We’re trying a new house plant on for size here at Casa Petersik, which might sound about as newsworthy as “John got a haircut,” but it’s actually quite a big deal for us. See, we usually stick with what we know in the plant department (read all about the plants that we know and love right here). So who’s the new guy in town?
Why this fantastic feathery asparagus fern that we fell in love with at Home Depot (in an already-owned planter that was gifted by a friend a while back). While swooning over our new housemate, we were sure to ask the garden people if it was easy to kill and two separate experts vehemently denied it – and actually referred to it as quite a hardy little thing. It just looks so light and vulnerable. I guess time will tell…
So far we’ve been enjoying his company for two weeks in the bathroom and he’s been looking as happy as a clam in there.
Ferns love moisture so a steamy bathroom fits the bill. And believe it or not we actually haven’t watered it once in the last two weeks (even though the tag says “high moisture plant”) since the steam from the shower seems to be keeping him happy. We’ve learned our lesson when it comes to overwatering things, so we wait for plants to look limp or for the soil to feel dry before adding water (and so far this guy has dodged that bullet).
We’ll keep you posted on our new house plant’s status as time goes by (cross your fingers that it doesn’t cross over from “alive ” to “not alive”). And while we’re on the subject, what kind of house plants are tried and true at your house? Do you have any that you find impossible to kill? Or others that you just can’t keep alive? Let’s talk about greenery that’s super easy and fresh looking… and anything that you think we should avoid for fear of killing it in record time.
Psst- Wanna know about all the other plants that live it up in Casa Petersik? Look no further.
andrea p says
I am happy about this post because I too am dying to know specifically what plants are difficult to kill in the house!
I hope the readers chime in soon :)
Also, I know you have a ton of posts on your to do list…but I just wanted to add that I love posts about showing how versatile one piece of furniture is (like your post “1 desk, 4 ways”. But furthermore, I like when you actually tell us what pieces you find that are great (like a certain chair from Target, or an awesome Overstock.com console, etc)!
Keep up the great work J & S!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the ideas Andrea! Adding those to the list!
xo,
s
Carole says
golden pothos (it’s an ivy) is almost impossible to kill…my parents have had the same plant (and its ‘children’) since they were married over 40 years ago…when it gets too straggly, they cut off a leaf just after a bud, and root it in a glass of water, easy peasy. I have a cutting from the same plant in my own house, and it’s still going strong.
I don’t think it’s pet-safe, so keep it out of the reach of dogs and cats.
Lisa in Seattle says
What a nice little touch of greenery! But doesn’t it tickle the back of your neck when you’re taking care of business? I’d be all “AAGH! SPIDER!” every two seconds. Maybe because this morning there *was* a spider.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, nope, it hasn’t brushed up against us yet. We probably have a good 3″ so as long as we don’t get all weird and reclined…
xo,
s
Funnelcloud Rachel says
Asparagus in the bathroom…hahaha. I thought this post was going to be about something else (not home improvement related!)
So…does he have a name? We have (actually had, since they all died) a cactus named Spike, an aloe named Al, and a rosebush named Rose. Very creative of us…right? So for your asparagus fern, I suggest Gus.
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! Gus it is.
xo,
s
Dana E says
I love philodendrons. I too get a little crazy with the water and tend to “over love” my plants who in time, drown. After several Hostas (known for ease of care) that died within days of purchase, a couple flowering plants, and several small containers of kitchen herbs, I finally bought a Philodendron and now I have at least 6 of these in my house that stemmed from one “Momma” plant. And they do well in low lit areas (like our bathroom) as well.
Here in NC, humidity is always high, and it’s hot probably 80% of the year. Plants around here tend to drink a lot of water, and can develop mold easily, so be sure to underwater rather than over water.
My Motto now that I have 6 of these living babies? It’s easier to add a little water later, than to remove excess water.
Congrats on the super cute (and super functional) plant!
