Advice From Our Florists: 5 Houseplants Beginners Often Struggle With (and What to Choose Instead)
As a florist, I see both excitement and disappointment from growers every day. There's nothing more beautiful than watching new greenery thrive in your home. To help you avoid the less joyful moments, I decided, on behalf of our whole team (Bára, Jana, and Andrea), to share our years of experience from behind the counter.
Based on hundreds of conversations with you, our customers, we've put together a list of 5 types of plants that look tempting in the catalog, but whose care in an average apartment can be a real challenge. Take it as a friendly recommendation to save yourself some worry.
1. Highly Toxic Plants (Watch Out With Kids and Pets)
"Is this plant safe?" That's one of the first questions we hear from responsible pet owners. And it's absolutely the right one to ask. It's our professional duty to flag this risk.
- ⛔ Problem plants: Dieffenbachia and lilies. Dieffenbachia sap causes painful swelling of mucous membranes. Lilies (both cut and potted) are deadly poisonous to cats — just licking pollen off their fur risks kidney failure.
- ✅ Our safe choice: For peace of mind, in a household with animals we recommend low-maintenance houseplants, such as a spider plant (Chlorophytum), Peperomia, or various types of Maranta. They're beautiful and 100% safe.
2. Future Giants (a.k.a. "This Won't Fit in Here in a Year")
A classic story from our experience: A customer buys a cute "small" Monstera with a few leaves for their studio apartment. Two years later, they write to us that it doesn't fit in their living room anymore. Remember, you can't outsmart genetics.
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⛔ Problem plants: Monstera deliciosa and Fiddle Leaf Fig. They need huge space, both wide and tall, and without expert pruning they quickly lose their shape and take up half the room.
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✅ Our compact choice: If you want houseplants that stay the same size for years, a safe bet is Zamioculcas or a snake plant (Sansevieria). They grow slowly and hold their vertical shape.
3. "Drama Queens" That Need a Greenhouse
These plants are gorgeous in photos, but honestly — in a typical apartment with dry heating air, they suffer. They're specialists that need high air humidity (above 60%).
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⛔ Problem plants: Calathea and Alocasia. Brown, dry, curling leaf edges on a Calathea aren't your fault. It's a reaction to dry air. Alocasia is also a magnet for pests (spider mites) when kept in dry conditions.
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✅ Our hardy choice: For a beautiful-leaf effect without the worry, we recommend the rewarding pothos (Epipremnum) or philodendrons. They handle ordinary apartment conditions without a humidifier just fine.
Choose Hardy Plants From Us
We've selected these to bring you joy, not worry:
Orchidej, Phalaenopsis
386 Kč
Nephrolepi
370 Kč
Zamioculcas
427 Kč
Sansevieria laurenti
473 Kč
Ficus elastica Robusta
474 Kč
Jasminum polyanthum
349 Kč4. Light Specialists (The Myth of the Bathroom Cactus)
A very common mistake is buying a plant based on looks alone, without considering whether your windows face north or south.
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⛔ Problem plants: Cacti and succulents in dark rooms. They're often said to be "easy." Yes — but only in full sun! In a dark hallway or bathroom, they start stretching toward the light, becoming deformed, and eventually rotting.
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✅ Our choice for partial shade: If your apartment isn't flooded with sunlight, reach for our houseplants for shade category. A peace lily (Spathiphyllum) or Aglaonema are great picks. These varieties tolerate low light beautifully.
5. Plants You'll "Love to Death" (Overwatering)
This is houseplant killer number 1. Most beginners "drown" their plants in the good-faith belief they're giving them care. Roots in water without oxygen rot, and that's the end.
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⛔ Problem plants: Orchids (Phalaenopsis) and Zamioculcas. These flowering houseplants need to dry out between waterings! An orchid shouldn't be "watered" from a watering can, but soaked occasionally and left to drain. A Zamioculcas only needs watering once every 3–4 weeks.
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✅ Our choice for "watering enthusiasts": If you simply have to water often and enjoy doing it, get plants that love it — for example, a fern (Nephrolepis) or Wandering Jew (Tradescantia).
A Closing Word From Monika
Our goal isn't to discourage you — quite the opposite. We want you to enjoy growing plants. There's nothing worse than investing money and care into a plant that, given your conditions, was doomed to fail from the start.
Choosing the right plant is 90% of success, and we're here to help you with that. If you're still not sure which plant is right for you, don't hesitate to reach out to us.
With love for plants, Monika, Bára, Jana, Andrea, and the whole KvětinyExpres.cz team
