Favorite EASY indoor tropicals

[Matt in OC]

We're getting pretty tired of killing indoor plants. What are your easiest, best looking indoor plants? Palms are ok, but thinking of smaller shrub types. Any potting soil tips? Thanks!

[Fusca]

My house is not ideal for houseplants due to strategic placement of windows to minimize A/C usage and neighboring 2-story houses blocking sunlight.  However I do have a couple of fairly common non-palms (in addition to Howea forsteriana and Chamaedorea elegans) that are doing well with minimal light and irrigation.  Dieffenbachia (recently bloomed indoors) and Zamioculcas zamiifolia (very cycad-like).  I also have a Beaucarnea recurvata in a container that sits on my front porch because I have run out of room to plant it in the ground.  It served as a houseplant for several years before moving to zone 9 and did well indoors as well.  I've killed my share as well but these guys seem to be hard to kill.

[Silas_Sancona]

Not especially interesting ( unless you can find the variegated forms ) but Cast Iron Plant is next to impossible to kill ( indoors or out.. Tolerates alot of neglect, unless placed in full sun here in the desert. ) Also tolerates less than optimal lighting conditions indoors well as well.. 

Can't really think of anything else non palmy I'd keep indoors - that I wouldn't plant outdoors there- that wouldn't require specific lighting / watering considerations indoors to grow/ flower well. Maybe something like a Ming Fern ( cringes, lol ) Then again, they can also be a 'real pita to keep looking nice indoors too. 

[Darold Petty]

I'm with Fusca.  Dieffenbachia works well in our home.  There are many different leaf patterns.

[Merlyn]

I now only have two indoor plants, mostly because the two house panthers love to play with the leaves and eat them.  That rules out more than half of the options, and they managed to destroy an aptly named "Cat Palm" by hooking claws into the stems and breaking them.  Combined with the spider mite attacks in winter, and that Chamaedorea didn't stand a chance.  So my current two indoor plants are a pair of Beaucarnea Recurvata, the generic types sold at the big box stores with the cut head to create 3 or 4 individual stalks.  They seem (so far) to be resistant to mites and not care in the slightest about us forgetting to water them.  They are even okay with being next to South-facing windows with 30% transmission window tint that face a covered porch, and grow new leaves slower than outdoors, but still a few flushes/year.  The best part is that they are tough enough to handle cat abuse, and just lose leaf tips to random chewings instead of losing the whole stem to a claw attack. 

[rprimbs]

"African Violets" are one of my favorites -- but arguably not really that 'easy'.

[rprimbs]

Bromeliads can be relatively easy.

[Komang]

I have ficus lyrata in the house just need watering once a week. Most ficus will grow nice in pot. 

If you want make them grow just change to bigger pot. Remember to add some perlite to the soil it help indoor plants

Any tropical plant can be indoor just choose wisely some will need more handling then the other.

Cheers

Edited December 7, 2019 by Komang

[Josue Diaz]

The easiest for me have been the aglaonema - there are some brightly colored ones that look incredible. 

[Komang]

Some pic out indoor plants

[Komang]

5 hours ago, Josue Diaz said:

The easiest for me have been the aglaonema - there are some brightly colored ones that look incredible. 

Hi Josie,

Yes it amazing colourful plant, but due dry and less humidity here in Perth it need lots of watering 

[Tracy]

On 10/31/2019 at 6:35 AM, Merlyn2220 said:

I now only have two indoor plants, mostly because the two house panthers love to play with the leaves and eat them.

I almost didn't open the thread because I can't contribute for the same reason. While we are down to one cat that consumes plants due to it's sibling passing, we haven't been able to keep plants indoors for about 14 years now.   Prior to the kitties, we successfully grew some Chamaedorea species (adscendens was one of the best), orchids, Ficus species and numerous succulents inside as well as some herbs like Basil.  We learned quickly that nothing would survive and look decent if it was green and alive.  Funny thing is that it actually forced me to transfer my Phalaenopsis orchids outside and learn how to keep them alive outside through winter, but also encouraged me to look for other orchid genus I could grow outside.  So someday we may again be able to try growing some indoor plants, but for now we have had to settle for "fake plants" of the plastic variety.  By the way, they are low maintenance .

