Fool-Proof Houseplants

By BBG Staff | July 24, 2012

As BBG’s Native Flora Garden curator, Uli Lorimer works hard to nurture plants in the great outdoors, yet he is also an expert at choosing plants that thrive in much less ideal conditions—a New York City apartment. Here is his go-to list of interesting and "indestructible" houseplants that even the blackest thumb would be hard pressed to kill.

Plants for dry low-light areas

Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant)

Tolerates low light conditions
Very drought tolerant
Does not like to be kept wet or in standing water
Member of the Arum family although it resembles Cycads, evolutionary dinosaurs in the plant world
It grows slowly like most houseplants in low light conditions

Sansevieria cylindrica (African Spear)

Very drought tolerant; during winter months can be watered once month; every two weeks during the growing season
Grows in a fan shape, its cylindrical leaves give it an unusual shape and texture
Tolerates being root bound
Native to Angola
If ever there was a bulletproof plant, this is it!

Alocasia lauterbachiana (baroque sword, alocasia)

Dull green to purple leaves with burgundy undersides
Thin leaved and upright in habit
Low light tolerant
Great focal point for container arrangements
Prefers even moisture but will tolerate periods of drought

Plants for dry sunny areas

Euphorbia milii (dwarf apache, crown of thorns)

Great choice for small spaces as it only grows to be 12–24 inches tall
Flowers freely through out the year
Very drought tolerant
Native to Madagascar

Haworthia sp.

Endemic to South Africa
Small and compact, an excellent choice for sunny windowsill
Needs to be watered only once a month
There are many different species that have beautiful spiral or geometric rosettes
Thrives on neglect

For more information and ideas on indoor gardening, visit BBG's Indoor Gardening Article Index.