Nice but easy houseplant for a teenager

[ErrolTheDragon]

DD has just said she'd like a nice houseplant for her upcoming 18th birthday present, not something I would ever have guessed she'd want! Reality says that although she'll have good intentions, 'thrives on neglect' may be an important criterion. Nothing which needs misting, is pest prone and which can survive with erratic watering, I think. My thoughts so far are peace lily (robust but a bit meh) or an orchid, but just thought I'd see if there were any other ideas?

Oh, clicked on here to suggest peace lily. Tis is the only houseplant I haven't managed to kill.

I clicked to say peace Lilly too

My suggestions would be the same as yours. I've also got a peace lily that has resisted all my efforts to neglect it - in fact it's nearly 20 years old, it's as tough as they come.

The only other thing I can keep alive for any length of time is orchids. In fact now I remember I've got a bay tree in a pot that I haven't watered in months, I'm off to see if the poor thing is still alive - ds cut all its leaves off once when he was little, it bounced back!

Orchids are pretty indestructible if you don't over water and you can get some really pretty ones now.
Otherwise how about an oxalis (eg purple shamrock)?

Looks like my first thoughts aren't bad!

I don't think I've ever seen oxalis as a houseplant.

How about a cactus?

I'm a self confessed plant killer but was recently given a little money plant in a pot which seems to be thriving!

Bit sad that it's failed to produce any money though

orchids, they thrive on neglect

I've never been keen on cacti since the time when, while browsing the houseplants in Sainsburys, I knocked one off a shelf and caught it.

My 13 yo DS has a Bromeliad. Very simple.

I can imagine that would leave a mental scar.

Orchid with one of those dripper things in are bombproof. DD is quite taken with our Amaryllis nicknamed the triffid as she loves seeing it almost grow in front of her eyes.

I am a bit rubbish with house plants but having great success with a reduced to £3 airplant from B and Q, as in it's still alive and I've done nothing. Aloe Vera is another tough one that only gets watered on the kitchen window about twice a year and handy to have for burns.

Another alternative that isn't bombproof but might appeal to her is a Steptocarpus as easy to do leaf propagation and she might enjoy that. I think you can get drip feeding systems or a self watering pots to get over watering issues maybe ?

Spider plants. Cheap, don't mind a bit of neglect and look gorgeous on any surface where they can dangle down. Plus they have babies, giving you free additional plants.

Another one with a plant killing talent
Another vote for orchid

OK so feeling like a complete failure for having to ship our very unhappy orchid off to my nanny's house for rehab

I like money trees, they barely need watering and also grow little babies quite readily that you can pot and give to friends.

As others have said peace lilies are also lovely. They don't need much light either which is good if you don't have a spot near a window.

Peace lily or aloe vera plant. The aloe is great for the skin too!

fab. I'll probably get her an orchid and a peace lily or money plant (depending on what size available, I don't think she'd want too large) and a couple of nice pots to put them in. And I might just be tempted to get one of the other ideas for myself. (not the cactus!)

Dd17 loves her cacti!

May I recommend dracenea or flowering christmas cactus? A slight two month disparity between moving our stuff into a house and actually living there meant almost everything else gave up (even my ten year old peace lily).
I recently killed all my money plants too during house works (lack of light that time).
The dracenea have outlived everything...hard as nails!

That's a good recommendation, but might be a bit large. I think they're supposed to be quite dog-toxic so couldn't have a floor standing one (maybe there are little ones?)

dracenea, that is, obv not xmas cactus

lthough if dog ate cactus he would be rather bemused too

The only plant I have managed not to kill is a Weeping Fig.

He's a dachshund, so anything above coffee-table height is unreachable, fortunately.