TL;DR
Get home appliances delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
A House Beautiful contributor who says she owns 65 houseplants has listed seven plants she finds too demanding, based on her own growing experience. Her complaints include pest problems, leaf drop and specific light, moisture or humidity needs; she suggests alternative plants she finds easier. The assessment is personal, not a universal ranking of plant-care difficulty.
A House Beautiful contributor who says she owns 65 houseplants has named seven varieties she considers too high-maintenance, citing issues such as pests, leaf drop and demanding indoor conditions. The list—based on her personal experience rather than a formal comparison—includes orange trees, peace lilies, Boston ferns, alocasias, fiddle-leaf figs, money trees and African violets.
The writer describes a collection that includes pothos, philodendrons, snake plants and a large bird of paradise. After years of growing houseplants, she says she has become less willing to spend time on varieties that struggle in her home. Her account is explicitly subjective: she notes that plants that have disappointed her may thrive in other people’s homes.
Her main frustrations vary by plant. She says her indoor orange tree needed a grow light and a humidifier, yet still faced recurring spider-mite problems in winter. Her peace lily wilted when it did not stay consistently moist, while Boston ferns repeatedly shed fronds after she brought them indoors for winter.
She also says alocasias and fiddle-leaf figs did not suit her conditions because of their preferences for bright light, steady moisture and higher humidity. She found the money tree’s growth unattractive after repeated trimming, and says her African violets did not bloom as she hoped despite their care requirements. The report offers substitutes: olive tree, anthurium, bird’s nest fern, colorful philodendron, bird of paradise and snake plant, respectively.
Choosing Plants for Indoor Conditions
The report speaks to a common practical problem for indoor gardeners: a plant’s reputation or appearance does not guarantee it will suit a particular home. Available light, indoor humidity and watering routines can affect whether a variety thrives, and the writer’s examples show how those demands can become regular work.
Her recommendations are useful as a record of one grower’s experience, not proof that the listed plants are universally difficult or that the alternatives will work in every space. For readers, the takeaway is to match a plant to the conditions they can provide—and to treat a struggling plant as a possible mismatch rather than a personal failure.
Products Worth Considering
Ring Battery Doorbell (2nd Gen), Indoor Cam Plus, and Chime (3rd Gen) Bundle
Philips Hue Festavia Globe Outdoor String Lights, 32 Bulbs, 91 ft
Philips Hue Bridge Pro Smart Lighting Hub
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
A Grower’s Personal Shortlist
The contributor says her interest in houseplants began in childhood, when she grew a zebra plant that lasted about a week. She credits later experience and plant cuttings from her grandmother with helping her become more capable. Her collection now complements her outdoor gardening, particularly during colder months.
The article contrasts plants she has decided to stop growing with varieties she prefers. For example, she favors an olive tree over an orange tree and a bird of paradise over a fiddle-leaf fig, describing those choices as better suited to her own home and preferences. The source does not report a test, survey or expert review; the list is based on her account of growing the plants over time.
“I don’t think there’s a “bad” houseplant.”
— House Beautiful contributor
What the List Cannot Establish
The article does not specify when it was published, provide independent horticultural testing or compare the plants under identical conditions. The contributor’s explanations—including the care demands she identifies and the alternatives she prefers—reflect her experience in her home. It is not clear how the plants would perform in different climates, rooms or care routines, and the source does not give detailed growing instructions for each substitute.
Matching Plants to Your Home
The report does not announce a follow-up or a new development beyond the contributor’s recommendations. Readers considering one of the listed plants can use the account as a prompt to check its light, humidity and watering needs against their own indoor conditions. The writer’s next step, as described, is to keep the alternatives she enjoys and let go of plants that repeatedly fail to suit her space.
Key Questions
Which houseplants does the writer consider too high-maintenance?
She names orange trees, peace lilies, Boston ferns, alocasias, fiddle-leaf figs, money trees and African violets. The list reflects her personal experience.
What alternatives does she recommend?
Her suggested alternatives are an olive tree, anthurium, bird’s nest fern, colorful philodendron, bird of paradise and snake plant. She does not name a specific replacement for African violets in the supplied report.
Does the article say these plants are difficult for everyone?
No. The contributor says some may thrive in other homes. Her list describes what she found challenging in her own indoor growing conditions.
What care problems does the writer describe?
She reports recurring spider mites on her orange tree, wilting in a peace lily when moisture was inconsistent, and heavy frond drop from Boston ferns indoors. She also cites bright-light, moisture and humidity requirements for several of the other plants.
Source: rss
