FlyTrapCare Forums

So, now that I have a giant Mexican Pinguicula shaped hole in my soul (too dramatic?), I think I need to look for something living and green that can handle the conditions that my new home (as of April) will provide. Where better to go to ask for some help in choosing new plants than my fellow sap-blooded clan?

I'd love to get some feedback about plants that are...

* Drought resistant (i.e. can withstand not being watered for a week/ten days at a time)
* Low light (no windowsills whatsoever but plenty of indirect light during the day)
* Easy to please (tap water + regular soil)
* Purty and leafy (I like leaves, although flowers are also very nice)
* Easy to move (nothing massive or overly heavy)
* Available in England
* Can handle cold spells (the flat gets coooold in winter without the heating on)
* Not an orchid

I was looking at peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) as a possibility but am also just curious as to what else is out there and what each of you have grown in the past. Thank you!

I personally recommend a bird's nest fern (Asplenium spp.). They can be very pretty, I personally prefer those with a black midrib. They might just need water a tiny bit more often than what you've said (maybe 4 or 5 days at a time? Idk I've never seen them as indoor plants because I'm in the tropics)
Does the flat get colder than 10°? If so then that may be a bit too cold for them

How cold are the cold spells? Maybe chinese evergreen? Spider plant? What about the ZZ plant? These are all very common plants.

What about CPs to grow OUTSIDE? CPs are not limited to Mexican Pings
Try sarracenia or drosera rotundifolia, which grows naturaly in Europe, I believe.

There are lots succulents and houseplants that would do well in the conditions you described.

Jade plants are drought resistant, can handle cool temperatures, and grow (and divide) quickly (they can get rather large). They make great bonsai plants.

Sansevieria is basically immortal and if you actually water it more than twice a year and dont keep it in a dark corner like I do it produces a pretty flower spike that drips nectar.

Several cacti would do well, and there are also several succulents that are much hardier than pings and look just like them, though obviously they are not carnivorous.

Ivy seems to need A LOT of water so I would not recommend that, but various philodendron do well with lots of water or very little.

Sakaaaaa wrote:What about CPs to grow OUTSIDE? CPs are not limited to Mexican Pings
Try sarracenia or drosera rotundifolia, which grows naturaly in Europe, I believe.

May simply not have a space outside to put them.

I'd definitely look at Haworthias. They stay small, are grown for their beautiful leaves, and there's hundreds of varieties to choose from.

http://www.haworthia.info/

Edit: Also Euphorbias. Only downside is that the sap is poisonous, so not good if you you have small mammals in the house.

I like parlor palms. you get them small and they take a long time to grow big. they are very good with really low light. I forget about mine sometimes and it always does good for me. lucky bamboo is another very easy one as well. just stick it in a glass of water and low light

Also, remember that many species of Pings grow on North facing rock walls where they would seemingly not get any direct sun

I like pothos. They're nearly impossible to kill, and, when they're happy, you get long trailing vines.

SFLguy wrote:Also, remember that many species of Pings grow on North facing rock walls where they would seemingly not get any direct sun

North facing in the north side of the equator, or south side of the equator?

Benurmanii wrote:

SFLguy wrote:Also, remember that many species of Pings grow on North facing rock walls where they would seemingly not get any direct sun

North facing in the north side of the equator, or south side of the equator?

Once you go past central America I don't know about the pings there but all of central America is above the equator

You're all absolutely amazing, thank you so much!

Unfortunately the only outside space we have is just outside the bedroom window, which is in the basement (our flat is upside down), but there is a grate over the top that people tend to dump rubbish down. It's also difficult opening that window... otherwise I'd have a massive trough of P. vulgaris!

I'm not sure exactly how cold "cold" is in the flat, but I tend to feel the cold a lot more anyway so it's probably not too entirely horrible. Below 10 degrees C in the basement at times, I'd think, but upstairs it's milder.

I'd go with Haworthia, Sanseveria & maybe Gasteria also what about African Violet depending on how cold your "cold" is.

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