Which Indoor Plants Are Easiest to Kill? (And How to Stop Murdering Them in 2025)

You’ve done it again. Walked into Trader Joe’s, saw that gorgeous fiddle-leaf fig, brought it home, and three weeks later it’s a sad, leafless stick. Welcome to the club—roughly 70% of new plant parents admit to at least one accidental homicide in their first year. Some plants just come with a “kill me” sign taped to their pot.

Here are the eight indoor superstars that top every 2025 “most murdered” list—plus the exact mistakes that send them to the compost bin and the one trick that might actually save them.

Rank	Plant	Nickname Among Plant Parents	Why It Dies So Fast	Survival Rating (1–10)
1	Fiddle-Leaf Fig	Drama Queen Supreme	Needs perfect bright indirect light + zero drafts + consistent moisture	3/10
2	Calathea (all varieties)	The Crispy Leaf Factory	Hates tap water, dry air, and temperature swings	2/10
3	Maidenhair Fern	Delicate Disaster	Wants 70%+ humidity 24/7 and never dries out	1/10
4	Boston Fern	Brown Tip Generator	Same humidity obsession as maidenhair, but bigger	2/10
5	Phalaenopsis Orchid	Grocery-Store Heartbreaker	Roots rot in regular pots; blooms once and ghosts you	4/10
6	Alocasia (all types)	Elephant Ear Dropper	Drops leaves if you look at it wrong	3/10
7	String of Pearls	Bead-Spilling Succulent	Overwatering turns pearls into mush overnight	4/10
8	Venus Flytrap	Distilled-Water Diva	Tap water = death sentence in 60 days	1/10

The Top 3 Ways You’re Accidentally Killing Them

1. Wrong Watering (the #1 killer) Overwatering rots roots, underwatering crisps leaves. Most of these plants want the top inch of soil dry before the next drink—except ferns and calatheas, who want to stay lightly moist but never soggy.
2. Dry Indoor Air Your heated or air-conditioned home is basically the Sahara to a rainforest plant. Anything under 50% humidity makes calatheas, ferns, and alocasias throw tantrums.
3. Bad Light Too little → leggy, pale, sad. Too much direct sun → scorched leaves. Fiddle-leaf figs are especially picky about getting 6–8 hours of bright, filtered light with no cold drafts.

Indoor Plants

Early Warning Signs You’re About to Lose One

• Brown, crispy leaf tips/edges → humidity or underwatering
• Yellow lower leaves → overwatering or poor drainage
• Sudden leaf drop → shock from moving, temperature change, or root rot
• Curling or spotting on calatheas → tap-water minerals or low humidity

Catch these in the first week and you can still save it.

Cheat Codes to Keep the Divas Alive Longer

• Run a humidifier or group plants together (raises local humidity 15–20%)
• Use distilled or rainwater for carnivorous plants and calatheas
• Bottom-water only—prevents soggy tops and salt buildup
• Repot orchids and alocasias into chunky bark or LECA, not regular potting soil
• Add a $20 full-spectrum grow light if your windows suck
• Mist ferns daily or grow them in a terrarium/bathroom

The “I Give Up” Alternatives (Basically Unkillable)

If you’re tired of plant funerals, graduate to these instead:

• Snake plant
• ZZ plant
• Pothos
• Cast-iron plant
• Spider plant

They’ll survive vacations, neglect, low light, and your black thumb.

Final Verdict

Some plants thrive on attention; others punish you for breathing wrong. If you love the look of a giant fiddle-leaf or a lush Boston fern, go for it—just know the odds are stacked against beginners. Start with the tough guys, master the basics, then level up to the drama queens when you’re ready. 

 Article copyright by GreenShip