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9 Difficult to Grow Houseplants That Are Worth The Fuss
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Jul 1, 2025
Some houseplants are easy. These… are not. In this video, we're diving into 9 houseplants that are notoriously difficult to grow—but totally worth the effort. From the dramatic Fiddle-Leaf Fig to the high-maintenance but stunning Gardenia, these plants will test your patience and plant-care skills. But when you get it right? They’ll reward you with jaw-dropping beauty, bold vibes, and serious plant parent bragging rights. Whether you're looking for a new challenge or just curious why some plants act like divas, this one's for you. Hit play, take notes, and let’s see if you're ready to take your indoor jungle to the next level. Inside the video: 00:00 Intro 00:49 Elephant’s Ear 1:47 Moth Orchid 2:43 Tradescantia 3:37 Fiddle-Leaf Fig 4:33 Boston Fern 5:37 Bird’s Nest Fern 6:36 Gardenia 7:35 Zebra Plant 8:34 Banana Plant 9:33 Ending 🌿 Got a fussy plant you’ve mastered? Or one that drove you totally crazy? Tell me in the comments—I wanna hear your stories.
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0:00
you ever buy a plant thinking "How hard
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could it be?" and 2 weeks later you're
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holding brown leaves wondering where it
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all went wrong yeah me too some house
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plants are drama queens one wrong move
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and they'll throw a fit curl up drop
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leaves or just straight up die on you
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but here's the thing when you do figure
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them out when the light hits just right
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and the humidity is on point they're
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stunning like jaw-dropping Instagram
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worthy kind of beautiful so today I'm
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showing you nine house plants that are
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kind of difficult kind of picky but
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absolutely worth the struggle yeah
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they'll test your patience but if you're
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up for the challenge these green divas
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will reward you in ways that easy plants
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just don't let's get into it because the
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struggle is real but the payoff totally
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worth it
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first up is Elephants Iran man this
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plant does not play around it wants
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exactly what it wants and if it doesn't
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get it it'll let you know real quick
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we're talking tropical jungle vibes here
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which means it craves high humidity warm
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temps and bright but indirect light miss
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a watering schedule or let the air get
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too dry and those massive dramatic
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leaves they'll droop like they just got
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bad news plus it's super sensitive to
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overwatering so you're always dancing on
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that fine line between dry soil tantrums
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and root rot but when it's happy oh it
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goes full diva in the best way towering
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leaves that look like they belong in a
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rainforest catching the light like giant
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pieces of living art it turns any room
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into a lush exotic escape sure it's high
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maintenance but when it flourishes it's
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one of those plants that stops people in
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their tracks and makes the work feel
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totally worth it
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moth orchid is one of those plants that
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looks elegant and effortless until you
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actually try to keep it alive it's like
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the supermodel of the house plant world
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gorgeous but secretly highmaintenance
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it needs just the right balance of
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filtered light and steady humidity and
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don't even think about overwatering it
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those roots will rot faster than you can
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say what went wrong you've also got to
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be patient because once the blooms fall
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off it goes into this awkward phase
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where it looks like a sad stick in a pot
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but here's the thing if you hang in
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there treat it right and resist the urge
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to toss it it'll bloom again and when it
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does it's magical long delicate stems
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vibrant flowers that look like they were
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painted by hand and a vibe that makes
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your space feel instantly more refined
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it's a bit of a puzzle but once you
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figure it out it rewards you with pure
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elegance that's worth every fussy step
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tracantia might look like an easygoing
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colorful trailing plant but don't be
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fooled it's got attitude this one wants
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bright indirect light or it'll start
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fading faster than your favorite old
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jeans and water it wants consistency not
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soaking too dry and it gets crispy too
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wet and the stems go mushy on you plus
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it grows super fast which sounds great
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until you realize it can get leggy and
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weird looking if you don't trim it
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regularly kind of like a haircut that
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got out of hand but here's the deal when
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you nail the care this plant absolutely
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shines vibrant purples silvers and
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greens spilling out of a pot or hanging
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basket like a living waterfall of color
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it brings energy to any room and just
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feels alive tracantia makes you work a
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little sure but that wild bold payoff is
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more than worth the extra attention
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fiddly fig is basically the moody
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celebrity of the plant world gorgeous
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dramatic and totally unpredictable you
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move it an inch it drops a leaf you
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water it a little too much or too little
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another leaf gone it demands bright
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indirect light but will freak out if it
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gets blasted with direct sun drafty
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window it's mad humidity too low it's
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mad breathe near it the wrong way still
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mad but when it's happy man it makes a
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statement tall glossy violin-shaped
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leaves that give your space a bold
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architectural vibe like nothing else it
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instantly turns any corner into a
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magazine cover it's definitely not for
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beginners but if you're up for the
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challenge and willing to learn its
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language it'll reward you with stunning
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growth and major bragging rights owning
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a thriving fiddly fig feels like
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unlocking some secret plant boss level
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boston Fern is the ultimate humidity
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snow bit wants that rainforest air not
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your dry living room the moment the air
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gets too dry it starts shedding like
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it's going through a breakup you'll find
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little green bits all over the floor and
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start questioning your life choices it's
