The Longest-Living Houseplants (And How To Keep Them Thriving For Decades)
Houseplants are like friends. Some come and go in a few years, but a small handful will stick around for most of your life. They just need the right location, a bit of patience and care, and the occasional check‑in. Below are eight plants that have proven they can stick around for decades, and some tips for how to keep them thriving. I’ve tried to keep the advice simple: no magic potions, just helpful habits you can easily add into your everyday life. Ready to meet the plants that are in it for the long-haul?
Sago Palm
Bringing home a sago palm is like adopting a prehistoric survivor. In nature this slow grower dates back to the age of dinosaurs, and when grown indoors it can live for up to two hundred years. Place it in bright, indirect light and water sparingly, as too little moisture is better than too much. The stiff, arching fronds are easy to dust with a damp cloth, which keeps pests down and the plant looking museum‑worthy. With a little love and care, your sago palm could outlive you!
Christmas Cactus
The Christmas cactus often gets sold as a winter novelty, only to be forgotten in a closet after a few weeks. But if you treat it right, those jointed stems will bloom every winter and sometimes again in late spring. In fact, some families report passing one down for more than a century! Moderate indoor light, slightly cooler nights, and a month of short days in autumn gets buds ready to bloom like clockwork. Water your Christmas cactus when the top inch of soil feels dry and use a loose mix so roots don’t sit in sludge, and you’ll be all set.
Jade Plant
Jade plants look like little trees but behave totally differently, storing water in their thick leaves. Given bright, indirect light and a deep watering every few weeks in summer (and much less in winter), they can thrive for fifty to one hundred years. Over time the trunks grow woody and develop the kind of character you’d expect from something that’s been around longer than most cars on the road. If leaves shrivel, add water; if they yellow, ease up. It’s a plant that’s easy to care for and will reward you by sticking around for a long while.
Cast Iron Plant
Its nickname says it all. The cast iron plant is unbothered by low light, temperature dips, infrequent watering, and even a bit of neglect. Stories circulate of these plants lasting half a century, or even longer. You should let its soil dry out almost completely, then water thoroughly. Dust the long, leathery leaves once in a while so they can photosynthesize without a film. And if the tips start to turn brown, it’s usually a sign of overwatering rather than drought. The cast iron plant is one of the longest-lasting, impossible to kill plants you’ll ever come across.
Snake Plant
Snake plants stand stiff and silent, photosynthesizing by day and releasing oxygen by night. That nocturnal quirk makes them the perfect houseplants to have in your bedroom. They don’t mind low light and skipped waterings, yet given good care they can remain standing for multiple decades. Plant them in a gritty, free‑draining mix and water only when soil is bone dry. Rotate the pot every month so the leaves don’t grow on a lean toward the nearest window. Their sword‑like leaves looks sculptural, and they’re unbelievably resilient, making them the perfect, long-lasting bedroom décor.
Rubber Tree
A rubber tree starts small but can grow as tall as the ceiling before you know it, all while living twenty‑plus years indoors. Large, glossy leaves drink in light, so setting it up in a bright room is best, although it can tolerate medium light too. To make sure it lasts as long as it can, keep soil evenly moist during the growing season and dial back watering in winter. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth to keep that showroom shine and to help the plant breathe. If height becomes an issue, a quick pruning redirects energy into growing fuller side branches. It’s the perfect houseplant for anyone wanting to make their home feel a bit more tropical.
Spider Plant
Spider plants rarely keep to themselves. Once settled, they dangle baby plantlets that you can clip and root for friends or spread to other rooms. Mother plants often live twenty years or more, especially when given bright, indirect light and well‑drained soil. Water when the top layer of soil feels dry. And keep an eye out for crispy tips, which often signal fluoride or chlorine buildup, so an occasional flush with filtered water helps. Hang or place the plant up high and let the runners hang down, so that you can enjoy the sway of the dangly leaves. The spider plant is truly the plant that keeps on giving.
ZZ Plant
The ZZ plant grows at a snail’s pace, but that patience pays off in durability. Tubers beneath the soil act like water reservoirs, so forgetting to water it now and then hardly does any damage. Place in low to medium light, water only when soil feels dry two inches down, and repot once every three or four years. Over decades, yes that's plural, it slowly forms a clump of glossy, deep‑green stalks that look polished even on dusty days. It’s a houseplant that’s unassuming, reliable, and surprisingly long‑lived.
Your Lifelong Houseplant
Caring for houseplants is all about routine. Pay attention, make small adjustments, and learn from your mistakes. These eight plants reward steady habits, not constant hovering, and they’ll reward you with quiet growth every year. One day you might glance at a ZZ plant or rubber tree and realize it has been with you through moves, milestones, and maybe even grandkids. So pick one that suits your space, give it a good start, and get ready to watch the decades pass by together.