If you're thinking about being a plant person, but you kill every living thing you touch, here's what you need to know. It is generally implied that plants are easier to care for than most other living beings. While there is some truth to this, not all plants are the same, and some require more specialized care than others. Some plants are like barn cats because they can pretty much take care of themselves and survive for long periods of time without your help. Other plants, however, will do no such thing. If you’re looking for a plant that can handle being forgotten about, I have a few plants just for you! (Even if you lean on the scale of plant murderer, I have faith there is something green out there you can keep alive)!
No plant is really care-free when it comes down to it, but there are plants that are harder to kill than others, especially if you lean on the scale of under watering/forgetting about your green gals. In my experience the most resilient and low-maintenance plants I have ever owned are the Sansevieria and Zamioculcas Zamiifolia, commonly known as the Snake Plant and ZZ plant. The reason these plants have done so well for me is because I tend to underwater them, and that is just how they like it. They also don't need a lot of light or humidity to survive (at least in my experience). I can trust these guys to be left at home while I am away at school for months on end and they will still be alive and as healthy as the day I left them.
Aside from the Snake and ZZ plants, most pothos and philodendrons are pretty good beginner plants as well. However, depending on the variety they might be more difficult. The marble queen pothos is a great beginner plant for those forgetful plant parents. They can handle going long periods without water, and they will let you know when they're thirsty. The leaves will start to droop downward indicating its time for a drink. The marble queen is a plant that I have surprisingly not killed since becoming a plant guru (*knocks on wood), but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Sometimes tragedies are unavoidable, so dont be hard on yourself if you have lost one of these guys before. I'm embarrassed to admit I've killed my fair share of so-called “easy plants”. But hey, shit happens.
Air Plants are another great beginner plant in my opinion! They don't need to be potted in soil, which makes them a unique plant in itself. Air plants require minimal care, but just like any other plant, if you forget to water them they will eventually die. I have had my air plants for over 3 years and they are starting to grow pups (little offshoots or baby plants). I was very surprised when this happened because of how little care I give them. I keep all my air plants together hanging in a basket on my wall. I usually water them every 14-21 days and mist them occasionally throughout those weeks. Watering air plants is a little bit different than watering your other plants around the house. To successfully water your Air Plants, get a bowl and fill it with water and soak them in the bowl for about 15-20 mins. That's pretty much it! Air plants are fairly easy and can be placed anywhere from shelves to windows or hanging baskets. You can get really creative with how you chose to display your air plants too!
Next on the list are succulents. There are thousands of varieties of succulents, including Cacti. In their natural environment, succulents experience intense periods of drought and go weeks without water. This makes them fairly low maintenance. Succulents can be very tricky or very easy for some people. Everyone has different watering routines and schedules, and depending on your routine succulents will love you or hate you. I personally group succulents in the low-maintenance category because they don't like to be over-watered. On the other hand, I have killed a few succulents because I let them dry out too much and they shriveled up on me. This tends to happen more with my string of succulents. My string of pearls, string of bananas, string of hearts, ect. The Haworthias on the other hand, are like the Snake and ZZ plant in regards to resilience because they are very similar in their needs.
My next suggestion for you plant parent wanna-be’s is to practice propagation! I would recommend water propagations because they not only look stunning, but they require less upkeep out of all the propagation methods out there. You can let water propagations sit for a few weeks or even months before the water runs out completely. Be mindful that sometimes the roots and stems will rot in the water if you don't keep an eye on it every once in a while. Not all plants love water propagation, but when you propagate a plant with nodes, especially philodendrons, you will have a better chance of success! It's also just a really cool process to watch your plant grow in a clear vessel (I suggest using recycled cans and glasses)!
linked a ver useful post from Sacred Soil’s website if you want to learn more about the resurrection plant! Finally, the last plant I will suggest for you is a plant that is actually almost impossible to kill. I know, I know. I said everything is possible to kill, but you would have to try really really hard to kill this particular plant. This plant originates from western Asia and is used today in many spiritual and religious rituals. This is the only plant in my experience which I have never ever killed or heard of anyone killing, and I have yet to be proved wrong. That plant is called the Rose of Jericho and it is technically a tumbleweed. Still counts as a plant though. i it's pretty cool on its own and has a unique history with mysticism. This plant has many common names from Resurrection Flower, Flower of St. Mary’s, Jericho Rose, and more. It looks similar to a fern when it's hydrated and has a beautiful green lush color. All you need to do to care for this plant is set her in a bowl or tray of water, and watch as the magic unfolds.
There you have it folks! My beginner plant suggestions for you newbies out there. I hope you enjoyed this post and found something useful from it. Feel free to ask me questions or share new suggestions for blog post ideas. I would be so grateful if you could share this post with your friends, family, and relatives! My goal is to eventually set up an online shop, but first I need to grow, (no pun intended) and your support helps me do that! Thanks for stopping by!
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