Neglectable Houseplants

In her book Making Things Grow---a Practical Guide for the Indoor Gardener, Thalassa Cruso calls succulents “neglectable plants.” That is because all fleshy-leaved succulents are slow to lose the water stored in their leaves. They also can go into dormancy to conserve water during drought. Cruso says that is why succulents make such good houseplants, thriving in the hot dry conditions in our homes and allowing us to, on occasion, neglect them. Of course, the degree of succulence in the tissues of plants varies, but the amount predicts just how long a plant can go without any water. Gloxinias and African violets are succulents, as well as hoyas, sempervivums, sedums and the various types of cacti. At this time of the year, the Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus plants are getting ready to delight us with their colorful flower displays for the holidays. Some experts advise us to withhold water from these plants for the month before their expected season of bloom to precipitate dense flowering. Also with all succulents, always repot using a dry soil mix and never bury any of the leaves. These plants require less water than other houseplants, and they will rot if they become waterlogged so water sparingly and only when the soil is quite dried out in the pot. Succulents are durable plants and can usually be left at home alone, while we vacation.