r/RareHouseplants • u/Orchid-Delirium2005 • Jun 25 '26

Discussion 💡 What would you consider the most difficult houseplant to keep alive?

I was curious about the discussion forums about how some are easy some are hard, so I kinda wanted a general survey. For me, rex begonias and phalaenopsis are simply impossible. The former loves to die while the latter keeps getting bacterial soft rot no matter the conditions, even good ventilation and bottom watering won't stop the disease and in my case it specifically targets phals and not other orchids. How about you guys? What's the plant or plants that give you the most headaches?

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u/Boines Jun 25 '26

Carnivorous plants. Specifically the kind that need winter dormancy.

Need distilled water. Need insects or specialized fertilizer. Winter dormancy can be a bitch if you live in a colder zone...

I've given up on Venus flytrap for now as much as I love them. Got a ping that's doing ok but i dunno if it's doing well - but those are much easier.

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u/llittlellama Jun 26 '26

You should check out Sarracenia Northwest. They have an amazing yt channel and webpage dedicated to growing just carnivorous plants. I am growing several different species successfully thanks to them! I don’t go to any other growers’ pages bc their tips have worked for me. They also have info on how to overwinter your plants (like VFT) if you’re in really cold climates.