5 indoor plants that are virtually impossible to kill

I can never resist buying a beautiful houseplant.  The bigger, the better in my book, even when I don’t have anywhere to put them (I have been known to block doors and mirrors for weeks while trying to figure out where they will live!)  Some women throw a few magazines in their cart while running errands, but I never leave a store without checking out the garden section.  Nothing beats the color and charm fresh flowers bring to a space, but if it’s been slim pickin’s in the floral department of your grocery stores like it’s been at mine lately (what’s with the myriad mums all summer???), houseplants are the way to go.  They add so much life and color and interest to a space and many times, are much more budget-friendly than an armful of flowers.  If one of your rooms feels like it’s missing something but you can’t quite put your finger on what it is, buy a houseplant!  You’ll thank me later, I promise.

Here are a few varieties that I’ve had a ton of luck with (knock on wood!) They require very little in order to thrive – sunlight and just enough water (I give all of mine a good soak in the bathtub once a week – so give one of these a try if you’ve never had one before:

Lemon cypress topiary.  I’ve long been obsessed with topiary – myrtle and rosemary among my favorites – but I’ve never had much luck keeping them alive.  They tend to be on the pricey side so I don’t spring for them anymore, even though I love them, but I have read a lot about lemon cypress being a lot less finicky, so when I saw this one at Fresh Market, I couldn’t get it in my cart fast enough.  This one does like a lot of light and so far, I’ve had luck watering it once a week.  It smells as amazing as it looks, another bonus!

Philodendron.  My all-time favorite.  Those large, waxy, emerald green leaves get me every time.  Even if I don’t have space, I will buy one anyway but instead of trying to make room for it somewhere, I’ll cut all the stems and stick them in a tall vase for a showstopping arrangement that will last for many weeks!

Umbrella plant.  I picked up this beauty for ten bucks at Walmart and it has doubled in size in the six months I’ve had it.  It does really well with indirect sunlight and I water it once a week unless the soil is still moist from the week before. The only thing keeping this plant from reaching its complete potential is a brown haired, blue eyed toddler who likes to pick stems and run!

Ferns.  These are a bit trickier, I will admit.  Boston ferns never last long indoors for me, shedding their leaves at an alarmingly fast rate sometimes just days after I’ve brought one home. Fortunately, there are a bunch of varieties and this one (I’m not sure of the name!) has always done well for me.  They love moisture, so I water when the soil is dry and spritz the leaves every few days.  The best part is that I can always find them for five bucks or less at Walmart!

Pothos.  The plant that really is virtually impossible to kill.  I had one of these that lived for seven years and only got water when I remembered!  Place in a spot that gets a lot of indirect light and water it when the soil is completely dry and you’re golden!  This one has been in my guest bathroom for the last year and a half and I keep clipping it back to keep it from taking over the toilet.

What are some of your favorites?