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not just the air either this thing needs
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consistent moisture in the soil without
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getting soggy which is a tightroppe walk
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for most plant parents miss one watering
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crispy fronds overdo it root rot and
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don't even try putting it near a heater
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or in a draft it'll turn on you fast but
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when you get the setup right bright
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indirect light humidity on point soil
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just moist enough it explodes into this
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lush green fountain of life all those
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soft feathery fronds draping over the
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edge of the pot giving your space that
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classic cozy jungle look it's the kind
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of plant that feels like it's breathing
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with you sure it'll keep you on your
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toes but that full vibrant green payoff
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is totally worth the high maintenance
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routine you just got to treat it more
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like a pet than a plant
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bird's nest fern is one of those plants
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that looks chill at first glance but
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secretly it's got a list of demands it
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hates direct sunlight too harsh and the
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fronds burn but give it too little light
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and it just sits there doing absolutely
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nothing and the watering that's a game
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of precision you've got to keep the soil
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evenly moist but never soggy and
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whatever you do don't pour water into
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the center of the plant or it might rot
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from the inside out like a self-destruct
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button plus it's a total humidity addict
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if your air is dry those wavy fronds
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start looking crispy and sad real fast
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but when it's happy this plant is pure
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jungle drama in the best way those
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glossy bright green fronds unfurl from
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the middle like a slow motion fan giving
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you that lush prehistoric look that
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totally transforms a space it's a little
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fuzzy sure but the sculptural vibe and
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calming energy it brings make every bit
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of effort feel like a win
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gardinia is straight up a heartbreaker
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it smells like heaven those creamy white
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flowers put out this rich dreamy scent
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that fills a whole room but getting it
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to bloom indoors that's where the
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heartbreak comes in it's ridiculously
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picky about everything it wants bright
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indirect light all day long and if the
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temperature swings even a few degrees
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it'll drop buds just to spite you the
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soil has to stay moist but never soggy
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and don't forget it needs acidic soil
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which means you're probably buying
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special mix or tweaking your watering
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routine oh and humidity it wants spa day
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levels every single day but here's the
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thing when you do get it right and those
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buds open it feels like you just
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unlocked some elite plant care badge the
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scent the glossy dark leaves the
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delicate white flower sits romantic
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nostalgic and totally worth the struggle
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gardinia doesn't make it easy but when
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it blooms it's pure magic
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zebra plant is one of those house plants
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that looks like it belongs in a designer
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showroom bold striped leaves dramatic
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shape and when it's in bloom that neon
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yellow flower spike steals the whole
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show but man this plant does not like to
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compromise it needs bright indirect
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light too much sun and the leaves scorch
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too little and the stripes start to fade
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it wants consistent moisture but
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absolutely hates sitting in wet soil so
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you're walking a tight rope with every
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watering and don't even think about
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skipping humidity it wants that tropical
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steamy vibe all day every day it also
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doesn't like to be moved around a lot
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and it'll start throwing fits if the
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environment changes too often but when
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it's thriving it looks like living art
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those glossy patterned leaves and that
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wild yellow blooms a showstopper zebra
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plant might demand a five-star treatment
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but if you're willing to give it the
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plant equivalent of a luxury suite it'll
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reward you with a look that's totally
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next level
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the banana plant brings full-on tropical
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vacation energy into your home but it's
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got the attitude of a diva on tour first
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off it needs a ton of lightlike
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sundrenched windows or grow lights
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running overtime without that it gets
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leggy and sad fast then there's the
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water situation it wants to stay
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consistently moist but not soggy and
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it'll throw a fit if the soil dries out
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even a little add in its obsession with
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humidity and warmth and suddenly you're
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trying to recreate a mini rainforest in
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your living room just to keep it from
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pouting and don't forget the space it
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needs this thing gets big fast so unless
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you've got room for a leafy beast it's
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going to feel cramped real quick but
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when it's happy oh man those huge lush
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leaves fan out like green wings and
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instantly turn your space into a jungle
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dream it's bold beautiful and yes a
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little extra but that's what makes the
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banana plant totally worth the hustle so
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yeah these plants might test your
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patience your skills and maybe even your
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sanity but when they're thriving they're
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absolute showstoppers if you're up for
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the challenge the reward is more than
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just greenery a space that feels alive
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bold and seriously beautiful thanks for
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hanging out and if you've got a favorite
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plant that's worth the fuss drop it in
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the comments i want to hear what you're
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growing