Welcome back to another weekly blog on what low-maintenance houseplants you can buy to pair with your new pot+plant planters! Let's begin!
To start off our list this week, we have Zamioculcas zamiifolia, also known as the ZZ plant. A fun fact, apparently this plant received its name because nursery workers got so tired of saying the long botanical name to refer to this plant, so they just shortened it to ZZ. If you need a plant that can literally be neglected for months at time, this is the plant for you. The reason this plant can be neglected for long stretches of time is their thick, potato-like roots known as rhizomes, store water extremely efficiently. With that said, water this plant once a month thoroughly, assuming you have a drainage hole in your planter. If not, water lightly twice a month.
ZZ plants have oval-shaped, waxy leaves that almost look artificial due to their shine (I've literally had co-workers ask me if the ZZ cuttings on my desk are fake). These beautiful plants are perfect for an area in the house that gets little to no light, but are known to thrive anywhere with bright, moderate light. I highly recommend this plant for anybody looking for an easy, low-maintenance plant to take care of.
ZZ 'Raven' in 6" Planter on 'Poplar' wood stand
Next on our list this week is Epipremnum aureum, also commonly known as pothos. Although more finicky than the ZZ plant, this house plant is considered one of the easiest houseplants to grow. Known to live quite well in low-light situations, this trailing vine can grow up to 30 ft long with the right amount of care and attention. Although there are many variations to choose from, Pothos is commonly identified by its heart-shaped leaves that are slightly glossy.
Pothos likes to dry out between waterings, which makes it an ideal choice for those who tend to kill plants. With that said, Pothos are most likely to die from overwatering, and too much direct sunlight. So tuck this plant away in a high corner in a bright room, water lightly a couple times a month, and in a year or two you can have a 15 foot hanging plant that grabs the attention of anybody who walks into the room.
Juvenile Pothos 'Hawaii' in 6" Planter on 'Poplar' Wood Stand
Lastly for this week, I decided to go with a plant so easy to care for, even my girlfriend has a thriving one. The String of Hearts, known to botanists as Ceropegia woodii, is a trailing succulent vine easily identified by its small, usually variegated heart-shaped leaves and purple stems. This plant needs room to hang, so a hanging basket or a regular planter on a shelf is a must in order for this plant to reach its full potential. Any room in the house will do for this plant, as it only needs a few hours of bright, indirect light a day to thrive. If re-potting a String of Hearts into a new planter, be sure to use a succulent or cactii mix, due to it's affinity for well-draining soil.
Let this plant dry-out between waterings, then water the plant thoroughly when the time comes (assuming of course your pot has a drainage hole). For the more experienced houseplant collector whose into propagation, this plant couldn't be any easier to reproduce...cut off the end of a vine with a few leaves still intact, drop the stem into water making sure the leaves aren't submersed, and in a few months you should have a thriving, healthy root system ready to be replanted into a pot.
String Of Hearts in a hanging basket
Thank you for reading this week's edition of Low-Maintenance Houseplants. Check out my new 'Ocean' Collection, just in time for Summer, on my website. Feel free to take pictures and tag pot+plant on Instagram!
Pete Giuffre