10 Plants You Can’t Kill: No Green Thumb Needed

We hear it all: too much water, not enough water, too much light, not enough light. We get it; it’s difficult to decipher the needs of plants.

We’re letting you in on a little secret: you can look like you have a green thumb by simply choosing plants that refuse to die. Here you have it from the pros—our list of 10 plants you can’t kill, no matter how hard you try!

Air Plants

Not only are they uniquely cool looking, air plants don’t even need soil to grow! “These are pretty simple to keep alive,” Shannon Fleming-Barnhardt, ProPlants Merchandise Product Manager, explains. “Simply soak them at least once every two weeks and keep them indoors in indirect light.” Water every two weeks? Sounds perfect for all you forgetful waterers out there.

Anthuriums

The bright red, heart-shaped blooms on anthuriums pretty much last forever with very little effort required. They do best in bright, indirect light and don’t like continually moist soil. “You should really only water these plants when the soil looks dry, which ends up being approximately once a week (if that),” says Fleming-Barnhardt.

Bamboo

“You really couldn’t ask for anything easier than bamboo,” says Fleming-Barnhardt. “Just put bamboo in water and make sure you replace it with clean water every once in a while.” Lucky bamboo also requires very little light, making it a perfect indoor houseplant or office plant. Plus, it helps up your Feng Shui game—who doesn’t want that?

Bromeliads

“These are really cool plants,” says Fleming-Barnhardt. “You actually don’t water the soil; you just water inside the top of the plant and let the water pool there.” The drought-tolerant bromeliad only needs to be watered when the top two inches of soil feel dry. These beauties make great indoor or outdoor plants.

Kalanchoes

These robust plants with bright, cheery (and long-lasting) flowers require very little maintenance—in fact overwatering is actually its number-one killer. Kalanchoes thrive in partial sun and grow well when repotted. “I potted these at my house without a drainage system in place and they continuously bloom over and over with little to no water,” Fleming-Barnhardt explains. “It’s amazing.”

Money Tree

Like the sound of it already? You’ll like it even more when you see how easy money trees are to maintain. “These trees do best in full and partial sunlight and should stay indoors,” suggests Fleming-Barnhardt. “They don’t like continually moist soil, so that means you shouldn’t water it until the soil looks dry, which ends up being around once a week (if that).”

Orchids

We know…you’re cringing right now. Fleming-Barnhardt says, “Now I know a lot of people have issues with orchids, but they’re super easy if you just simply ignore them.” She continues, “I typically soak my orchids once every two weeks and keep them in indirect sunlight. That does the trick!” You can also try a simple ice cube trick once a week for watering. Orchid blooms last 8 to 10 weeks on average when treated right.

Peace Lily

These plants are almost impossible to kill, and they add such lush, vibrant greenery to the home. “They literally tell you when they are hungry by drooping,” says Fleming-Barnhardt. Many peace lily owners will simply wait until the plant’s leaves droop before watering, which actually works really well to prevent over-watering. “So just pay attention and you can’t really kill this sucker,” she explains.

Pothos Plant

You really can’t go wrong with this houseplant. Pothos plants aren’t picky about where they live indoors (just don’t put them out in direct sunlight all the time). “They can live in dry soil if you neglect them, and in wet soil if you over water,” Fleming-Barnhardt says. Sounds like a dream come true!

Succulents

Wildly popular these days for their diverse beauty, and also for their drought-resistant qualities, succulents are a must-have for just about everyone. This low-maintenance plant requires very little watering, as it’s not a fan of having continually moist soil. Keep your succulents in bright, indirect light, and water whenever the soil looks completely dry—easy peasy.

Are you someone who cannot keep a plant alive to save your life? Do you have green-thumb envy? Is your home devoid of all pretty plant life for fear they will come back from the dead to haunt you someday? No need to worry about killing your houseplants any longer. Give any of these super easy plants a try, and then you can start bragging about your gardening skills.