For someone who is an Air element, I sure love plants. They bring so much warmth and happiness to any home. My favorite part of my home is the kitchen because that’s where 90% of my plants live, but if it was up to me my home would look like a jungle. I understand that not everyone has a green thumb neither do I. I have managed though to keep almost all my plants alive and healthy. That’s why I wanted to share with you five beautiful plants. These five plants are not easy to kill, making them very easy to care for and grow in your home.
Lucky Bamboo
Lucky Bamboo is my favorite plant, they are the easiest plants to handle and care for. They are also said to bring a bit of happiness, prosperity, and luck to your household. Lucky Bamboos are the best plant for beginners they are very hard to kill. They are also perfect housewarming gifts or gifts for any occasion.
Despite its name, it’s not a bamboo at all. It is a cane cutting from the Dracaena sanderiana, a foliage plant that is found in the tropical regions of Africa. The cutting makes them look like bamboo plants and they can grow several feet tall outdoors. They are still beautiful and are great for outdoors or indoors. I use them indoors being I don’t have a backyard. They can be found in any plant/flower shop, even in Home Depot or Lowes. When picking a Lucky Bamboo make sure you pick a healthy one you can tell by the color at the top of the stem it should be white or a light beige. It should not look greyish or black. Also, make sure the leaves look healthy too! Also, one thing to point out if you have pets like I do, please make sure your furry friends can reach the plant as it is toxic for cats and dogs.
Care Tips: As I mentioned this is a very easy plant to care for so you don’t have to worry about it dying. This plant can be grown in water or soil. I prefer to grow them in water but it’s your choice. If you go with the soil make sure you put the plant in a well-draining potting soil. You want to keep the soil moist but not soaked. Also please be careful with overwatering the plant when in soil because it can cause plant rot. If you decide to put them in water like I do make sure the roots are covered with water and clean vase and place new water every 10-15 days as water that sits for too long can develop bacteria that can cause the plant to rot. Oh almost forgot to make sure the water is filtered or distilled just to be safe although I do use tap water sometimes.
Lucky bamboo doesn’t need fertilizer to survive. However, I do use a liquid-diluted fertilizer every two months to give my plant a growing boost. If you’re growing yours in soil you can use the diluted liquid fertilizer every month. When it comes to temperature, humidity, and lighting this plant prefers warmer temperatures I would say between 65F to 95F. They can be a little sensitive to weather changes so I recommend not placing them near windows or doors. When it comes to Humidity I think the average home humidity should be ok. They don’t need too much sunlight as it can torch their leaves place them in spots where there is moderate to indirect sunlight and they should do just fine.
Snake Plants
Another great indoor plant known for its ability to remove toxins and pollutants from the air in your home is Sansevieria famously known as Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law Tongue. It’s a beautiful stiff sword-like sculptural plant that gives any room in your home a beautiful fancy look. This plant is also great for beginners due to its very low-light maintenance and also being very difficult to kill. It is very adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions. Although you will probably find 12 different varieties sold around the United States in shops and plant nurseries, there is actually 70 types of snake plants in the world a little fun fact. You can grow snake plants outdoors or indoors. Snake plants are more likely to grow flowers and berries when planted outdoors, but there is a possibility for them to grow them indoors as well as picture shown. I did read that it’s rare for them to grow flowers and berries in door but it happened for this snake plant.
Care Tips: Caring for snake plants is pretty easy. When I purchased my first Snake plant I started by repotting it in a slightly bigger pot than where it came in. When you buy them at a store or plant nursery they usually come in a plastic container with drainage. Snake plants tend to be pretty slow growers so you don’t need to re-pot them often. When it comes to soil snake plants tend to do better with loose well-drained potting mix as they are prone to overwatering. This is why you need a pot with a drainage hole and a well-drained potting mix soil. I do like to change soil every two to three years and I take the opportunity to check the roots. If roots have a lot of growth then I recommend getting a bigger pot. Usually a size bigger than the one you have it in.
When watering your snake plant make sure the soil is completely dried out before you water it again. A good way to check is by sticking your finger into the soil a bit if it’s dry then it is ok to water. Some plants usually also tell you when they need water, If you catch your snake plant leaves brittle, wrinkled, and or dry, water them. When adding water make sure you pour until you see water coming out of the drainage hole. For instance, I tend to water mines every two weeks during spring and summer unless the soil is completely dry. In fall and winter, I tend to water them a lot less. Unless the heat in my apartment is really hot and dries out the soil. Please keep in mind that overwatering is the fastest way to kill this plant because the roots can easily rot. One sign of overwatering is yellowing leaves. Also, you can use a fertilizer to help give your plant a growth boost and some nourishment. I don’t use a fertilizer but if that is something you would like to do that is an option.
Snake plants grow and survive in any lighting condition, I noticed mines like light to medium indirect sunlight. I had one on a window and it was burning the leaves so be careful when placing it in a window make sure the sun that peaks through is not too bright. They can be placed anywhere in your home if you have a lot of natural light coming in through your windows. If they don’t get any light they can grow at a very low rate and also it can affect their color so some lighting is best. Snake plants also grow best in warm temperatures they are not happy in cold weather. If in cold weather for too long, it can harm or kill the plant. So make sure you find a nice spot in your home where your snake plant can thrive and grow happily.
