Life
If your plant-mom skills are turning your living space into a mausoleum of botanical mishaps, you're not alone. Millennials across the country are leaning into their houseplant dreams, only to find themselves guilty of a murder they didn't mean to commit. That said, it's not impossible to achieve that Instagrammable jungle-chic vibe in your home — you just have to choose plants that are hard to kill. Because no matter how well you tend to your plants, if you don't find the most resilient ones, the odds of their survival are not in your favor.
Without maximum sunlight, lots of humidity, and a controlled environment, there's a good chance that the happy, hopeful plant that you bring home will end up a wilted, droopy, dead plant in a matter of days. But according to Tugce Menguc, Urban Stem's in-house plant expert, it's totally possible to curate a plant selection that's incredibly durable — aka, hard to kill. As for what key indicators to look for while plant shopping? Menguc says, "Deep green leaves show the plant's ability to photosynthesize more efficiently, and can make the best use of low light conditions. When living in low light environments [aka, your dark apartment] plants need less water." In other words, don't over-water your plants!
The kind of plants that Menguc is talking about are the plants you want to spend your money on, because they're going to live long enough for you to enjoy them. They're the kind of plants that will actually improve the vibe of your living space because they stand tall and bright and fill the room with clean air and positivity. Let's be real: there's nothing more depressing than a room that's filled with plants that look like they're frowning. Here are some specific examples of these types of plants.
Pothos Plant
These plants are so easy to take care of, they don't even need to be planted in soil. You can put them in water and they'll thrive all the same. Water them once a week — but if you miss a few days, they'll be fine. They're good in low light, and grow slowly and steadily.
ZZ Plant
You wouldn't be able to kill a ZZ Plant if you tried. They're good in low light, no light, bright light, and they look so green and sturdy that people often mistake them for artificial plants. Water them when the soil feels very dry, and that's it.
Snake Plant
Snake plants grow insanely tall over time, filling narrow spaces beautifully. They only need to be watered once a week and do completely fine in low light areas. After a year or so, you might find that your snake plant is reaching up towards the ceiling!
Chinese Evergreen
Deprive the Chinese Evergreen of light, humidity, water, and care, and it will still thrive. This is the kind of plant that will live for years and become more and more impressive looking over time.
Junipers
There's over 170 different varieties of Juniper, and all are very durable, needing only a moderate to direct light. They grow to look like little trees and give off the most fragrant scents.
Aloe
Aloe plants are awesome to have around. You can use the aloe's gel to sooth skin irritations and sun burns, and you can use aloe in smoothies and juices. Aloe plants need only two to three hours of sunlight a day and only need to be watered when their soil becomes completely dried out. When you break off a leaf, a new one will grow, making them totally indestructible. Trust me, I've had one for almost five years. It. Won't. Die.
Parlor Palm
These tropical beauties live their best lives in low light and with infrequent watering! They grow to be pretty full and give off the happiest tropical vibes.