[Silas_Sancona]

Similar thoughts as @Tracy though sans Cats, lol..  Only houseplants i've ever had were Plumeria i'd keep indoors thru the winter when i lived in Ohio.  Everything else stays outdoors, unless there's a major freeze forecast.. Even then, only things of highest value come inside/ up close to the house under the Patio for an night or two.  Beyond that, if i could pull it off,  the only thing i think i'd desire trialing as an " indoors in winter/ outdoors in summer" kind of plant would be something like some dwarf Areca catechu, or colorful forms of A. vestiaria.. Like the idea of having a few nice specimens in large pots on either side of a covered / partially enclosed patio. Would kind of set the mood for my Orchid, Hoya, & Tillandsia collections too. 

Curious, Tracy.. Your Phalaenopsis flowering better with being kept outdoors? Good to know you have had success keeping them outdoors most/ all year.  You tried any of the Stanhopea yet? As you might have seen, had mentioned someone out your way had posted a blog about growing them outdoors there. Quite surprised how many apparently are hardy enough to grow well, provided the right conditions of course.. Up to about 13 pages of potential Orchid species that i want to try outdoors most if not all year myself once there.

As far as plant eating Cats/ Dogs.. always wondered if the behavior could be breed specific in some cases since i've never had issues w/ my dog sampling or digging around anything.. Might help that he'd get zapped with the squirt bottle whenever he tried as a puppy but, he's never really been all that much interested to begin with.. Pee on some of the pots?, occasionally.. but such aim is usually directed where one of the neighborhood Feral Cats had hung around the night before.. Other than that, he'll sniff around stuff i'd been weeding through, or added something like Fish / Blood meal to but thats about it.. Fire pit?, thats a different story, lol.. At least when i first dug it out. Liked to sit in/ dig through the cold coals / ashes.. Basenji are weird dogs sometimes.

[Tracy]

6 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Curious, Tracy.. Your Phalaenopsis flowering better with being kept outdoors?

It is a test of cold hardiness with them.  Some die, but the ones that make it tend to be frequent rebloomers.  There is one in bloom right now in fact.

 

7 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

You tried any of the Stanhopea yet?

Not yet.

 

8 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

As far as plant eating Cats/ Dogs.. always wondered if the behavior could be breed specific in some cases since i've never had issues w/ my dog sampling or digging around anything.

The dog is good and doesn't eat plants, which considering all the cycads in my garden is a "life saver" for her.  The cats on the other hand love not only indoor plants, but we found out they like vegetables.  My wife regularly slices up a raw green bean, sweet peas, and pieces of lettuce for them when we are cooking for ourselves which they absolutely love.  Apparently it isn't a problem for them.

[Tracy]

Everything looks lush in this rain!

[Silas_Sancona]

28 minutes ago, Tracy said:

The dog is good and doesn't eat plants, which considering all the cycads in my garden is a "life saver" for her.  The cats on the other hand love not only indoor plants, but we found out they like vegetables.  My wife regularly slices up a raw green bean, sweet peas, and pieces of lettuce for them when we are cooking for ourselves which they absolutely love.  Apparently it isn't a problem for them.

I hear ya.. Only have a couple Cycads atm but thankful my brat doesn't touch them, let alone other things that might be toxic. 

Interesting, i know Dogs love veggies.. Mine gets Peas/ Blueberries in with his food each week ( 3lbs Beef / 3-4lbs Chicken Breasts, cooked ) and occasionally stuff like cooked Asparagus, Carrots, Spinach, Pumpkin, or Sweet Potato but never thought Cats cared much for their greens.. Besides Grass or Cat Nip.

He was on kibble as a pup when i got him but always had some sort of allergic reaction. Prepped his food ever since the Vet had recommended Chicken and Rice to help clear up hives he got after eating stuff made by Blue Buffalo, the supposedly "good kibble" Hives cleared within 2 days of the good food. Never had any issues in the 8 years since.

[Ben in Norcal]

How are Monstera?  All of mine are outdoors, but have done some cuttings and thinking of bringing one or two in.

[Ittai Baratz]

3 hours ago, Ben in Norcal said:

How are Monstera?  All of mine are outdoors, but have done some cuttings and thinking of bringing one or two in.

Monsteras are very easy indoors - medium or bright indirect light works well, and you can use a moss pole to prevent them for going too crazy.
I am also in NorCal and I used to bring mine indoors in October and then outdoors in March, but now I have too many houseplants so they stay outdoors year round.. Same goes for my Philodendrons and Thaumatophyllum. As for other aroids, my Anthuriums, Syngoniums and Peace Lilies were not very happy outdoors, they all do great indoors.

