Finicky houseplants to avoid
Having healthy indoor plants is as simple as knowing which varieties to choose. Anabela Rea gets tips to make your indoor garden glow.
The green-fingered design buffs of Instagram make plant-rearing look easy, so easy in fact, that you might think you can DIY a green paradise without any experience of your own.
But as many a failed gardener knows, bringing plants home is one thing, keeping them alive and thriving is another. The snazzier the plant, the more difficult they can often be to look after.
So with the indoor greenery trend clearly here to stay, what is to be done by those of us who struggle as plant parents?
The answer may be cooler than fake plants and simpler than memorising a jungle of dos and don’ts. Why not just exchange any pesky plant divas for hardier lookalikes? Consider these seven swaps.
Fiddle leaf fig/ Rubber plant
It’s hard not to lust after the lush, impressive fiddle leaf fig that is seen in nearly every trendy home. But according to Hannah Guzy of Flourish Foliage, it would be better named the ‘‘fickle leaf’’.
‘‘It can be a guessing game of which conditions to grow it in,’’ said Guzy.
‘‘Too much light and it’ll burn, too little and it won’t thrive. It needs to be watered on a schedule, and don’t even think about moving it somewhere else without it having a big sulk.’’
Lose the drama and swap in a rubber plant, a hardier and far less finicky cousin.
Care is simple – bright indirect light, water it thoroughly and evenly when the top soil is dry, and keep it away from direct heat or air conditioning. Dusty leaves can be wiped with a damp cloth.
Maidenhair fern/ Blue star fern
The frothy maidenhairs at your local supermarket somehow look fabulous – but don’t be fooled.
‘‘The delicate lace-like maidenhair fern is the dainty diva of the fern world,’’ said Guzy. ‘‘Its care comes with a lot of ‘do nots’.’’ So try a blue star fern instead.
‘‘With its blue, grey, silver star-like leaves, this fern is easier to look after and has its own pretty daintiness about it,’’ said Guzy.
‘‘Keep the soil moist and it can tolerate low-tomedium light conditions, which makes it a perfect plant for either home or office.’’
String of pearls/ Chain of hearts
A design favourite, string of pearls looks magnificent when cascading over a pot. But beware, the plant is a Goldilocks – getting watering requirements just right can be a stress.
Change out this plant for the equally lovely chain of hearts.
‘‘An easier trailing plant, it loves bright, indirect light – not direct sun – and to dry out in between waterings,’’ said Guzy.
‘‘For a fuller look, coil the vines back on the soil with the hearts facing up and use a bobby pin to easily keep the vine in touch with the soil.’’
Peace lily/ Cast iron plant
If you’re one who often forgets to water plants, the water-loving peace lily is not for you.
Instead, Joshua Peauafi of Potplant Studio suggests swapping it out for the more resilient cast iron plant.
‘‘It still keeps its colour and shape, even if you forget about it from time to time,’’ he said.
Swiss cheese plant (monstera)/ Xanadu
Trying to create a jungalow, but your beloved swiss cheese plant (aka, monstera deliciosa) just isn’t thriving? Try replacing it with a xanadu.
‘‘It still offers that leafy jungle look, all while being a bit more manageable for someone just getting into indoor plants,’’ said Peauafi.
Boston fern/ Bird’s nest fern
Super dramatic and hard to keep looking lush, the boston fern is yet another diva.
Peauafi suggested a great alternative would be the bird’s nest fern, which offers full, glossy, bold leaves and is less prone to tantrums.
Calathea/ Spider plant
Calatheas are a great looking plant on paper, but these can sometimes be an indoor plant rookies’ worst nightmare.
‘‘They often require specific levels of humidity and a lot of attention to placement detail,’’ said Peauafi. As an alternative, try the spider plant. ‘‘You’ll still get colour contrast in the foliage, plus the statement stripe pattern that each leaf naturally displays.’’
Heartleaf philodendron/ Jade pothos
Like any star, the highly photogenic heartleaf philodendron can sometimes be a little fussy to work with.
‘‘Try swapping it for a more resilient jade pothos,’’ said Peauafi. ‘‘These offer the same trailing appeal while being a bit more easygoing.’’
African milk tree/ San pedro
It might look like a cactus, but the african milk tree is actually a succulent plant that can sometimes be a little too high-maintenance for beginners.
Trade it in for a real cactus and forget your watering woes.
‘‘San pedro is a great alternative,’’ said Peauafi. ‘‘It’s a pretty fast-growing columnar cactus that only requires water every now and then.’’