No tags yet.
Some people can grow any plant; they're the green thumbs in your friend group. They're the "resurrect the 90% crispy, dead looking thing that's been in the break room for 3 months" kind of green thumb people. Fiddle leaf figs? HUGE with a new leaf. Orchids? Always blooming. Air plants? Growing pups.
I am not one of these people.
Like most of us, I struggle to keep plants alive. Now, I'm not a full-on plant murderer like some, but I have my fair share of pots in the "cemetery". However, my love of all things green has motivated me to keep trying. I am a proud parent of around 30 houseplants (I have resisted the urge to count them with reasoning along the same lines as "don't count your eggs before they hatch"... as soon as I count them one will crisp up and die). Over the past decade or so I've learned some tricks and hacks for bringing some of the outdoors in. It's become a hobby of mine (my husband might call it a plant obsession) to make our house an urban jungle and to use plants in my interior designs.
I have compiled a list of the easiest houseplants for you to consider when staging your home!
1. Rubber Fig (Ficus elastica)
A statement for sure, this hard-to-kill plant is great for filling an empty corner and adding some visual interest to the space.
Mist the leaves occasionally to keep the humidity up, and let the soil completely dry out between watering sessions. This ficus can withstand bright indirect light to moderately low light, making it a great piece for a lonely corner of the living room.
You can usually find these at hardware stores as well as most nurseries will carry them in the indoor plant section. Call ahead to make sure they're not sold out!
2. Donkey's tail succulent (Sedum morganianum)
I love how robust this succulent is. Most of my succulents don't grow very quickly, but in 1 year my donkey's tail has more than doubled in size. Once it gets big it will spill over the sides of the container and be a beautiful hanging plant.
Find or install a ceiling hook (like these) to showcase the draping vines. Ideally, place the hook in a location that the plant won't get bumped and will receive a lot of light. If you're rough with the plant the little bead leaves will fall off. Don't worry too much, the plant will be fine. Gather up the fallen beads and put them on top of some soil; they'll start rooting in a few weeks and grow a whole new plant! (More on plant propagation in the future!)
3. Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
This hardy Sansevieria goes by many names and comes in different varieties. Whether you call it snake plant, mother-in-law tongue, or viper's bowstring hemp, it'll afford you clean, modern lines, great for on a nightstand or in a floor planter (like the one pictured).
Mine is not growing very quickly, so be sure to buy the size you want to display. On the flip side, this means that it doesn't take much care to keep it looking like the day you bought it. Low light? No problem. Forgot to water it for a few weeks? A-ok.
Put this gem at the top of your shopping list if taking time for plant care is at the bottom of your to-do list.
4. Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea lancifolia)
There's a lot of snakes on this list, but I promise you that neither of them slither. This beauty has stripy leaves and dark purple undersides making it one of the most unique plants I own. It prefers medium to low light, and cannot handle too much direct sunlight. Water weekly for best results.
I found mine at a local nursery, and I occasionally see them at the grocery store (Vons) in the floral section. A similar looking plant is the Calathea Medallion (which sadly joined my pot cemetery after too much sunlight).
I love to use this plant to add visual interest to a plain space. Have a builder grade bathroom? Place one of these eye-catchers next to the sink for a pop of pizzazz. Their small size makes them one of the cheapest on the list, usually coming in around $5 for a 4 inch pot.
Before fulfilling all of your plant dreams, I have one last tip: drainage! The water that lets them live can also drown the roots. And I get it, the perfect pot might not have a drainage hole in the bottom and it would be a nightmare to try to drill holes. Solution: keep the plant in the plastic nursery pot it came in and place it in the larger decorative one. That way when watering day comes, you don't have to worry about drowning your plants!
You are well on your way to decorating with plants that bring freshness into a space. Staging a home is so important for selling a home. If you have used these plants in your houses, let me know in the comments!