Jillane says
This is definitely the wrong post for this question but in looking at these pics and at your blinds in the bathroom (which I know you got from Home Depot), it raises a question that has been troubling me! I wanted to replicate this look on my bathroom window but the window is about 35″ wide and only about 24″ tall. How did you find blinds at Home Depot that were ‘short’ enough to fit in a small window? (and mine is even smaller than yours). They all seem to be about 72″ long, which seems crazy for a window so tiny. Not to mention a waste of money! What do you think? I’d love your input :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I think ours is 72″ long, we just note the width and snag it if that works. Then we keep it open to the height that we’d like light shining in and call it a day. There are faux wood blinds at Home Depot (which we used in our nursery and bedroom) which can be shortened to perfectly fit the length of your windows (which we did in those rooms) but we don’t know of bamboo blinds that allow for the same customization. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ashley says
The best plants I have found for my non-green thumb have been ivy, snake plants, & spider plants. I just got a pink polka dot plant as well but only time will tell if that little plant will survive!
Liz says
I adore the ANGEL WING plant. That’s all I ever knew it as, so with a quick GOOGLE search- apparently they are actually Begonias! Who knew!
Jen @ das Sushi says
Ohhh I will be reading these comments with *interest*! I can’t even keep my outside plants alive! In a rainy climate!
Lindy says
My asparagus fern is very tolerant. It was initially in a pot in my den, but it didn’t receive enough sunlight there. I brought it to work with me and since my office receives a ton of sunlight, regular watering and some sun have brought my baby back from the dead. It’s now about four times the size it was a few months ago. I get tons of compliments on it.
Traci says
My parents got an asparagus fern as a wedding gift in 1976 and it live for 26 years. If that’s not hardy, I don’t know what is.
Elizabeth says
I thought this was going to be an entirely different post from the headline. :-p
Wendy @ A Southern Accent says
Not what I was thinking when I saw the header “Asparagus in the Bathroom”. Sorry, I just couldn’t pass the opportunity to make the joke.
Laura says
ALOE VERA plants are definitely VERY HARD to kill! (and they serve a purpose too with their juicy insides too) I promise you that! ;)
You see, I have this aloe vera plant that is a pretty decent size in my living room, far away from the window. In the 6 years that I’ve had this plant, it has since spawned a baby which has now been sitting in my cubicle for 2 years, well away from any natural light.
With watering literally *maybe* once every 2-3 weeks, both plants look awesome. And this original plant had a rough start too! I rescued it from my university house where it spent the majority of 2 years being knocked down on the floor and dug around by kittens. Definitely one tough plant!
Sara says
Being in a NY apartment, we get virtually no sunlight. West side of the island, with East-facing windows, shucks. I really wanted to try keeping a basil or mint plant – a plant that keeps on giving! – but to no avail. Maybe a fern will finally work the In-House Greenery magic that we’ve been looking for! Thanks for all the great ideas and eye-candy on your blog :)
Bethany says
We got a moneytree from Ikea over a year ago, which may not seem that long to some people but to us plantkillers, it’s a long time. It does great all the time! We have even left it for a week in a room that’s shades were drawn and it still managed to survive and not be phased at all. Next time i go to ikea i want to get a couple more because once i find one that works i gotta stick with it:)
Suzanne says
I could kill a plastic plant, so a plant that doesn’t need watering for over 2 weeks sounds awesome!
Are you thinking of re-painting the bathroom? I kind of looks like you have a random paint swatch on the wall behind the plant.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so funny! Nope, it’s not a paint swatch and we’re fully in love with the bathroom color!
xo,
s
K.J. says
Violets are hardy little plants. Water them once a week, keep them in partial sun and they’ll bloom their little hearts out. Just make sure you give them nutritious new soil every year or so. Or pour on some coffee grounds mixed in warm water every now then when watering. Just don’t get water on their leaves!
Allie says
Looks lovely! I read up on asparagus ferns (I’m always looking for something I can’t kill) and saw that they are toxic to cats and dogs – though yours looks like it’s well out of Burger’s reach! Something to keep in mind, though.
Lorrie says
They aren’t as pretty as some of your other plants, but the Christmas Cactus is a pretty hardy plant. I do NOT have a green thumb, so these work well for me.
