You guys I did it! I have officially kept multiple plants alive for over a year. I’m in the middle of writing my speech and thanking all of those that have supported me along the way but until that gets published I want to share with you all a few of my fave black thumb approved easy care indoor house plants!
If you need me to validate my level of black thumb, I have killed multiple cacti and succulents. Yep, that takes skill.
5 Easy Care Indoor House Plants:
ZZ Plant
The dark and shiny leaves are what drew me in here. Its like the patent version of plants. They are classier and a bit more sophisticated than their counterparts.
Caring of ZZ is simple, making it the gold standard for houseplant beginners, and those with black thumbs, aka me. Any old well-draining potting soil will do. Sit your ZZ in low to bright indirect light, and water when fully dry.
Warning: Keep in mind please for all you mommas with wandering babes and pets, a major drawback of the ZZ is that all parts of the plant are poisonous. So besidses the obvious of don’t eat it, make sure you wash your hands after handling it to avoid skin irritation.
Pilea aka The Chinese Money Plant aka The Friendship Plant
These are fun, quirky and unlike most plants found at the local hardware store or nursery. I found the most adorable store in East Nashville called Flora that posted this one on Instagram and was the sole reason for my trip to the city that day.
Sun:Pilea love indirect sun so set them near a window and watch them thrive. They are quick to thrive and produce “pups” which grow from the root and can be cut and given to friends hence the name the friendship plant.
Watering: Water your Pilea moderately, making sure not to overwater it. The Pilea likes to dry out in-between waterings. Keeping it in water makes it soggy which will actually result in rot.
Peperomia Rana Verde aka Rippled Chinese Money Plant
Peperomia Rana Verde plants are succulent plants with thick, round, pedal-like leaves that are very low maintenance. Its unique foliage and vine like stems makes this a wonderful indoor decor piece. It was also a fraction of the price of a Pilea which is why I grabbed one when it was so similar to the Pilea.
Water: Peperomia should be watered relatively infrequently, as the plants like to dry out some between waterings.
Insider Information: If the container is heavy and the foliage is upright, chances are good the plant doesn’t need water, but if container feels light and foliage is drooping, the plant needs some water.
Sun: Place the Peperomia where it will receive bright but indirect light, making sure to shield it from the direct sun.
Sansevieria aka Snake Plant aka Mother In Laws Tongue
Sansevieria tops the list as being the most tolerant of all decorative plants to survive the most unsuitable growing conditions, abuse and neglect a plant could receive. Yep sounds like my house is the perfect location for this guy.
NASA has approved the Sansevieria as a superb air purifier. And as if you needed another excuse to buy a plant NASA, recommends at least 15 medium-to-large size plants for a 1,800 square-foot home. So the more you know. You are just doing it to help out your family.
Even though most MILs are known to suck out the oxygen in the air (not mine, my MIL is amazing and probably reading this because she is a huge supporter of my blog. Love ya!) This Mother In Laws Tongue actually converts a lot of CO2 (carbon dioxide) to O2 (oxygen) at night, making it ideal in your bedroom. You could actually survive in an air sealed room if you had 6-8 plants are needed per person. Amazing!
According to Feng Shui spiky plants are excellent for shielding you against negative or stagnant energy. They are the perfect expression of upward, growing ch’i. With their high protective energies, they are the perfect office plant. If you are in an industry like mine, this sounds like a must. The internet is full of negative energy.
Light: The mother in laws tongue can live with with direct sun and low light conditions, although bright light conditions with some sun light and shade is preferred.
Water: Better to err on the dry side. I water my snake plants whenever they seem to need it, about every 3 weeks in the winter and 2 in the summer. Making sure to not let their roots sit in water. Keep leaves clean and free from dust to allow them to work harder.
Ficus Lyrata aka Fiddle Leaf Fig
Ok this is one that I wanted for awhile but held off due to their high cost and what the internet told me. They are finicky and don’t like to be moved. What? But after having two I decided it was time to let you all know this is all false.
I have had both the tree version as well as the plant version and both thrived. The tree actually grew too much recently that I had to re-home it or move my 9 foot ceilings up and my husband didn’t think that was the best idea. So away he went. The tree. Not my husband. Yet.
Sun: They love sun as long as it is not direct. They also like warmth and not a fan of drafts so keep away from AC. Turning it every couple months as it grows towards the light.
Water: Water only when soil is dry to the touch. Then water thoroughly (until the water drains into the saucer) and allow to dry out again. They are used to humid conditions so I actually like to spray their leaves every so often with a mister of warm water. Keeps leaves clean and plants like it. So they say.
Insider information: If plants don’t get enough water, new leaves will turn brown and drop; on the other hand, if they are overwatered, the oldest leaves (toward the base of the plant) will turn brown and fall off.
Lazy Like Me?
I take all the easy care indoor house plants out of their containers and put them in my kitchen sink. This allows me to water them all the way through and then lets them dry out enough to not sit in water and rot. Then I return them to their respect homes. I even did this with my tree until I could no longer fit him in the sink.
So what’s next? Well while I was in Flora, I told her to put me down on a list for a cactus and a citrus tree. So once I get my hands on those, I’ll update and let you know how they are doing.
Plants are like children. Start with one and get comfortable and confident and then add another one. Be warned like motherhood you will get one that makes you question everything you know about life. But keep going, it’ll turn around. I hope.
If you are in Nashville you have to stop by Flora and check out their beautiful store full of unique offerings. I have purchased everything but my MILT from here and love how healthy and happy my plants have been.
Looking for some books to put on your coffee table to really prove your worth as a crazy plant lady. Here is a list of a few of my faves that are both beautiful and informative.
Plants are really multifunctional. Having some indoor plants is a simple and sure way to ways to improve indoor air quality.
Yeah! Thank you for mentioning this. Having some live plants is actually a good thing to do for better air quality in a home.
In case you’re interested, here are some other natural ways to improve indoor air quality: https://polestarplumbing.com/tips-tricks/must-know-air-quality-practices.