Plants for People Who Kill Plants

Have you ever dreamed of a home filled with beautiful, lush plants but can't be sure of your ability to keep your little green friends alive? Well I've got a list for you of low maintenance, no-fuss houseplants that even a novice can maintain with minimum effort. In some cases you'll only have to water once a month, in others, weekly (but if you skip a week they won't keel over -- trust me).

 

First up is a crowd favorite, Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron Scandens and Philodendron Hederaceum). I have two of these in my kitchen right now sitting on open shelving and they never cease to impress with their sweet heart shaped foliage. They grow like crazy under low- medium light conditions and only need watering weekly (Not too much, or the leaves will go yellow, which is true for all houseplants. Don't soak the soil, but moisten it. If you miss a week, or two, they'll forgive you). 

 

Heartleaf Philodendron loves to be placed in or near a window but can't take harsh intense sunlight all day. The fun part about these is that you can clip off a vine at the node, place it in water, and in a few weeks time have roots and another baby plant to share with friends. Easy to find at places like Home Depot or your local houseplant nursery and won't break the bank.

Heartleaf Philodendron

 

Philodendron Brasil (variegated Heartleaf)

Next up is my newest houseplant acquisition/obsession, a member of the pothos family; Satin Pothos (Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus). This plant not only looks like a million bucks, but also makes people think you have a certified green thumb. I mean look at the density of that foliage! 

 

Satin Pothos doesn't need a great deal of care, just low-medium light, and weekly watering. The variegation on this plant is a showstopper, but it can be hard to find. I actually purchased this one online (I know, crazy!) through the California Tropical Amazon store and was incredibly pleased with the plant and the shipping process. I recommend their store and would purchase again.

Satin Pothos

 

Ok this next houseplant can be harder to find but I recently spotted some at Home Depot in the indoor plant section; the ZZ Plant (Amioculcas Zamiifolia). You could say this is the James Bond of houseplants; very hard to kill. 

 

The ZZ plant is native to Africa and stores water in it's rhizomes like a potato plant. The best part? It only needs to be watered once a month! Water this baby every time you pay your rent, or every time you get your period, it won't need more than that unless you live in a very hot or arid climate. This baby can stand very low light conditions but prefers indirect and even fluorescent office light.

 

ZZ Plant

Lastly, the Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides) is a sure winner for those that have a north facing or low light window that needs a little sprucing. You can get this plant as a tiny baby start (because it produces tons of little babies around the mother plant) and it will grow to full adult size within 6-8 months. This plant is weird and wonderful and provides an interesting shape and texture to round out your collection.

Water your money plant weekly, but this plant is very tolerant of neglect and doesn't require bright light (in fact too bright will burn the leaves). These can be expensive so find a friend who has a well established plant and take a little baby off her hands -- this is why people call this the "friendship plant," because it's just so easy to propagate, it does all the work for you.

Chinese Money Plant

Try your hand at one or all of these houseplants and prove to yourself that you can keep something alive. Plants are rewarding and also happen to be the perfect home decor accessories. Come to the dark side and become a crazy plant lady, you won't regret it!

 

 *Please note this blog post contains affiliate links, and I may receive a commission when you click on a link to purchase. Affiliate links are generally a very small source of blogging income and do not influence any opinion or review stated on the blog.