5 Of The Most Forgiving Interior Plants… And How You’re Still Managing To Kill Them
Pothos
Pothos are a low light species of vine that, by most accounts, are virtually unkillable. They’ll grow in deep shade to a medium light office interior, will do just as well in soil as in water, and readily reproduce from clippings, some gentle care provided. Appearance-wise, Pothos is an interior design mainstay. Its color morphs vary widely, yielding numerous shades of green (Green Jade, Jade Satin), variegated (Marble Queen, Golden), and an increasingly popular Neon, which easily falls into the same color field as a standard office highlighter.
Neon Pothos with Bromeliads and Philodendron Selloums
Why did it die?
Sunlight. Nine times out of ten, plants are upwards compatible in terms of light requirements. In other words, a low-light plant will generally do fine in medium light environments. This is not the case with Pothos. Direct sunlight is a death sentence for Pothos, to the point that we recommend keeping them away from large windows.
Inconsistency in potting medium. Pothos root systems thrive in both soil and submerged in water. That being said, it is inadvisable to switch from one to the other, especially late into the plant’s development (moving a propagated clipping from water to soil shouldn’t be a problem, shortly after development of the root system).
Sansevieria
Sansevieria, also known as Snake Plant, is the poster child for indestructible flora. Able to grow in near darkness, tolerant to drought, able to withstand inconsistent watering—Sansevieria falls just shy of immortal. The fact that it reigns among the top air purifiers of indoor plants is an exceptional perk to the fact that this plant will likely survive whatever calamity eventually wipes us out.
Why did it die?
Overwatering. Sansevierias grow in drier areas (they’re native to Africa and southern Asia), and for this reason, they do not naturally enjoy regular moisture. When they do get water, they’re accustomed to getting soaked. As a general rule, if a snake plant looks droopy, first ensure it isn’t sitting in water. Give it a few weeks to dry out, and resolve yourself to be a little stingier with the water from then onward. We’ve managed 6 weeks between waterings with no ill effects to report
Ficus Little Fiddle
Ficus Little Fiddle (“liddle fiddle” is, unfortunately, a misspelling, though it really shouldn’t be) is this year’s boutique plant. Something about the enormous, wholly un-plantlike leaves gives it a delightful avant garde character, as comfortable in a hipster loft as the conference room of a tech startup.
Little Fiddles can be temperamental when they’re young. Unfortunately, and it’s a shame for us to admit, they look pretty lousy at this stage, too. And while they generally bounce back after a little TLC, a good influx of nutrients is all but essential to keeping this bush alive and pretty.
Why did it die?
Overwatering. Are you starting to notice a theme, here? It’s true—overwatering is the number one scourge of household interior plants by a far and wide margin. We’ve got one of these little guys in our own office here at work. He gets a watering about once every 10-12 days, usually applied indirectly the liner itself, rather than the actual grow pot, and he couldn’t be better.
Light. Ficus isn’t picky, but it does expect the basics. It’ll take artificial light just as eagerly as natural—we’ve honestly been unable to notice a pattern in healthiness one way or the other—but keep it in the dark too long, and it’ll be sure to voice its concerns; usually in the form of sickly, limp yellow leaves.
Overwatering. Yep. Some people never learn.
Kentia Palms
Virtually all palms are welcome in the interior environment. Sagos are of course magnificent; we love Neanthe Bellas and Kentias. Arecas are a passable choice, but due to their frailty and reputation for being inexpensive, we prefer to avoid them in our design considerations.
Kentia Palms are the go-to resource for infusing the office environment with that distinctive ambience of tropical paradise—unquestionably the single greatest factor in workplace productivity. They are remarkably tolerant to low light and cooler temperatures (50 degrees Fahrenheit and above is ideal, any lower will damper the palm’s otherwise sunny mood), and always seem to manage that look of full-bodied health that so often eludes Arecas.
Why did it die?
Leaf Blight. Did you know there was a word for that collection of diseased looking spots all over your palm’s leaves? Blight can be caused by a number of pathogens, but the most common culprit is fungus. Highly infectious, the usual (and best) method of containment is to get rid of the plant before the spores spread. Prevent the occurrence of this unsightly blemish by monitoring moisture levels in the plant’s environment—the road to blight is paved with wet leaves.
Spathiphyllum
There are few indoor options when it comes to flowers. Fortunately, Spathiphyllum (peace lily) is a more than willing participant. Spaths thrive in lower light conditions, and reward proper care with lovely white blooms. Spaths are handsome plants with or without blooms, however; we often use them in hotel lobbies, where a particularly large-leafed variety (the ‘Sensation’ cultivar, especially) makes an undeniable visual impact. Something about those glossy, softly-ribbed leaves just goes hand in hand with an impression of richness and sophistication.
Why did it die?
Problems with Spaths unfortunately often go unnoticed for quite some time, sine the leaf stems naturally tend to grow with a droop. More often than not, the issue is too much light—a common mistake, though entirely understandable, since the inclination is to treat a spath like any other sun-loving bloom.
Spathiphyllum leaves tend to draw pests more than other plants. We’ve found that an occasional cleaning of the leaf structure with tepid water is more than sufficient to keep most insects at bay. Frequent inspections are always advisable; discard any leaves that give the impression of ill health.