A houseplant for those who can’t keep one alive

Have you killed many houseplants?

I know I certainly have over the years! Once upon a time I really wanted to bring more of nature into my home by having more houseplants. So I would pick up whatever looked pretty in the grocery store or the home improvement place and bring them home and they would look pretty nice for a while.

Until they didn't. And I would be sad and go looking for another plant and bring it home. And ultimately the cycle would repeat. I often had more than one plant but it was usually a rotating cast, if you know what I mean.

Then at some point I realized that there was one kind of plant that was sticking around. One kind of plant that could withstand whatever I could throw at it. Weeks long (months long?) with no water. Bright sun, dark corners, or the worst: overwatering and sitting in wetness for who knows how long.

I fell in love. And I brought home more of them. So if you struggle with houseplant care, I am pretty certain you can keep this one alive!

The plant I fell in love with is called a Ponytail Palm (sometimes I call it a Ponytail plant) or an Elephant Foot plant. The one you see here was first purchased for the boat we had just for the summer of 2001 and came to live in the house when we sold the boat at the end of that summer.

So yes, after spending the summer in a cabin cruiser in the Sacramento Valley and not always getting watered, it has lived for twenty-four years. And - I almost hate to confess - without ever being repotted! (Yikes, now I feel bad.)

Check out my YouTube video to see all of my different Ponytail Palms and hear about how keep them looking their best.