How to Choose Easy to Care For House Plants

House plants can perk up a place and bringing greenery indoors can lift your spirit, especially at the gray end of winter when the first signs of spring seem to take forever to arrive. Even if you have a black thumb, here are several choices in easy to care plants.

Instructions

1. Consider a Pothos, Epipremnum aureum. By now, my Pothos is old enough to vote. It grows downwards like an ivy and is very easy to propagate. Simply cut off the longest runners, place them in a clear container of water in the window, wait until you see roots develop and replant. Left unattended, the shoots can reach ten feet in length. These plants don't require a lot of water and if you tend to overwater, you'll see the leaves curl and the roots rot, so let the roots fully dry out between waterings. Hanging in a window, a Pothos will thrive. Also, it isn't attractive to the most common insect pests, which are aphids, whiteflies and spider mites.

2. Think about a spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum. One of the neatest things about a spider plant is that it keeps making babies at the end of long shoots. When these little spiders produce roots, it's time to replant. Over the years my friends have come to appreciate them as gifts. Watch out for them becoming root bound. You may have to repot them every two or three years.

3. The Cast Iron Plant, Aspidistra elatior, was so named because it can grow under the worst of conditions, including deep shade. It's great for the corners of your place. It was very popular in Victorian homes, when windows weren't as numerous or as large as they are today. It's slow growing and will tolerate temperatures to just below freezing. Occasionally it will produce small purplish flowers. It is pest resistant as well and it doesn't require a lot of watering. Simply keep the soil moist.

4. The Christmas cactus, Zygocactus or Schlumbergera, isn't a cactus at all, it's a succulent. It should be watered regularly, although it will survive if you forget. If the leaves start to shrivel, water more frequently. This plant needs a lot of sun. To propagate, break off a piece and pot it. Eventually it should grow roots. You can force a December bloom by simulating the onset of winter from mid-October on, by moving the Christmas cactus to a little used room. There, keep the plant in complete darkness for 12 hours a day.

5. Zamioculus Zamiofolia, known commonly as the ZZ plant, are hardy survivors. They grow slowly and don't need a lot of water or light.

6. Sansevieria is sometimes called the snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue. Why? The story goes that its long sharp leaves are as pointed as a mother in-law's tongue and the plant never leaves. It's very long lived and tolerant of low light. It needs so little water that the danger is from overwatering. Soaking the soil once a month is fine for this plant.

Tips & Warnings

• With the exception of Sansevieria, you can get good results by watering these plants once a week.

• Remember to feed plants occasionally. About once a month, you can add a little Miracle Gro to the water you use to irrigate the plants. Follow the package directions. You don't want to use to much fertilizer or you'll burn the plants' roots.