Pothos
OMG! Sorry but these types of plants are my second favorite plants. However, I wonder if someday they will take over my house, lol… These plants are well-known in the plant mom community (Yes there is such a thing). This was the first plant I ever got and then I kept getting more plants. There are so many kinds of Pothos, I will name some below. The one I find is the most common is the golden Pothos. You can place them anywhere in your home they don’t need too much light to grow. Their long vines can grow very long, people usually prefer to hang these plants in hanging baskets and let the vines hang downward. I have mines in regular pots as seen in the image. For my silver satin Pothos, I used a moss pole to wrap it around, the thing keeps growing so I might have to re-pot it soon. They are just beautiful plants in my opinion and easy to care for.
Care Tips: Plant Pothos in the standard well-drained pot, I usually get the pots that have a hole in the bottom so that excess water can come out and not sit there. Also, use well-drained potting soil and allow the soil to dry out completely between watering. I usually water them once every two weeks during spring and summer depending on how fast soil dries up. I water a lot less during the winter months. Do not over water this applies to all plants, in my opinion too much water can rot the roots and there goes your beautiful plant. Also, the best part of Pothos is that they tell you when they need water. The plant leaves droop downward, and when you see it like that water immediately.
When it comes to lighting this plant can grow with minimal sunlight. Too much sun in my experience with mines burns the leaves, so I try to keep them anywhere they can get some natural light doesn’t have to be a lot. Pothos thrive in temperatures above 65°F and 75°F I have noticed with mines that when they are in the temperature they like they grow more. They don’t like the cold so move away from windows during cold weather. They also love humidity that’s why most people place them in their bathrooms like my sister. Fertilizer is not necessary for Pothos I don’t do it but know some plant moms that do it during spring and summer once a month to maximize growth. During winter months Pothos usually grow at a very slow speed sort of dormant.
Here are the names of the most common types of Pothos you will find in plant shops or nurseries even Lowes and Home Depot Golden Pothos, Marble Queen Pothos, Silver Satin Pothos, Jade Pothos, and Neon Pothos. There are a couple more but they are rarer and a bit harder to find.
ZZ plant
Another hard-to-kill plant! ZZ plants are beautiful. My mom’s ZZ plant is huge, mine not so much. I asked her what her secret was lol… They don’t require much attention but they are slow growers. They don’t require too much water or too much sunlight. They also call ZZ plants eternity plants due to their longevity. Even people with no green thumb can keep this plant alive. All you need is a pot with good drainage and keep it away from cold weather in winter months and they should be fine. They don’t even need much lighting.
Care Tips: As I mentioned above get a pot with good drainage and any standard potting mix soil should be ok. ZZ plants grow from rhizomes which look like potatoes lol… that part is inside the soil and tends to store water which makes ZZ plants extremely drought tolerant. ZZ Plants can survive months without water so if you forget don’t feel bad lol… I usually wait for the soil to be supper dry then wait one or two more days then water. Do not overwater you know what happened I have mentioned it with the other plants above.
When it comes to temperature and humidity this plant should do well in indoor normal temperatures the only thing that doesn’t tolerate is cold weather. As I mentioned before, this plant does not require too much natural light, it can survive without any natural light. Although it does best with some indirect light, too much light can burn its leaves. Just as with any other plant fertilizer is not needed for ZZ plants, my mom and I don’t use any. However, some people do use fertilizer.
Something to also note older leaves fade and drop off naturally. Also, ZZ plants are Toxic for pets just to point that out. However, they are beautiful plants.
Zebra Haworthia
Haworthia Fasciata also called Zebra Plant are the cutest most delicate small succulents. You can seriously place them anywhere in your home or office. These zebra plants can grow up to 5 to 8 inches in height. They have thick, dark green leaves with bumps of white tubercles on the outer surface that make them look like zebra. They make really cute gifts.
Care Tips: Zebra Plants grow best in a cactus potting mix that drains well and in a plant pot with good drainage. I usually plant them in terracotta pots and re-pot them when they start producing babies. The roots need room to grow so when you start seeing growth make sure to get a pot that is twice as big as the one that it’s currently in. When it comes to watering the Haworthia Zebra plant needs to be completely dry before you re-water it. Make sure all the excess water comes out of the post drainage hole as these plants’ roots rot very easily if they sit on water too long. The zebra plant can go weeks without water so if you forget don’t worry as long as when you remember you add some water lol… Do not spray water onto the leaves as it can cause them to rot and turn yellow, just water the soil.
The zebra plant can do well in medium to low light spots too much sun will cause their leaf tips to dry out. Haworthia Zebra usually prefers warm weather but mines have done pretty well during winter months since they are indoors.
These are five great plants for any beginner, these were the five plants I started with now I have more obviously lol… but I feel they are beautiful and easy to manage, and trust me I am also on the go and busy. Do I forget to water them sometimes yes but they are tough plants and can handle it for a bit. I love plants there are so many benefits from having plants in your home aside from making them beautiful décor for your home.
If you have any additional questions regarding any of the plants mentioned don’t hesitate to ask. Also which plants do you have if any?