Recommendations of good plants for apartments that are easy to keep alive.
I have always had luck with the chinese evergreen. It is a variegated leafy, bushy plant and does well, it seems, in any light. I have a brown thumb and I haven't killed one yet!
By embroidery
Spider plants are always hearty and take little care. I learned early in life that plants do in fact react to music and I used to play music all of the time and if I was gone for a few days and there was no music, they would droop. I would only water once a week or even every other week and they do well unless you have real bad heat. Air conditioning will also affect them if it is too cold.
By Tawnda
In addition to Tawnda's suggestion of spider plants, aloe plants are great. Water about once a week, they don't care. There is a great plant called a "pregnant plant". It can take all the neglect you can dish out and will last forever, along with all the "babies". Look at your nursery or local WalMart, K-Mart, etc for succulents. They tend to be able to stand being neglected, will take apartment sunlight in stride and look great for years. There may be certain succulents that are local to your area. Local plants always do the best.
By Norma
These are available everywhere and are sometimes known as "money" plants because of the coin shaped leaves. They don't need a lot of water and can bounce back from neglect. I found one once that had fallen back behind my table and had been out of it's pot for a few weeks. A little dirt and water, and it was as good as new. The leaves will root in dirt after they fall, so you grow as many as you like. If they are looking leggy, just pinch them back.
By Jess
Ivy and palm plants. just make sure you remember to water your plants before you leave on your 4 day trips! :-)
By Ann
Try Lucky bamboo, it can live off of just one inch of water and you only need to add water every 15 days or sooner, depending on how gross the water is and they don't need direct sunlight. You could also try buying air ferns, they don't require any water, sunlight or anything. You can't kill them. Lucky Bamboo should be kept out of direct light. It really likes the shade.
By Heather
Post your favorite houseplants for an apartment below.
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All above suggestions good - except for Ivy. It seems to be picky about its growing conditions. Every time I have tried Ivy it dies or gets bugs and dies, while the rest of my apartment looks like a jungle!
Not yet mentioned are the classic variegated philodendron and heartleaf philodendron. Very tough plants. If they don't get enough water, they sacrific leaves and keep on trucking. If you like them full and bushy, cut them back occasionally.
I like tropical jasmines (I get mine on ebay or the grocery store in spring) -- they are easy & bloom throughout the winter -- if you have a southern window, I highly recommend trying an orchid -- they grow in bark, need minimal care & the flowers last forever -- they can be found reasonably @ Trader Joes, Safeway, Ebay (buy potted - not bareroot)..I move my jasmines & most of my orchids outside in the summer..and of course I always have a lucky bamboo, a Christmas cactus and during winter, I force paperwhites (sooooo easy - bulb in gravel, add water & watch it grow) -- it's dreary in the PacNW so I love the green ones w/ or w/o scents that require minimal care....good luck...once you get one, you will be hooked...cj in camas wa
For small spaces with poor light, African Violets do well even if only in office/artifiial light. They do best if you choose a spot and keep them there. Water only from the saucer.
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