4 House Plants That Are (Almost) Unkillable
September 10, 2020
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Houseplants are trendy, look great, and clean your air.
Unfortunately, some of us don’t have that green thumb.
This list is for all of you out there who need your indoor garden to be (almost) unkillable.
If you’re looking for something that grows while you do next to nothing, a pothos is for you.
These trailing plants can live just about anywhere.
If you have a variegated pothos (one with white speckling or streaking), put it in the light to get extra variegation.
But pothos can also grow in bathrooms, offices, and other places where light sources are lacking.
Also, they’re cool with just about any water level. Don’t worry if you’re a chronic over-waterer.
Pothos is also one of the easiest plants to propagate. That means you can take cuttings from it to start new plants.
The easiest way we’ve found to propagate pothos is to cut off a section with at least a couple nodes (the brown rings where new leaves form). Pop it in water and watch.
In about a week, your pothos should have a snakey white root forming. Once that root is decently sized, you can pot your new baby pothos.
Confession: this plant is killable—but it took years of neglect and a bad repotting.
This plant is sometimes called a mother-in-law’s-tongue.
But unlike its namesake, it will do your household more good than harm.
A NASA study found that snake plants can remove a number of pollutants and toxins from the surrounding air.
Put your snake plant somewhere it won’t get a ton of light (though they can survive bright light or really dim environments).
Make sure to go easy on the watering. Let the soil get dry before you water, especially in the winter.
Seriously, a once-a-month watering schedule might be right for your snake plant. It’s a real set-it-and-forget-it kind of plant.
You already know that aloe can help with a sunburn.
It’s also a great alternative mouthwash, among other things.
It’s a great houseplant and it doesn’t need much. Put yours where it will get plenty of direct light and…that’s about it.
Seriously, put down the watering can.
Aloe plants can get fussy if you overwater them.
Make sure you let the soil dry completely before you water. Check that the soil drains well when you do water.
You’ll know you’ve got a drainage or over-watering problem if your aloe gets limp or brown.
Spider plants pretty much only need two things: bright, indirect light, and soil that drains well.
If you put it in the right pot with the right soil (or just buy it from a nursery), that’s half the battle.
Set it in a spot that’s fairly bright but doesn’t get any direct sun.
In the summer, keep your spider plant’s soil evenly moist. In the winter, you can let it dry out between waterings.
Do those things and you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping this guy alive.
Spider plants are another one that got the thumbs up from NASA for air purification.
If you notice some browning on the tips of your spider plant leaves, don’t panic.
It’s probably because the fluoride in your water is causing too much salt to build up in the soil.
Correct that by sticking your plant in the sink or bathtub. Give it a thorough dousing with distilled water, letting the water drain. Repeat a few times.
A cool feature of spider plants is that they’ll create their own babies (or pups) called spiderettes.
You can propagate your spider plant by snipping these off and potting them.
Aren’t free plants great?
Happy growing!
Opinions, advice, services, or other information or content expressed or contributed here by customers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of The Bancorp Bank (“Bank”). Bank is not responsible for the accuracy of any content provided by author(s) or contributor(s).
Houseplants are trendy, look great, and clean your air.
Unfortunately, some of us don’t have that green thumb.
This list is for all of you out there who need your indoor garden to be (almost) unkillable.
1. Pothos
Pros: Can thrive in a variety of conditions, grows quickly
Cons: Mildly toxic if eaten by pets
If you’re looking for something that grows while you do next to nothing, a pothos is for you.
These trailing plants can live just about anywhere.
If you have a variegated pothos (one with white speckling or streaking), put it in the light to get extra variegation.
But pothos can also grow in bathrooms, offices, and other places where light sources are lacking.
Also, they’re cool with just about any water level. Don’t worry if you’re a chronic over-waterer.
Pothos is also one of the easiest plants to propagate. That means you can take cuttings from it to start new plants.
The easiest way we’ve found to propagate pothos is to cut off a section with at least a couple nodes (the brown rings where new leaves form). Pop it in water and watch.
In about a week, your pothos should have a snakey white root forming. Once that root is decently sized, you can pot your new baby pothos.
2. Snake plant
Pros: Good for air quality, doesn’t need much light or water
Cons: Mildly toxic if eaten by pets, bad for over-waterers
Confession: this plant is killable—but it took years of neglect and a bad repotting.
This plant is sometimes called a mother-in-law’s-tongue.
But unlike its namesake, it will do your household more good than harm.
A NASA study found that snake plants can remove a number of pollutants and toxins from the surrounding air.
Put your snake plant somewhere it won’t get a ton of light (though they can survive bright light or really dim environments).
Make sure to go easy on the watering. Let the soil get dry before you water, especially in the winter.
Seriously, a once-a-month watering schedule might be right for your snake plant. It’s a real set-it-and-forget-it kind of plant.
3. Aloe
Pros: Medicinal uses, doesn’t need much attention
Cons: Needs bright light, mildly toxic, can get root rot easily
You already know that aloe can help with a sunburn.
It’s also a great alternative mouthwash, among other things.
It’s a great houseplant and it doesn’t need much. Put yours where it will get plenty of direct light and…that’s about it.
Seriously, put down the watering can.
Aloe plants can get fussy if you overwater them.
Make sure you let the soil dry completely before you water. Check that the soil drains well when you do water.
You’ll know you’ve got a drainage or over-watering problem if your aloe gets limp or brown.
4. Spider plant
Pros: Safe for pets, easy to propagate, good for air quality
Cons: Tips can brown easily, need some watering attention during warmer seasons
Spider plants pretty much only need two things: bright, indirect light, and soil that drains well.
If you put it in the right pot with the right soil (or just buy it from a nursery), that’s half the battle.
Set it in a spot that’s fairly bright but doesn’t get any direct sun.
In the summer, keep your spider plant’s soil evenly moist. In the winter, you can let it dry out between waterings.
Do those things and you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping this guy alive.
Spider plants are another one that got the thumbs up from NASA for air purification.
If you notice some browning on the tips of your spider plant leaves, don’t panic.
It’s probably because the fluoride in your water is causing too much salt to build up in the soil.
Correct that by sticking your plant in the sink or bathtub. Give it a thorough dousing with distilled water, letting the water drain. Repeat a few times.
A cool feature of spider plants is that they’ll create their own babies (or pups) called spiderettes.
You can propagate your spider plant by snipping these off and potting them.
Aren’t free plants great?
Happy growing!
Opinions, advice, services, or other information or content expressed or contributed here by customers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of The Bancorp Bank (“Bank”). Bank is not responsible for the accuracy of any content provided by author(s) or contributor(s).
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Writer Bio
Kacie Goff
Kacie Goff has over five years of experience writing personal finance content for a wide range of audiences. She's always loved taking complex concepts and distilling them down so they're more accessible to others. As she creates content, she aims to educate and engage, helping people discover that successfully managing their money can be easier than they ever imagined. Over the last five years, she’s also covered personal and commercial insurance, home design, health and wellness, and more for publications including Bankrate, Freshome, The Simple Dollar, and websites of a broad variety of businesses. Her brand is Jot Content (jotcontent.com).