Hardy House Plants

I usually have a green thumb, but when it comes to houseplants they keep changing color. When I first get a new plant my thumbs are green, but when I get busy (which is most of the time) they switch to purple, orange or even the deadly red.

While I've killed my fair share of houseplants, there were some that have managed to survive. I would forget to water them one week and then over-water the next. Fertilizer? I don't always remember to fertilize them. Open the drapes to give them light? Sometimes yes, other times not.

I have a busy lifestyle. I try to care for my plants the way I should, but it doesn't always happen. Rather than not have houseplants, I stick with the hardy ones-the ones that won't curl up and die if I forget to water them one week and then over compensate by drowning them the next.

The Pothos Plant is similar in appearance to the climbing Philodendron and is often mistaken as such. While the Philodendron is fairly easy to grow, the Pothos Plant beats it, hands down. It's a tough little plant. I've had them growing in surplus coffee mugs and recycled ice cream buckets. I even stuck one in an old boot once, just to see if it would survive. I keep one on my desk at school. There are no windows in my classroom, but the Pothos continues to survive and thrive.

The Pothos prefers a fair amount of light, but will survive long stretches of time in a room iluminated with fluorescent. The amount of water needed varies depending on the heat and humidity. If it doesn't receive enough water, the leaves will wilt. If the problem is not corrected they will start turning yellow. I usually remember to water it before it reaches that point.

I have one large Pothos plant and have started several new ones from it. To propagate a new Pothos plant, simply snip off a vine and place it in water. I usually cut a twelve inch piece and use a bud vase for rooting. Once the roots appear on the stem, pot it as usual.

If you plan on hanging your Pothos, transplant it into a light weight flowerpot. The added weight of a ceramic flowerpot could bring the whole thing down.

The Snake Plant is the perfect plant for a beginner. It has heavy, sword-like leaves that grow up from the bottom. The leaves are clustered together forming a tall, slender plant. It is said that the snake plant requires medium to bright light, but my living room is fairly dark and they do just fine. They should be watered every week or so. They are more likely to suffer from too much water than not enough.

They are a slow growing plant, but as hardy as they come.

The Philodendron is one of the most popular of all house plants. They are actually native to the tropical forces but will survive and thrive inside. The philodendron can survive some neglect, which makes them an excellent choice. They will not curl up and die if you forget to water them once in awhile.

There are two basic types of Philodendron, climbers and non-climbers. Of the two, the climbers are your best option. They can either be trained to climb a moss covered stick or allowed to hang down. I use mine as hanging plants and let the vines go wherever they want.
Philodendrons prefer a warm, moist environment but can handle cooler temperatures (as long as it's not below 55 degrees F.) They like filtered sunlight (direct sunlight will burn the leaves) but will tolerate lower light environments as well. When I forget to water my Philodendron the leaves go limp. Once watered, the leaves perk right up again. Fertilize it once in awhile and you've got a plant with some staying power.

The Christmas Cactus is surprisingly easy to grow. I have several. They sit on a plant stand in my family room. I water them ... when I remember.

Growing a Christmas Cactus is easy, the hard part is getting them to bloom at Christmas. Mine bloom every winter. When I'm lucky that hits around Christmas, other years its late January or February. My largest Christmas Cactus is getting ready to bloom now. For ideas on how to incouraging your Christmas Cactus to bloom, click on the link below.

The Christmas Cactus

Red Christmas Cactus Plant

Rare Yellow Christmas Cactus Plant

Orange Christmas Cactus Plant

Some people believe that African Violets are difficult to grow. Ten years ago I would have agree with them. The advent of the self-watering flower pots has made a differnce. If they have a reliable water source and good light (not direct sunlight but filtered light) they will thrive with a minimum amount of attention.

I hav more African Violets than any other plant. I love Propagating African Violets and giving them away as gifts. They make me think of spring even in the dead of winter.

Most of my house plants are hardy house plants, but I have a few that require a little extra attention. My Purple Passion is one such plant. Too much water or not enough and it starts to fade. Once it's started on the downhill slide, there is little that can be done to stop it. The peace lily is another plant that I would not recommend to a novice. Wandering Jews, Spider Plants and the Diffenbachia can go either way.

For the beginner, I recommend getting a pothos plant. If it is surviving and thriving after three months, add a snake plant to your collection. As you slowly add plants to your collection, your confidence will grow. Before you know it, you'll be giving advice to the newbees and propagating your own African Violets.

Good Luck!