Maybe you’ve been a neglectful plant parent in the past, but you can turn over (or even propagate) a new leaf with some hardy house plants.
Whether you have low light levels in your north-facing apartment, or forget to water your plants, Iowa State University horticulturists Aaron Steil and Cindy Haynes have a list of resilient plants that can thrive inside.
Pothos
Are you trying to brighten up a lifeless office setting or bring some greenery into a restaurant? Pothos can survive in low light settings.
“This is a very low care plant, and it's a pretty plant,” Seil said. “It’s got kind of a heart-shaped leaf. They have kind of a yellow and green kind of variegation to the leaf.”
This plant is not a quitter. Steil has had a pathos plant for 30 years.
Plus, if you want to try your hand at propagation, the clippings are easy to root as well.
“My grandma, who liked to steal small things, she used to carry a pair of scissors in her purse, and she would just cut part of a pothos plant and take it home and root it,” Garden Variety host Charity Nebbe said. “So we still have some of her pothos living with us today.”
Snake plant
Snake plant is also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, “because it never dies and it’s sharply pointed,” Steil explained.
It's tolerant of low light and dry conditions.
“I think the only way you can fail with Sansevieria — or snake plant — is to over-water it or put it in a container without good drainage,” Steil said.
There are a variety of different types with variation in the striping pattern, colors and length of the plant.
Peperomia
Also known as the radiator plant, peperomia is a waxy species with oval shaped leaves. Its nickname comes from the fact that it tolerates dry air well.
“If you wanted to, you could really get into collecting it,” Steil said. “There are lots of little species.”
The different species have plenty of different leaf variation, such as the Watermelon Peperomia with veiny stripes of light and dark green like the fruit, or the Ripple Peperomia with textured ridges.
ZZ plant
This plant has big shiny leaves that almost look like plastic, and it's nearly as low maintenance as a plastic house plant.
It's great “If you're looking for something a little bigger that is pretty indestructible," according to Haynes. She also notes that "It loves the low humidity and can tolerate it really well. It really likes being on the dry side... So, watering it once a month, it's fine. It's a really forgiving plant, especially if you're somewhat neglectful and you do drought tolerance studies in your house all the time — like I do.”
The name ZZ is a shortening of its scientific name, Zamioculcas zamiifolia.
And if you want to be even more fashionable with your plant life, there are purple cultivars, which is a color that's hard to find in houseplants.
Peace lily
You can bring this tropical-looking plant into any home.
Haynes recommends this one because it will train you on when to water it.
"It's the only house plant I know that will wilt until the leaves are practically touching the side of the container or the floor, and then you come and water it, and it perks right back up.”
And while it’s not as indestructible as a pothos or snake plant, if you treat it well and give it enough light, it will bloom a white flower.
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