[Ittai Baratz]

On 10/29/2019 at 8:57 AM, Matt in OC said:

We're getting pretty tired of killing indoor plants. What are your easiest, best looking indoor plants? Palms are ok, but thinking of smaller shrub types. Any potting soil tips? Thanks!

Pachira Aquatica is easy as long as you pot it in a very well draining, aerated soil like Al's 5-1-1 or gritty mix. It's also non toxic to pets.
I've seen Pachiras outdoors in SoCal, including one in Disneyland opposite Mickey's house - They don't look good outdoors there in my opinion. 

[Silas_Sancona]

11 hours ago, Ittai Baratz said:

 Syngoniums and Peace Lilies were not very happy outdoors, they all do great indoors.

Interesting.. had a co worker who planted Peace Lilies she'd rescue from work outdoors ( South San Jose ) and all did fine ( under high tree canopy / small planting bed on the east side of her house )

[Ittai Baratz]

2 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Interesting.. had a co worker who planted Peace Lilies she'd rescue from work outdoors ( South San Jose ) and all did fine ( under high tree canopy / small planting bed on the east side of her house )

Indeed interesting - I wonder if they were planted in the ground or in a pot? I've seen huge Peace Lilies in a motel I stayed in Santa Barbara which looked great. I live in Alameda (10a/10b) where our summer days usually don't reach 80F. Maybe I should try a different cultivar.  Its not like the lilies didn't survive, they just didn't seem happy. My monstera and philos look great even now where our lows are in the low 40s.

[Josue Diaz]

I grew peace lilies in the ground with eastern exposure for years in Chowchilla,  CA. They even returned after the 2007 freeze (lows around 18 degrees.) They flowered reliably and constantly. 

[Komang]

On 12/9/2019 at 11:15 AM, Ben in Norcal said:

How are Monstera?  All of mine are outdoors, but have done some cuttings and thinking of bringing one or two in.

Monstera mostly will be indoor plant here, get the marble type it's more attractive. 

They are easy to maintain too

[Ben in Norcal]

3 hours ago, Komang said:

Monstera mostly will be indoor plant here, get the marble type it's more attractive. 

They are easy to maintain too

Why an indoor plant there?  I would think if they do well outdoors here, they will there - I'm colder than Perth.

The variegated ones look great but are egregiously expensive!

[Silas_Sancona]

28 minutes ago, Ben in Norcal said:

 

The variegated ones look great but are egregiously expensive!

Ayh, lol.. Whats spending $170-250.00 for a small cutting of something that once was pretty easy to find.. Nice plant, but never understood the supposed hype. 

Then again, perhaps i missed out on a money maker when the nursery i worked for back in San Jo sold 3gal specimens for like $30 40 bucks several years back..

[Komang]

On 12/11/2019 at 12:02 AM, Ben in Norcal said:

Why an indoor plant there?  I would think if they do well outdoors here, they will there - I'm colder than Perth.

Hi Ben,

It's not the cold, mainly the heat hot dry air here will kill the plants

Humidity at summer time no more then 40% it's so dry 

One night easterly wind combine 38'c up  plus the next day will burn them like pork crackling 

Edited December 12, 2019 by Komang

[Ben in Norcal]

15 hours ago, Komang said:

Hi Ben,

It's not the cold, mainly the heat hot dry air here will kill the plants

Humidity at summer time no more then 40% it's so dry 

 One night easterly wind combine 38'c up  plus the next day will burn them like pork crackling 

It's very arid here much of the year - humidity never much above 50% in the warm months.   Summer average highs are 30 degrees plus, but with very frequent 40 degrees plus, often for a week or more with no relief.  They do just fine in full shade or even part sun.  My guess is they'd do fine in shade, kept wet (like mine.)

[Komang]

9 hours ago, Ben in Norcal said:

It's very arid here much of the year - humidity never much above 50% in the warm months.   Summer average highs are 30 degrees plus, but with very frequent 40 degrees plus, often for a week or more with no relief.  They do just fine in full shade or even part sun.  My guess is they'd do fine in shade, kept wet (like mine.)

Yes you can keep them under patio and give them water every day during summer. It's meant more work and time outside 

Will send snap some photos from my burning outdoor plant which burn from just from couple weeks scorching above 33c