Do you love houseplants, but too busy to remember to water them regularly? Here are great drought-tolerant houseplants that will fill your home with the greenery you love without the stress of watering them every day.
Admit it or not, we are all guilty of committing this “crime” to our houseplants, particularly with busy and forgetful plant parents. However, as much as I love plants, it shouldn’t require a lot of work to keep them alive, that’s why I’m a big fan of drought-tolerant houseplants. You should, too! They add some greenery to your home without requiring too much effort and time.
So if you’re done with your azaleas and orchids (yes, they look pretty, but it’s tiring to care for them), then here are our recommended drought-tolerant houseplants that can tolerate a little neglect and perfect for busy and forgetful plant parents.
CREDIT: AMAZON
Aloe Vera
One of the must-have and popular drought-tolerant houseplants because of its beauty and health benefits. For example, the gel in the Aloe Vera plant provides aid for burns, cuts, other irritations, and treating sunburns. Aside from the fact that it’s a drought-tolerant houseplant, it’s also a very forgiving succulent, and it thrives from being ignored from time to time. All you need is to place this plant in a bright, sunny spot in your home, and it will take care of its own.
Sunlight: Bright light for at least six to eight hours every morning.
Water: Water your Aloe Vera plant only when the soil is completely dry.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: Root rot is the most common problem with your Aloe Vera plant, so be careful not to overwater.
CREDIT: SUCCULENTS BOX
Burro’s Tail
Also known as Donkey’s Tail because of its appearance (but I call mine Boo-rrito). It’s popular for its almost jelly bean-shaped leaves that overlap on trailing stems. Burro’s Tail needs quite a bit of water to keep the many leaves plump and attractive, but similar to any other succulent, you should let the soil dry before watering since it’s also prone to root rot. Place your Burro’s Tail in a hanging basket and watch them grow as long as two feet.
Sunlight: Bright light for at least four hours every morning.
Water: Water your Burro’s Tail plant only when the soil is completely dry.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: Root rot is the most common problem with your Burro’s Tail plant, so be careful not to overwater.
CREDIT: ALMANAC
Jade Plant
An extremely popular succulent because it symbolizes fortune and good wealth, similar to the Money Tree. The Jade plant, in my opinion, has the longest plant life because, with the right conditions and a little TLC, you can actually pass your Jade plant from generation to generation. The Jade plant is a generally undemanding houseplant, which makes it perfect for busy plant parents. It just needs plenty of light and to be watered once a week.
Sunlight: It requires direct sunlight or full sun to grow for at least four hours every morning.
Water: Since it’s also one of the most popular drought-tolerant houseplants, we advise that you must only water your Jade plant when the soil is completely dry.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: Mist your plant with a spray bottle instead of thoroughly watering it in the cold season because it’s sensitive to overwatering.
CREDIT: WALMART
Ponytail Palm
If you want a houseplant that thrives on benign neglect, then Ponytail Palm is a great choice. This succulent has a thick, trunk-like stem that can store moisture long-term, which helps it easily survive a missed watering or two. As one of the most popular drought-tolerant houseplants, Ponytail Palm only needs to be watered once every 2-3 weeks or when the soil is completely dry.
Sunlight: It requires bright, indirect light or full sun, with ideal temperatures above 45° F.
Water: Let the soil dry out completely in between waterings.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: Ponytail Palm basically thrives off of neglect since it can go for weeks without watering.
CREDIT: GREENERY UNLIMITED
Pothos
One of the drought-tolerant houseplants that you can actually keep it alive because this houseplant refuses to die. Trust us, it’s easier to care for Pothos than to grow succulents. You don’t need to exert too much effort to keep this houseplant alive. All you need is to put them in medium and higher light areas and water them when they start to wilt.
Sunlight: It can tolerate low light, but grows well in medium and higher light areas.
Water: Keep soil moist, but be careful not to overwater.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: It’s best to place them on a shelf or hang them beside the window. This will also keep your children and pets from ingesting the plant.
CREDIT: WALMART
Sago Palm
Sago Palm is a perfect choice for plant owners who want to add a touch of the tropics to their space. To keep this houseplant alive, remember to keep its soil well-drained. Similar to other drought-tolerant houseplants, it’s sensitive to overwatering since it can cause root rot, which is fatal to houseplants. With proper care, Sago Palm can grow up to five feet tall.
Sunlight: Sago Palm performs best in partially shaded areas.
Water: During the dry season, the plants should be watered deeply every one to two weeks.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: Sago Palm is a drought-tolerant houseplant, but it prefers a moderate amount of moisture in the soil. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch.
CREDIT: AMAZON
Snake Plant
Similar to Pothos, the Snake Plant is one the easiest plant to take care of and hardest to kill. A perfect houseplant for people who can’t keep anything alive. Snake plants are chill, and when we say chill, you can completely ignore it for a month, and it will still purify your home’s air unconditionally. It’s popular for its ability to survive in the most unsuitable growing conditions. Seriously, it would prefer neglect over overwatering and too much attention.
Sunlight: Snake plants will thrive in an area with bright, indirect sunlight or medium light.
Water: Water when the soil is almost completely dry.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: Snake plant is a great bedroom companion because it helps you improve the quality of your sleep. The rich oxygen at your home would let your nerves relax and enjoy a sound sleep.
CREDIT: BLOOMSCAPE
Spider Plant
Adding to our drought-tolerant houseplants list is another houseplant that thrives off neglect: Spider plant. It prefers moist soil, but it can survive if you forget to water occasionally. The Spider plant is an air-purifying plant that helps remove benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and xylene.
Sunlight: Spider plant requires bright to moderate light.
Water: Allow the soil to dry before watering. Additionally, make sure to dump out water that drains from the bottom of the pot.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: If the vibrant green stripes of your Spider plant starts to fade, it’s likely thirsty. Simply water it, and watch it come back to life!
CREDIT: AMAZON
Succulents
Cute, easy to care for, and you can place it anywhere in your home. Plus, according to a NASA study, succulents are air-purifying plants, and they’re child-friendly, too. Succulents originated from dry, desert locations, so it’s no brainer that they are part of our drought-tolerant houseplants list. In general, succulents need a sunny spot to survive and frequent watering.
Sunlight: Most succulents need at least 3–6 hours of direct sun every day, preferably during the morning.
Water: Water your succulent when the soil is completely dry. During the dry season, you should water your plant more often because their soil dries up faster.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: Not all succulents are suited for indoor growing. Choose the right succulent for your indoor conditions by reading the plant labels.
CREDIT: WALMART
ZZ Plant
I think it’s one of the best decisions I made when I got myself a ZZ plant. Trust me, this is a tough houseplant that thrives off of neglect. It can survive occasional watering and low light areas of your home. It’s also a great air-purifying plant because it eliminates toxins, such as benzene, toluene, and xylene.
Sunlight: ZZ plants prefer bright, indirect light. However, it can tolerate low-light conditions or bright, fluorescent light.
Water: Water your succulent when the soil is completely dry. Also, allow the soil to dry between watering.
Omysa Plant Care Tip: The most common cause of the death of a ZZ plant is overwatering, so be careful not to overwater your houseplant. It’s best to underwater this plant than to overwater it.
We can all finally skip the guilt of forgetting to water our indoor plants with these our highly recommended drought-tolerant houseplants. Just remember to keep them on the dry side and avoid overwatering, especially if you’re a beginner because most of these drought-tolerant houseplants are prone to root rot.
Grow your plant knowledge. Check out our Plant Care blog to learn more about different houseplants and tips on how to keep your plants alive and healthy.
