Hardy plants thrive with little care

Helping folks to understand plant care is a big part of what I do every day.

Usually a thorough understanding of the conditions that make a plant thrive translates into better plant care.

But not always.

Try as we may, there are those out there who refuse to think of house plants as living things with specific needs -- like water and sunlight.

Fear not, though, for there are plants with a will to live that outstrips owner disregard.

Consider the semi-succulent Zamioculcas zamifolia -- or ZZ plant for short. A native of East Africa, including Zanzibar and Zimbabwe, it is an atypical member of the aroid family, having leaves arranged bipinnately, like a fern, and thick succulent growth. Very glossy, almost shellacked-looking leaves are symmetrically arranged along the swollen petiole or leaf stem.

In its natural habitat, the ZZ experiences periods of both wet and dry conditions and part shade. But the plant seems tolerant of dim light and occasional watering in the house.

It seems to put up with everything short of over-watering. The plant will thrive if it's potted in a well-drained mix, such as potting soil amended with sand and perlite or gravel, and given regular moisture.

But the rules are negotiable. It seems to put up with about anything you throw at it: bright light, dim light, good or poor soil.

Just don't keep it constantly moist. Zamioculcas will get about 2- to 3-feet high if happy, and it puts out regular new fern-like growth.

Like any plant, give it everything it desires and it will thrive. But unlike many, if you ignore the ZZ it keeps on chugging. But the thing about Zamioculcas is that not only can it act like a plastic plant, it looks like one, too.

If you want something a little more "life like," check out a Chinese evergreen. Aglaonema is its botanical name, but if you go into the nursery asking for that they might send you to the pharmacy.

Masses of lance-shaped, foot-long leaves are produced on slender canes that are usually obscured by the leaves.

The Chinese evergreen is valued for the beautiful pattern found on these leaves colored in various splashes and speckles of pewter, silver, olive and white. They are also valued for their extreme low-light tolerance and ability to put up with general abuse.

The Silver Bay variety features creamy leaves with a dark-green edge. Silver Queen has silvery leaves with green blotched along the mid-rib and veins.

"Cosmos" has silvery leaves, a full habit and is speckled with green.

There are many other varieties of this easy-care plant, one that is so tough that it is often found in offices and shopping malls, where it survives off of meager fluorescent light and occasional watering.

Mind you, I am not recommending this kind of abuse. Ideally, a Chinese evergreen will be watered when the top inch of soil dries and it will receive medium light. Never subject them to strong sunlight or cold temperatures, though.