up to 10 meters if not pruned. A popular hanging plant but can be trained to climb a moss pole or trellis.
Philodendron Brasil does well in moderate to bright indirect light, according to Sabharwal. It can tolerate low light but its contrast will become brighter and brighter with more light exposure. Direct sunlight should be avoided as it can burn the leaves.
Maintenance tips:
“Water this philodendron when the top inch of soil feels dry. It’s important to avoid overwatering, as the plant is susceptible to root rot. Making sure the pot drains well will help prevent water from sitting on the bottom and damaging the plant.”
– Sabharwal