Also, off the subject….I get to go to my first IKEA this fine Labor Day weekend. Since I live in the midwest, I get to drive 6 hours to Frisco, Texas for this fine experience but I CAN’T WAIT!!!!
Thanks to all of your posts, I will go prepared….comfy shoes, a camera, my wish list, and a lot of time!
Tiffany says
Love the plant in the bathroom!!!!!!!!!
XOXO,
http://outfitidentifier.com/
Jane @ The Borrowed Abode says
Ha, I totally thought this was going be about how it makes your pee smell funny.
Am I immature for saying that “out loud?” Oh well!
Oh a more mature note, I think this plant is fabulous!!
I used to struggle with orchids, until I learned to immediately repot them (LOOSELY) after receiving, and then pretty much leave them alone aside from a once weekly sprinkling. The are thriving in my bathroom.
Ashley says
My peace lily is absolutely impossible to kill. I’m horrible at remembering to water plants and this thing has stayed alive even when it hasn’t been watered in months. I’ve had a few scares where I thought I had killed it, but it can back as soon as I added water.
Kristina says
Hey neat! I just bought a little unnamed Home Depot fern for my bathroom. The tag said that it liked moisture and not too much light, so I’m hoping it will do well in my dark little bathroom. The pot that I bought for it is also a little experiment. It is a pot-within-a-pot. So it’s a glazed square white pot with a hole on top. You put water in the square pot. Then you put the second pot — terra cotta with an unglazed bottom part — down into the hole. The idea is that the plant will suck water through the unglazed part of the pot. My hope is that it will keep the fern nice and damp, without me needing to remember to water it all the time. It’s actually pretty cool and modern-looking too. I guess I’ll see how it works.
Ann Marie @ white house, black shutters says
Those plants are great! I used to work at a florist and we’d use those for greenery when making corsages. They last so long without water, sounds like the perfect plant if you ask me. ;)
Eileen says
I’ve had an asparagus fern plant since about 1977 and there is nothing you can do to it to kill it. It now lives on my back porch because it is too big for any of my rooms and it just hangs out, happy to get some sunlight and a little drink of water now and then. I took a picture of it and will send it if I cam figure out how.
Sharon says
I second the Golden Pothos suggestion. Those are the best plants for people who have black thumbs.
Remember – most plants die from over watering or under watering…hahah
In most cases it is from over watering. A Pothos will start to droop but will recover quickly once watered.
In the winter – water more often because of the heat in the house. In the summer water less frequent because of the cool AC. Remember to prune your plant so it doesn’t become lanky & lose it’s shape.
Might want to also try some succulents like those Living Rocks. Home Depot often has them in their cactus section.
Handy Man, Crafty Woman says
I can’t have plants. I have a black thumb. I kill ALL plants, even if I try to be so good about keeping up with them.
I even killed a (small) jade tree that my dad gave me. He claimed it was hearty, like a cactus, and that you can’t kill a jade tree.
Guess what happened to it? LOL. Black thumb strikes again!
Jo says
If they’re anything like the ones that grow here in Australia, do not even think about planting it out in your garden when it gets bigger. It will take over your whole yard and be near impossible to get rid of! It will also have spikes that hurt, a lot…
Sarah @ The Ugly Duckling House says
I can’t even keep basil alive, and I was told (in fact, promised) that it was impossible to kill.
But I’ve decided to wear the crown of Herbicidal Maniac proudly, and have even used it for the good to kill off our backyard ivy.
Jessica at Lavender and Lilies says
Fake orchids do the trick for me. :) I kill everything.
Allison says
I read in the post you linked at the bottom that you had some orchids and claimed they were easy to care for. That’s what I thought too until…
I gifted an orchid to my husband a couple months ago and soon the thing started losing color and then dropped every last flower head. The leaves still look nice and green, but the two pokey stems sticking up isn’t much to look at!
