Houseplants for the Black Thumb Gardener

I am the worst at keeping plants alive. I mean, I’ve underwatered several cacti. But, I just love the way greenery in my home makes me feel. So the past few years I’ve been making an effort to refine my process and plant choices. Today, I share with you-

Houseplants Even I Can’t Kill.

Mass Cane, Moon Cacti, Boston Fern, and Red-Edged Dracaena.

I’ve had my Mass Cane for more than 2 years now. It’s such a forgiving plant as I’ve both under and over watered it. I’ve never noticed it’s leaves droop outside it’s normal shape. There were orginally two in the pot when it was purchased and the smaller one died. I still consider this a win though! She gets plenty of late day bright sunlight.

I’m really on the fence in terms of cacti and their resiliency. Like I mentioned, I’ve under watered a few before. These moon cacti have lived in a few rooms in my home, one of which didn’t even have a natural source of light. And they’re perfectly fine. I give them maybe a half shot glass full of water each twice a month.

Indoors, my Boston Ferns do fabulously. Outdoors? The soil dried out and they would be dried and wilty by the end of the day with morning waterings. So for me, they’re the perfect houseplant. For the smaller one that hangs on my backdoor (for now), I lightly water weekly.

There are loads of varieties of dracaena, but mine is the red edged one. The plant is quite big, but I do enjoy sitting beside it as I enjoy sitting beside greenery. So far I only do a thorough watering once the soil has dried out. Filtered bright light and loads of appreciation and this plant is doing beautifully.  

Fiddle Leaf Fig, Mother In Law’s Tongue, and Wandering Jew.

I’m probably going to get a few funny looks for this one, but I have had the easiest time with my fiddle leaf fig. The plant is so good at voicing when it needs to be watered. Which, for me, runs about every 6 days. The leaves will shoot straight up when watered and will droop slowly the longer it needs water. Mine receives direct afternoon light and indirect evening light.

Mother-In-Law’s tongue is almost identical to the snake plant. They’re both incredibly easy and forgiving plants to care for. I bought a baby last spring that had just 3 leaves and almost immediately started growing a fourth. They thrive in whatever sized planter I put them in and don’t seem phased when I forget to water them. Both the smaller and larger ones receive indirect light.

Probably the funniest plant name I’ve ever seen: Wandering Jew. Has anyone seen my wandering jew? Ha! My plant grew from just a leaf that had been clipped off of a larger plant. The leaves on my plant start to lose their color when it needs to be watered, but overall doesn’t seem phased if I forget. I do give about a shot glass of water once a week and it lives in a pot with no drainage holes. With filtered late day light, my wandering jew seems quite happy!

Jade, Peace Lilly, Philodendron.

Jades are the closest thing to a succulent that I will touch. I have had the worst luck with succulents and will not buy anymore. But, my mom put together this jade for me and the jade is quite happy! She gets indirect filtered light and a light weekly watering if the soil is dry.

Easily one of my favorite plants is the peace lilly. I picked one up after reading the NASA clean air study. It mentioned they were effective against mold spores, so I bought her to put in the bathroom. She gets low to medium indirect and direct light here. The peace lilly is also very vocal when it needs water. The stems will curve over and the plant just looks overall very unhappy when it’s thirsty. She gets a full glass of water every week atop being in a wet room:bathroom.

The one plant I’ve never killed. The philodendron. These plants are SO easy. They’re the perfect beginner plant and will make you feel like a huge success! You can clip one of the leaves and a bit of stem to grow a whole new plant (which I leave in water until it’s grown established roots). They’re happy clustered into the mix with the jade. They receive filtered light and light weekly water if the soil is dry.

I’m also having pretty good success with what I’m thinking is a Chinese Evergreen, A Palm I haven’t identified (even after killing 3 large ones), and air plants (though I did already kill one of them).

So there you have it! From a black thumb gardener herself, the plants I haven’t killed! And, to be honest, it’s been a really enjoyable and easy experience! I only buy plants I know I’ll love, because I know their care will be forgotten if I don’t love them. Do you have houspelants that you find especially easy to care for? Please leave them in the comments below for myself and other houspelant challnged gardeners!