If regular plant maintenance is a hassle for you, these indoor plants that don’t need water and fertilizer for months can be your green buddies!
Love plants but have a busy schedule? Want to have an indoor plant collection, but you keep having to travel, especially for extended periods? Well, don’t worry because we have brought to you the best list of the perfect indoor plants that don’t need water and fertilizer for weeks and even months! Having said that, all plants do need some level of maintenance, but rest assured, these plants will only make your life easier and your home prettier!
Indoor Plants that Don’t Need Water and Fertilizer for Months
1. Snake Plant
Botanical Name: Sansevieria spp.
Drought-tolerant and resilient? Well, Sansevierias surely bag the crown with their nearly indestructible features. The thick and sturdy leaves can store water for upto weeks, especially when placed in a low-lit spot. As for nourishment, fertilize your snake plant once or twice during the growing season, and you’re good to go for the entire year!
2. ZZ Plant
Botanical Name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
With dark green glossy leaves, the ZZ Plant is a hit among busy plant parents who might miss showering their plants even for months. A monthly deep watering session is more than enough because ita rhizomes store up the water for them. Plus, this beauty does best in poor-quality soil, so using little fertilizer in the potting soil is just fine.
3. Panda Plant
Botanical Name: Kalanchoe tomentosa
Take drought tolerance one step further by growing this fuzzy houseplant. When placed indoors and away from direct sunlight, it requires minimal watering—about once every 40 to 50 days. To keep it healthy, a single fertilization during the warmer months is all that’s needed.
4. Aloe Vera
Botanical Name: Aloe vera
A well-known succulent that you literally cannot go wrong with is the Aloe vera. Not only do they need water very sparingly, but you can even keep it in the darkest corner of your home for weeks! Moreover, Aloe vera is not a heavy feeder; in fact, fertilizing it more than twice a year can stunt its growth and lead to salt build up in the medium.
5. Sago Palm
Botanical Name: Cycas revoluta
Though you would need to water more often in the growing stages of a Sago palm, it requires very little water in its mature years. The same goes for fertilization; it requires a slow-release feed every 4-6 weeks in the warmer months and can go pretty well without any feed as it matures.
6. Haworthia
Botanical Name: Haworthia magnifica
Haworthia is so efficient at storing moisture that it hardly needs to be watered. In fact, it can go without water for months in humid and cold climates. Also, just using a well-drained medium with slow-release granules when potting will take care of its nutritional needs.
7. Living Stones
Botanical Name: Lithops karasmontana spp.
Arguably the least demanding of all on this list, Lithops or Living stones do not require water at all during the colder months as the plant goes dormant during this time.
A single watering session suffices as they resume growth in late summer. Naturally adapted to sparse soils, they need just a once-a-year spring feeding with a diluted fertilizer at 25% strength.
8. Jade Plant
Botanical Name: Crassula ovata
Yet another indoor succulent, jade plants store water quite efficiently in their leaves and absolutely hate wet feet. They might need a drink when the top couple of inches of the medium dries out, stretching for weeks in the humid and cold months. Also, pruning works more in its favor than fertilization.
9. Ox Tongue
Botanical Name: Helminthotheca echioides
This rare beauty does best in abundant sunlight and should be placed no more than 3 feet from a window to optimize growth. The plant prefers extremely well-draining soil and typically doesn’t require additional fertilizers if repotted each time its size doubles.
10. Bunny Ear Cactus
Botanical Name: Opuntia microdasys
Being a cactus, watering this plant regularly is a sure-shot way to kill it. In fact, it can go well without a shower for about 4-5 weeks in humid homes. Also, fertilizing it just once a year is more than enough to meet its nutrient needs.
11. Spider Plant
Botanical Name: Chlorophytum comosum
Consider adding a Spider Plant to your hanging baskets if you haven’t yet—it’s the epitome of low-maintenance. It withstands neglect like a pro, especially if left unwatered for weeks. Also, it is not much fussy about fertilization; just a light feed every two months in the warmer months can do the work.
12. Pothos
Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum
This low-fuss plant is a staple in almost every home and office, especially those with hectic schedules. It hates wet feet that can manifest as spotted stems and yellow foliage, and a light feed 2-3 times in the warmer months can keep it lush and thriving for years.