Are yours still living? I haven’t thrown ours out yet because I’m wondering if the flowers come back. Does anyone know if they do? I’ve hidden it in the spare bedroom for now!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Allison,
Orchids don’t bloom year round, so as long as you keep the bottom leaves happy they should rebloom in a while. One of ours is still living and one of ours died from one too-vigilant watering spree. Definitely don’t over water those guys! Anyone else with orchid advice? We’re definitely not experts on the subject.
xo,
s
Oonafey @ Little Pink House says
I went through two Orchids in our master bath before giving up and buying some kind of succulent that my mom claims blooms eventually.
Gayle says
Another vote for pothos! Can take lots of light or very little light. When the stems get long, you can cut them off, trim some leaves off the stems, put them in a CLEAR jar of water, and they will root on their own with no other efforts. In 3-6 months, the root systems will be good to plant up in a pot/soil. Try to get as many individual stems to root as you can…at least 8-10 otherwise your potted plant will look spartan.
Actually, if you don’t want to deal with the soil, a pothos will live and grow indefinitely right in that jar of water. Just top off the water every week or 2.
Allison says
Sherry,
Thanks for the input! I definitely need to practice restraint when it comes to watering my house plants. I think it’s a good tip you gave to wait until the plant looks a little limp before watering. It’s amazing how quickly they perk up after a little drink with no harm done! Here’s hoping I haven’t already overwatered the poor orchid!
Mary Ann @ frosted gingerbread says
This sounds like the perfect plant for me. I have this uncanny knack for bringing plants back from the dead… and then killing them off for good. My husband gifted me this fantastic little money tree, though. It’s very hardy and it’s hard to over or under water it. He found it at Lowe’s on a late night trip to pick up something or other. It is the only surviving plant in our home right now and I’ve managed to keep it for about 6 months already.
Christine says
Just wanted to make sure all of you supposed basil killers know that basil is an annual – meaning it only lives for one “season” and then dies. I love succulents and have had some success growing those inside and outside, but I also have a sneaky dog who enjoys the juicy and delicious (succulent, if you will) leaves. Although her tummy tells her this is a bad habit, she has yet to learn her lesson. Most aren’t toxic to dogs, but not exactly tummy-friendly.
Ariel says
Spider plants are impossible to kill. Sometimes they don’t look super bright green anymore, and then I water them. I also have basil growing in my window (taken from my friends garden) and a really cool plant called a sensitive plant. It looks kind of like a fern and when you touch the leaves, it closes. I grew it from seed a couple months ago in my classroom – it’s definitely hard to kill if it survived that hectic environment!
Lindsey says
i have a pretty decent green thumb, but i have been struggling with keeping a “creeping charlie” plant alive in my bathroom, despite the claim that they love humidity. so maybe that is one to keep off of your list.
also, i love to buy amarylis bulbs after christmas (for 75% off!). the blooms are admittedly short-lived, but the long green leaves are fun and last through the end of the summer. apparently you can coax them into blooming again, which i am going to try this year.
Amanda says
I bought the same fern as an annual for outside this summer. We live in Colorado so I always ask for drought resistant plants and they recommended it- which surprises me that yours says it needs high moisture. It’s still basking in the sun outside on our porch but I plan to bring it inside over winter and keep as a house plant. Hope it survives!
Tara says
Oh goodness I love that little guy! I love having house plants, but I seem to ALWAYS have one problem. Finding little buggies in the plants! Do you guys have that problem? Is it something you just have to deal with, having the little critters live with you in their little pot? Or am I shopping in the wrong, buggy, plant aisle?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we haven’t really seen any buggies in our plants. Maybe it’s the type of plant that you’re getting? We’re attracted to lots of succulents (which don’t seem that intriguing to bugs) and as for our fern, we’ve seen nary a critter so maybe it does have to do where you shop as well? Any advice for Tara everyone?
xo,
s
Jac says
My parents had a fern in their bathroom and as a child I was scared of it…it used to creep me out! Bizarre I know!
(therapist?) ;-)
Rosie says
Looks pretty in the bathroom but a word of warning: don’t let them ANYWHERE near your garden, once they have taken root they are impossible to get rid of and will suffocate anything in its vicinity!
