Indoor Plant Help

[ArcticChicken]

I want to stick a plant or two in my room, but I have no idea what would be good, and I was hoping for recommendations.

I need something that can handle a bit of neglect, I can get forgetful. My windows face SE, so I get a lot of bright sunlight in the morning, then shade all through the afternoon.

[Kittish]

For an absolute beginner who tends to be forgetful, I'd say go with something easy like a pothos or a spider plant. Both of those tend to be somewhat forgiving of being somewhat neglected (remember to water them a couple of times a month and you're good), both do well in low light but can handle fairly bright light, and both make excellent plants as hanging plants. Either set one on a table or stand in front of the window or hang it in about the same general area.

If you're feeling REALLY adventurous, you might consider something a bit more exotic, like an orchid. But DO read up on taking care of them before getting one. They're not especially difficult, but can be quite picky about some things, such as planting medium. Potting soil will kill an orchid fast. My orchids are near a window in an area that gets direct morning sun, and then bright indirect light the rest of the day.

[Docmayhem]

I'm partial to Aloe, myself, but most desert plants can handle bright sun and infrequent watering.

[CoffeeMonkey]

Ditto the shamrocks. I'm currently tending a shamrock plant for work. The place we liked to keep it (they like a lot of sun) got too cold in the winter and it all died. This is the second time the whole thing has died and come back.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

You can't really go wrong with Peace Lilies, Spider Plants, Snake Plants, and Pothos.

Even my mom can keep a Peace Lily alive, and that is saying something.

[Food Lady]

Another vote for pothos. I split mine into two in the non-growing season and they're doing just fine. Also, a palm can take a lot of light or a little, and if you don't water for a while, meh. I am really neglectful of mine and it seems impossible to kill.

[ParkingWitch]

Mother in laws tongue will take a lot of abuse also.

I let mine get so pot bound that it bloomed, but you need a good heavy pot to pull that trick.

[Seshat]

Another option is to go to an actual garden store (not part of a hardware store or despartment store) and talk to a specialist.

Syngonium (arrowhead vine?) is easy to grow and hard to kill, and one option for growing it is actually to put a cutting of syngonium into a bottle of water. It will grow some roots, and live nicely as a small aquatic plant! You only get a small syngonium that way, though - a nice, bushy healthy one needs soil.

[draggar]

I'm partial to Aloe, myself, but most desert plants can handle bright sun and infrequent watering.

+ 1 for Aloe, plus it's a great idea to have an aloe plant in every house - aloe is great for skin and can be a good first aid for burns, etc..

Get a minor burn? Break off a leaf and let the aloe drop onto the injured areal

You might also want to consider a small (3 pot?) Aerogarden. You can grow herbs, small veggies, or even flowers in them.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

I hear you'd be horribly special if you manage to kill a mint (any sort) plant. <--- never everever let it out of the pot! SO WEEDY.
Rubber plants are stupid easy, just keep them root-bound, they prefer it!

[ParkingWitch]

Oh the wrong kind of special... Mom managed to underwater a cactus.

[TheSHAD0W]

Mother in laws tongue will take a lot of abuse also.

That's weird, I'd expect it to *give* abuse.

[CoffeeMonkey]

Oh the wrong kind of special... Mom managed to underwater a cactus.

That...would be me. I killed a cactus by not watering it enough. Poor cactus.