30 Houseplants you can forget to water 🏜️
If your plants tend to die of thirst - or of your good intentions with the watering can - start here. These are the houseplants whose own notes describe them as drought-tolerant or happier on the dry side, the ones that shrug off a forgotten week far better than a soggy one.
"Forgives a missed watering" is not "never water". These still need a proper soak when the soil is dry - just far less often, and never a permanently wet pot.
Aeonium
The Aeonium is a succulent that breaks all the usual succulent rules, and that is exactly what m…
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is the houseplant that earns its keep.
Aphelandra squarrosa (Zebra Plant)
The Aphelandra squarrosa - the Zebra Plant - is one of the most striking foliage plants you can…
Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)
The Burro's Tail - Sedum morganianum, also known as the donkey's tail - is a trailing succulent…
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
The Christmas Cactus is a beloved heirloom houseplant - the one that bursts into vivid, exotic b…
Clivia (Clivia miniata - Bush Lily)
The Clivia - known as the Bush Lily or Kaffir Lily - is one of the great old-fashioned houseplan…
Clusia (Autograph Tree)
Clusia (Clusia rosea), known as the Autograph Tree, is a tough, glossy, upright houseplant with…
Coffee Plant (Coffea arabica)
The Coffee Plant is the houseplant behind your morning cup - a glossy, attractive, surprisingly…
Crassula Perforata (String of Buttons)
Crassula perforata - the "String of Buttons" - is a charming, easy-going succulent whose small t…
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
The Crown of Thorns is a tough, sun-loving succulent shrub that does something remarkable: it ca…
Ctenanthe (Never Never Plant)
The Ctenanthe - often sold as the "Never Never Plant" - is a lush, patterned foliage plant that…
Euphorbia Trigona (African Milk Tree)
The African Milk Tree, Euphorbia trigona, is a bold, architectural houseplant that looks exactly…
Gasteria (Ox Tongue)
Gasteria is a small, tough, slow-growing succulent from South Africa, best known for its thick,…
Hoya (Wax Plant)
The Hoya, or Wax Plant, is a long-lived, easy-going trailing and climbing plant beloved for two…
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
The Jade Plant is a small, sturdy succulent tree that can become a lifelong companion - often ou…
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
The Flaming Katy Kalanchoe is the cheerful, easy succulent that you buy already bursting with fl…
Kimberly Queen Fern (Nephrolepis obliterata)
The Kimberly Queen Fern is the tidy, well-behaved cousin of the classic Boston fern.
Lithops (Living Stones)
Lithops are among the strangest and most fascinating plants you can keep on a windowsill.
Philodendron Brasil (Philodendron hederaceum 'Brasil')
The Philodendron Brasil is a trailing heartleaf philodendron whose glossy green leaves come spla…
Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
The Polka Dot Plant is pure cheerful color - a small, bushy houseplant whose green leaves are fr…
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
The Ponytail Palm is one of the most charming and characterful houseplants there is - a swollen,…
Portulacaria Afra (Dwarf Jade / Elephant Bush)
Portulacaria afra - known as Dwarf Jade or Elephant Bush - is a fast-growing, bushy succulent sh…
Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)
The Satin Pothos - sometimes sold as "Silver Pothos" or "Silk Pothos" - is one of those plants t…
Snake Plant (Sansevieria / Dracaena trifasciata)
The Snake Plant is the plant for people who think they cannot keep plants alive.
String of Bananas (Curio radicans)
The String of Bananas - sometimes still sold under its older name Senecio radicans - is one of t…
String of Dolphins (Senecio peregrinus)
String of Dolphins is one of the most charming novelty succulents you can grow.
String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
The String of Hearts is one of the most delicate and romantic of all trailing houseplants - long…
String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)
The String of Turtles - Peperomia prostrata - is a delicate, slow-growing trailing plant grown a…
Yucca (Yucca elephantipes)
The indoor Yucca is the tough, architectural, low-effort statement plant - a sturdy woody trunk…
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
The ZZ Plant is the houseplant for the darkest, most neglected corner of your home.
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Choosing a plant for a home with pets? We keep toxicity off Plantvale on purpose - see Pawholt's pet-safe plant list.