10 House Plants You’re Pretty Much Guaranteed To Kill
If you’re a notorious plant killer, it may not be your lack of a green thumb that’s causing so many deaths. It could be your choice of plants. So if you want to be a parent to a thriving plant, avoid these.
Here are ten houseplants that you’ll always end up killing.
Poinsettia
Poinsettias are great for short-term decoration during the holiday season, but after that, it’s hard to keep them alive. Once the leaves wilt and lose their color, they’re pretty much done for.
Many people don’t feel so bad about killing poinsettias because you can always buy another one next year. There are plenty of them in store when Christmas comes around.
Norfolk Island Pine
These pines work well as mini Christmas trees, but just like the poinsettia, they tend to die after Christmas.
Although they’re similar to the standard pine tree, the care of a Norfolk pine differs from what people are used to, which may account for their early deaths.
This tree is actually a tropical plant and can’t tolerate cold temperatures. If a Norfolk pine survives inside your house, it can grow up to twenty feet tall.
Dasha Petrenko – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
Moth Orchid
Orchids are finicky plants that attract a lot of buyers because of their vibrant colors. They bloom for a few months after you buy them, but soon you’ll see nothing but leaves.
Because of their beauty and brightly colored petals, it can be hard to see them go.
Many people fail to stick to a strict watering schedule when it comes to orchids. These blooms often die due to overwatering. Orchids should be watered only once a week.
Rosemary
Rosemary is normally grown outdoors, so most of the time, it won’t do so well in your indoor herb container, especially if you don’t have sunny rooms.
Finding the balance between a well-hydrated and overwatered rosemary plant is almost impossible.
English Ivy
English ivy has a reputation for being tough to maintain indoors, but once you bring it outside, it’ll start thriving. It doesn’t like dry, stale air, so it’s best to let it stay out where it belongs.
Maidenhair Fern
If you don’t get the fern’s growing conditions exactly right, you’ll be watching your plant’s life wither away day by day.
It can’t tolerate high temperatures or hot, dry air, so if you live in a cold, snowy climate, the heated conditions of your home will most likely be the maidenhair fern’s demise.
African Violet
African violets like to stay away from windows and thrive in evenly moist soil. Overwatering is the main culprit of this violet’s death.
So if you’re prone to overwatering, spare the African violet’s life and opt for a different houseplant.
Christmas Cactus
Lack of sunlight and water will cause your Christmas cactus to wilt. By giving the cactus more indirect sunlight, you may be able to get it to grow flowers.
The watering part is tricky, though.
Cacti don’t need much water, but not enough will cause them to lose their life. And if you don’t address the problem quickly enough, there’s almost no chance for its revival.
Peace Lily
The soil of a peace lily should be moist but never wet. If your lily’s leaves are drooping, you’re either under or overwatering it.
Get your watering schedule together, and it will survive.
Lavender
Just like rosemary, lavender doesn’t grow well indoors. They don’t get enough sunlight and often suffer from root rot.
So seriously, just keep it outside.
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