5 Plants You Can’t Kill

About fifteen years ago, I received an orchid from my then boyfriend for my birthday. It was an odd gift for a twenty year old who was living on Taco Bell, 80s music, and post-basketball game gatherings. The orchid was beautiful, purple and bright, a tall slender stem with a few robust leaves. It was full of life. Slowly and surely, I drained the life out of it. It didn’t take long to kill that beautiful plant.

And although I either watered it too much or too little, it became infamous, my basketball team coining a pre-game shoot out after it. Not all was lost after the death of the orchid, I married the man who gave it to me a few short years later.

The orchid began a slow and steady journey towards green thumbing. Outside plants, inside plants, succulents, more orchids, ferns, herbs, roses. I won’t sugar coat it and say my thumb is green. However, I have learned a lot these past fifteen years thanks to my husband and my mother in law (a literal Master Gardener).

Today I want to share with you some plants you can’t kill. There is a caveat to this because of course you can kill any plant if you put your mind to it, but if you try, just a little, these plants will have mercy on you and live.

Phlox

If you are looking for a plant to spread everywhere, grow tall, and give your yard an English garden look, phlox is for you. It is a perennial, which means it will come back year after year. There are loads of colors to choose from and it flowers here in the midwest from July until September. Phlox likes good soil and lots of sun.

I have only planted phlox in the ground, so I am unsure how it will do in a container, but it could be worth a try. We love phlox because it grows tall and fills the back of our garden beds, keeps out weeds, and provides pretty color in the late summer. We have mainly purples, pinks, and whites. Creeping phlox is also pretty if you’re looking for ground cover.

My biggest con for this one is it spreads so easily. I end up digging lots of phlox up throughout the summer because it ends up where it’s not supposed to be.

Sedum

If you google sedum, you will quickly learn that up to 600 species exist. On our farm we have a few varieties and I haven’t killed any of them, yet. Sedum likes full sun, although it can tolerate partial sun, because it has loads of grace. Sedum has thick, waxy leaves and is my go-to plant to keep the weeds out.

The varieties we have on the farm fall into two separate categories: ‘upright sedum’ and ‘low-growing sedum’. The upright sedum is a nice circular clump. It is a perennial, and although it does spread, it looks great year after year. It stays green through the summer and then turns a muted pink in the fall. It isn’t a typical cut flower, but I love to bring some inside in September and early October.

The low growing sedum lives in about every garden on the farm. I can literally throw it in a garden bed and it will grow. It looks great in pots and is pretty ground cover to keep out the weeds.

Mint

Mojitos anyone? If you want to dip your toe into growing your own herbs, start with mint. Before kids, my husband and I would grow mint by the bucketfuls, not on purpose, of course. One plant in our garden bed turned into enough mint for the neighborhood. Two things to learn here: it’s hard to kill mint and it grows like a weed.

I suggest growing mint in a pot, to hinder it from taking over your garden. Mint smells delicious and is the perfect ingredient to make your summertime mojito dreams come true.

Jade

If you’re looking for an easy to grow indoor plant for your kitchen or living room, jade is it. Jade plants like full sun and to be watered when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. I’m sure they do better if you water them when they need it, but I’m not always on top of it. Jade plants have been the only plants to survive during the first month after a new baby or week long vacations.

Cilantro

Another herb on my list is cilantro. It is easier to kill than the others, but it’s worth the extra effort because fresh cilantro on tacos is life. It can be planted in a pot or the garden and likes partial/full sun. What’s great about cilantro is it can reseed itself. It will form little seeds, called coriander, and when the seeds drop, new plants will grow. You can, of course, pinch the seeds off and grow in another spot yourself as well.

I have found it’s a good idea to plant coriander seeds/cilantro at two different times, so there is always fresh cilantro to pick. Plant some seeds in one spot and then a few weeks later, plant some seeds in another spot. Then your tacos can always have fresh, green cilantro on top.

The garden this time of year is a happy place. With a bit of effort, it can yield some pretty and possibly yummy green things.

What have you planted recently? Are there any plants you think are impossible to kill? Share in the comments.