There are many reasons why some plants strike a nerve with plant parents. Sometimes it’s because the plant grows a little too well, or it’s the one plant they can not keep alive regardless of their “green thumb.” We asked a handful of house plant influencers what popular house plants they dislike the most and why. Their answers may surprise you. Summer Rayne Oakes of Homestead Brooklyn agrees. “Spider plants are one of those plants that can be so prolific—it doesn’t want you to have any other plants,” says Oakes, “I have one now, but I used to have a massive one, and I had to get rid of it because it was propagating itself in every other planter pot.” It’s hard to imagine that anyone would dislike the ever-popular succulent and even their cousins, the cacti! These plants have invaded every big mainstream retailer and, in part, have managed to fuel the house plant craze. However, many new plant owners are learning the hard way that although these plants can grow in some of the harshest environments on earth, they can be hard to grow indoors. “I don’t know why they became the go-to gift option, but they’re slow-growing and not always the easiest to take care of,” says Nick. “I am annoyed with the ‘Pink Princess’ Philodendron,” says Steinkop, “I had one three times YEARS ago, and it did not make it in my care.” Steinkopf does have only one regret when it comes to the Pink Princess. “I wish I had been successful with it because it IS one of those plants that people will pay big bucks for,” says Steinkopf. But Gaumond says not to take the bait. “Your Bird of Paradise will rarely bloom indoors when grown as a houseplant,” warns Gaumond, “They require a good degree of maintenance and care such as close monitoring of moisture levels in the soil base, ensuring suitable light conditions are present year-round, and also that they’re never exposed to frigid temperatures or drafts. For me, they’re all work without a big reward.” As for Crotons, Warwick says, “people are easily drawn to the croton because of its bright, vibrant colors.” However, these plants are notoriously finicky. They are magnets for common plant pests such as mealybugs, scale, thrips, or spider mites. “It’s an absolutely beautiful plant to look at, but keeping it alive and thriving is a completely different story,” says Warwick. “It’s not even anything against the plant itself really,” confesses Froelich, “It’s just that no matter how hard I try, I can’t keep this plant alive.” Froelich is not alone—many houseplant experts have that one plant that toys with their green thumb pride. “I literally do the marketing for Lively Root as a living and am a proud plant parent of many other healthy plants, but my Fiddle Leaf Fig taunts me with brown and wilting leaves,” says Froelich.
