The City Gardener: Which houseplants to grow, if you can’t grow houseplants

Article content

Some of the most popular plants you can grow are also the easiest

I hear it from my friends all the time. “I just have no luck with houseplants.” “I don’t have time to fuss over a bunch of plants.” “Everything I touch dies.”

Recommended Videos

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

The City Gardener: Which houseplants to grow, if you can’t grow houseplants Back to video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

It’s true that in order to truly prosper, your houseplants do prefer a little attention now and then, just as pets and children do. (Fortunately, in most cases, not quite as much.)

But you needn’t worry that building a collection of indoor plants, or even receiving one as a present, means you are now obligated to devote hours of labour to their care.

Actually, many of the most popular varieties literally thrive on a bit of (reasonable) neglect, and will maintain their glossy good looks for years with just a few minutes a week of your precious time. Here are just a few of the houseplant world’s toughest customers.

Aloe (aloe vera) – Aloe’s thick, smooth leaves, sometimes spotted with white and with toothed edges, are like a throwback to the age of the dinosaurs – which in a sense is exactly what this semi-desert plant is. In fact, all succulents and cactuses only need sunlight and very occasional watering to thrive; too much water can kill them.

Snake Plant (sanseviera spp.) – Of all the most commonly grown houseplants, snake plant is probably the most bulletproof. You could probably put it in a closet and it wouldn’t die.

Its upright, sword-shaped leaves are usually rimmed with lighter green (other leaf colourings are available). Especially in multiples, it has a clean, architectural shape that makes it popular in commercial plantings and modern homes.

Philodendron (philodendron spp.) – Philodendron’s name comes from the Greek meaning “tree lover,” since in the tropical jungles where it grows wild, it twines vigorously around trees, throwing out roots every few inches to help it cling to its host.

This makes the plant both easy to grow and easy to propagate: simply cut a two- or three-inch cutting and stick it in water. Some varieties feature variegated leaves, which become more mottled in brighter light.

Aspidistra (aspidistra elatior) – One of the common names for aspidistra is “cast iron plant,” which pretty much sums up this nearly indestructible plant, which features lance-shaped leaves on narrow stalks that fan out in a graceful rosette.

The most common variety has pure green leaves, but you can find cultivars with variegated or spotted leaves as well. It’s great for locations that get very little light and grows very slowly, even in optimum conditions.

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) – Pothos is often confused with philodendron, which it closely resembles, and shares a number of the philodendron’s habits – including growing long trailing vines, being easy to propagate and, most lovable of all, being virtually impossible to kill.

It’s available in variegated or all-green varieties and looks great trailing up and around a window on hooks. If you grow it in a hanging basket, you might want to give it a haircut every so often, as it can grow quickly, especially if you feed it.

Chinese Evergreen (aglaonema commutatum) – In its native Southeast Asian jungle home, aglaonema grows on forest floors in dappled sunlight, so it’s quite at home in the low-light, often moisture-starved conditions of your home.

In fact, overwatering can be a problem; make sure the pot you grow it in has drainage holes at the bottom. The species variety has pure green, lance-shaped leaves, but aglaonemas are available with a wide variety of leaf colourations, including striped, spotted, streaked with silver or grey and even pink or red.

Monstera (monstera spp.) – Also known as “Swiss Cheese plant,” monsteras are attractive, easy-going plants that have large, glossy green leaves with large holes or deep cuts.

They can grow to be quite large, and readily throw out new leaves, which unfurl like umbrellas. They are related to philodendrons and share their accommodating growing habits.

Please feel free to write in with questions, to comment or to share your
own city gardening adventures. Write to me at marthasgarden07@gmail.com