Lauren says
First let me say, I LOVE your website. You have a lot of really great decorating ideas that have inspired me on how to finish some of my own decorating delimmas. I was stuck on what to do for window treatments in my living room, but was so inspired by your bamboo blinds I made them my choice too. I couldn’t be happier! They have been up for 3 days now and I smile each time I look at them – I know! BLINDS make me smile? WHAT!?!?! Keep up the great work!!
As an owner of two large, asparagus ferns. . .they are a nightmare in the winter! My fern lives outside in the summer, and then moves to the laundery room in the winter. Yes, I know, beautiful plants should not be kept in the laundry room, however the room gets really good light! especially in the winter!
Those tiny little green leaves dry up and fall off -EVERYWHERE!(I mentioned my ferns were big, right?) They literally become little thorns! forget about getting a load out of the dryer in bare feet! OUCH! Just about the time I think I have finally managed to kill my ferns, its time to move them outside again. They spring back to life!
Love the plant, just be careful walking around it barefoot this December. Those leaves hurt!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw first of all thanks for the kind words Lauren. We’re blushing over here. And as for the warning about the leaves that’s definitely good to know! We’ll keep an eye out for that come winter!
xo,
s
Melissa @ HOUSEography says
I love the look of houseplants but not the care. Other than an orchid which seems to love my bathroom (and neglect), I am a failure with house plants. BUT, I too ventured into new territory a few months ago with a new plant. Check it out – http://houseography.blogspot.com/2010/06/house-plants-its-not-easy-being-green.html
EngineerMom says
I vote aloe plants – they’re fairly hardy, and have the added benefit of being useful in burn/cut situations!
I gave my mom a tiny aloe plant I bought at a farmers’ market. She basically ignored it for several months, watering when she’d remember it hadn’t had a drink in a few weeks, and kept it in her north-facing kitchen window. It’s quite happy. My plant, her plant’s sibling, had some trouble, getting all the way to the completely brown stage, only to magically recover when I didn’t panic and immediately throw it out, just transplanted it into some potting soil (I had originally put it in soil from our very pathetic garden). It was so happy it spawned two new aloe plants!
Stefanie says
My parents got an asparagus fern as a wedding gift, 36 years ago, and it lives on today. No potted plant ever made it in our house, but this thing just keeps growing and living. It’s their “Love Fern”!! :)
Cassie says
I was gifted an orchid almost a year ago that came with some instructions that said to put three ice cubes on top of the roots once per week. Supposedly, that’s the perfect amount of water for an orchid. This plant is doing great (I’ve killed many an orchid in the past) so I think the three ice cubes a week (and decent light exposure) are the key.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s such a great tip Cassie! Thanks for sharing!
xo,
s
Emily says
Spider plants!
I don’t know what it is but they’re literally impossible to kill! I have several as does a friend of mine, and neither one of us have managed to kill them yet! It’s been over 4 years, by the way :) Oh, and we keep getting them from her mom who seems to have a green thumb specific to spider plants. You know you’re taking good care of them when the main plant sends out a flowering vine to try to make more!
Kate says
I love your website and all the photos and ideas!
I’m so curious to see what happens to all of the pretty decorative accessories once your little one is up and mobile. I’m not being sarcastic here…I will love to see how you re-do thing to accomodate her and keep stuff from getting broken. As a mom of three under six, I’ve seen our decor simplified a lot as things get moved higher or just put away for a few years. When I look at this pretty bathroom, all I can picture is Clara “watering” the plant with the diaper sprayer and the shell being coated with the soap!
Very pretty house plant…I like how airy it is. Looks like enough light in there to keep it healthy, too :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kate,
We’re actually really excited to see that evolution as well! Of course we’ll be covering all the changes our house goes through as we babyproof, learn that we didn’t babyproof enough, and babyproof some more! The challenge will really be to keep things looking stylish while being 100% safe- but we already have a few tricks up our sleeves! Stay tuned…
xo,
s