Top 10 “Immortal” House Plants You Can’t Kill
First things first – there are no immortal plants. You can kill any plant in the world if you try hard enough.
But there are some indoor plants that will survive neglect, darkness and a lack of water. In short, they will survive your laziness.
Houseplants are a great way to bring a touch of greenery to your home, so give these tough customers a go.
1. Mother-in-law’s tongue
This hardy plant (sansevieria) can be ignored for weeks, just like your mother-in-law’s cruel words! It will survive without being watered for a few weeks, but aim to water it every 10 to 14 days.
Sansevieria also copes well with shade, so it’s the perfect house plant to brighten up dark corners.
2. Bromeliad
This is related to the pineapple plant and brings a nice tropical feel to the home. They are often sold flowering, but they need very stable warm conditions to bloom, so be prepared to just enjoy the foliage.
3. Echeveria
These cute little succulents store water in their fleshy leaves, so they don’t need much care. Their small size means they are perfect if you’re short of space.
Brighten up windowsills and table tops with a selection of succulents in different colours and patterns.
4. Cactus
This has to be the ultimate fool-proof houseplant. Cacti will hardly ever need watering, and they come in such a great range of sizes and textures.
Cacti look best when you create a display of different varieties on a sunny windowsill.
5. Kalanchoe
These are popular can’t kill houseplants that are native to arid lands and need very little water. They grow best on bright, sunny windowsills and produce loads of pretty pink flowers.
Many people discard kalanchoe when it has finished flowering, but you can keep it coming back next year. Cut off the flower head, reduce watering over winter and it will bloom again in spring.
6. Philodendron
This is a small, easy going plant that handles shade well. However, it likes to be dry so don’t water it more than once a week.
The heartleaf variety looks striking in any home décor, and you can also buy trailing varieties that will hang from high shelves.
7. ZZ plant
ZZ stands for Zamioculcas Zamifolia, and is a very popular houseplant. It’s a recent addition to the lazy gardener’s book of tricks, and blends in well with traditional and contemporary styles.
This easy-to-please indoor plant is extremely hardy and will survive even if you plonk it in a dark spot and regularly forget to water it.
8. Ivy
Not many people think of ivy as a houseplant, but it’s great for trailing from high shelves and ledges. It’s not as drought tolerant as some of the others, but its stunning evergreen foliage makes up for this.
The most important thing to give ivy plants is bright light. Variegated cultivars will cope better with shade, but they too prefer higher light levels.
9. Jade plant
The jade plant, or crassula ovata is a succulent plant that looks like a little tree. It has small disc-shaped leaves that store moisture, and it copes well with indirect light and little water.
The jade green leaves often develop a red tinge around the edge when exposed to bright light. Some varieties of the plant even produce small, pale pink flowers in spring.
10. Pothos or Devil’s Ivy
This is a vigorous indoor plant that often has attractive variegated leaves. It produces trailing stems that can grow really long, and should be cut back to help keep the plant bushy.
Pothos is often used to clean indoor air by removing pollutants, but it can be toxic for cats and dogs if ingested.
I highly recommend you giving these can’t kill houseplants a go – they lift your mood even on the gloomiest day, and they don’t ask for much in return.
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