One of the things I’m most proud of when it comes to 2021 is the fact I’ve managed to keep so many plants alive! For someone who killed numerous succulents, cacti, and not to mention more delicate plants, finding plants you can’t kill has been a huge success.
And while I’ve been more dedicated to honing my horticultural skills, I think the main reason behind my success is still that…
I’ve found house plants that are almost impossible to kill. Now, many people will tell you to go for cacti – which are incredible, btw – but it’s a lie you can’t kill them. If you’re anxious like me, you’ll end up overwatering them and they’ll rot.
It’s happened to me more than once.
Certain succulents could not survive me, either, for the exact same reason. I would either overwater them, or they’d dry out. But what I love about the plants I’ve managed to keep alive for more than a year now is – they’ll give you timely signals if something is wrong.
From my experience, with most succulents and cacti, as soon as you notice something’s wrong, it’s already too late.
But with these resilient house plants, whether they have too little or too much water, you’ll know in time. They are resilient enough to survive until you figure it out. So, here’s which plants I recommend you get and what are the secrets to keeping them alive.
Top 5 Plants You Can’t Kill
Dracaena.
This girl has been with me for more than a year now, and it’s grown so many new leaves since then. In fact, since our place isn’t too big, I have to keep finding new places for it as it ends up looming over my other plants. I keep it close to the window and rotate it as I notice one side is getting visibly larger than the other.
The secret: Whether you water it every 4 days, 7 days, or 10 days, it’s all the same to her. Pour some 200ml into it and watch it live and thrive.
What to pay attention to: If you notice one or several leaves going dry, pour more water and it should bounce right back. No wonder it’s one of the hardest plants to kill.
Snake Plant.
This little thing is one of the most resilient indoor plants I’ve ever seen. I wasn’t even sure it was even alive at first. It wasn’t growing, but it wasn’t drying out, either. Then one day, mini-plants just started popping out everywhere around it. I propagated them – it is super simple – and most of them keep on living on my bookshelf months later. They grow faster and better if they’re next to a window, although I rarely let too much sunlight in.
The secret: Water it once every 10 days, or every fortnight. It’s too resilient to care. Be sure the soil is wet enough, but don’t overdo it.
What to pay attention to: If the stems start looking weak and are easy to move, it’s probably a sign they’re dying. You can either water it more and wait, or remove the weak ones right away to leave space for healthy ones.
Aloe Vera.
Boy, do I love this one! It’s one of the houseplants you can’t kill no matter how hard you try. Bought it at the beginning of last year, and it’s almost doubled in size since then. It’s close to the window, but often not in direct sunlight. I water it maybe twice a month, but I virtually drown it in water at those times. That gives it enough resources to live until you water it next.
The secret: You’re more likely to notice it’s overwatered than underwatered. Even so, my leaves have so far died out one at a time, meaning it’s far from over when that happens. Just be sure to remove the rotten leaves ASAP (as difficult and painful as it may be!)
What to pay attention to: If the leaves start bending over, there’s too little water. If they start going purple, there’s likely too much.
Starburst.
This one I’ve had for a year and a half now, and it’s by far one of the most low maintenance indoor plants I’ve owned. It grows slowly, and no matter how dry it may seem to be, it always bounces back. Keep it next to a window – it loves the sunlight – and water it once every 10-14 days, but don’t hold back.
The secret: When you notice dry leaves, turn up the volume on watering. Give it more water and have patience.
What to pay attention to: If it starts bending over, it likely means it’s too heavy, so don’t panic. I have yet to see my starburst suffer from too much water.
Spider Plant.
Finally, I got this boy when he was the size of my palm. I kept it inside for a while, then when it was warm enough, moved it to the balcony. And oh boy did it love that! I watered it once every two days, just enough for the ground to be wet, and it kept on growing and pushing out little spiderettes. I tried propagating them, and one of them took, so now I have a mini-plant in the house as well.
The secret: It loves water more than the other plants from the list – it can hardly have enough.
What to pay attention to: if the leaves start drying out, water it more and more often, and it should be fine.
Final Piece of Botanical Wisdom
One thing to know about succulents (Aloe Vera, Starburst, and Snake Plant) is that they need far less water in the winter. I only water them once a month, or once I start noticing changes. Even Dracaena I now water twice a month, but the Spider Plant does need the same amount of water as ever.
And there you have it – plants you can’t kill! Let me know which of these you’re getting first, and if my advice helped you keep these plants alive!
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