Cool Alternatives to Popular Houseplants | This not That

[@fatidiclunacy7455]

I love the way you combined the color of the shelf, the shirt and the blanket. The color story alone made the video really pleasant to watch!

[@benjiplant]

After I put on the shirt I asked Chris if everything looks too “autumn” lol. It fits well with the season tho, I’m glad u like 🫶

[@faisalchowdhury1945]

@@benjiplant Hi @Ben can u please link those ceiling lights ur using for ur ferns on the wall. I have been looking for something like that. Ty

[@laurensuthons8665]

hey @@faisalchowdhury1945. I believe he left a link in the description of the fern wall makeover video which is part of the apartment makeover series. Hope this helps:)

[@JohnNorman]

Basically just 15 minutes of Benji calling me basic 😭💖

[@Spangiee90]

🤣🤣🤣

[@lucasbrady4639]

I find myself loving loads of plants that end up being way more expensive than I would want them to be. I'm super glad that you made this video to give some better alternatives that won't destroy my bank account. Thanks for the great content, the video came out way earlier than I expected!😃

[@oliverpiong6558]

i really really love snake plants because of how their very structural and almost architectural leaves. it’s also a nice break from the other regular leaves.

[@oliverpiong6558]

therefore what u don’t like about snake plant is exactly the reason why i love them hahahha

[@josiemojica3674]

I also am a big fan of snake plants. I just got a Sayuri and love the silver and how it’s floppy sometimes.

[@jerrywhidby.]

@@josiemojica3674 just about to comment this. I have never thought snake plants looked nice until I saw a "floppy" silver (chalky light green and med dark green) Sayuri. The color and variegation is very elegant. Like the feeling you get from Pittosporum 'Cream De Mint'. There are just some colors that have a presence. And the fact that snake plants are easy to care for really makes it a wonderful plant. I have around 50 houseplants, and it's the attention getter among attention getters. I found mine at the PlantHouse (not The Plant House) in Augusta, Ga. if anyone is looking.

[@Letycs]

@@jerrywhidby. I've never heard of the Plant House, but I live in the area, where abouts is it, exactly?

[@jerrywhidby.]

@@Letycs It's in Evans, GA. I cannot post the address because KZbin won't let me. It's right around Belk. Have you been to Griffin's Greenhouses or Bedford Greenhouses? They both have a good collection of house plants. Further North in Aiken is Cold Creek Nurseries. Which is nice but pricey. Do you have any favorites near Augusta?

[@jmsl2027]

Omg Benji, yes!!! I absolutely love your recommendations! I especially love Bantel’s sensation snake plants cuz they give a very angelic look to a space without needing much care. I will def try the taller fuller plants for my home. Part 2 of this video please! ❤

[@jerrywhidby.]

Sayuri is similar and I like the floppy look.

[@random-code1]

I love videos like this. Gives us so much inspiration even by hearing about some plants we already have/known under a different look.

[@serenity8910]

If you don't have a lot of space but want a fiddle-leaf fig, trust me, get yourself a ficus lyrata bambino. This is actually my first plant. I found it to be very beginner friendly and extremely easy to care for. I didn't even fertilize it in the first year and it grew super quickly and was easy to branch it for a more tree-like look.

[@Theoneandonlyenelie]

I live in a small apartment and I wanted a small fiddle leaf fig. It was very hard to find, but I finally found one 4 inches tall. I hope that it grows at the same rate I can upgrade into a larger space.

[@Hazelnutleaf]

Abutilons are so gorgeous - probably my favorite of my houseplants. I feel like they are very overlooked. They come in so many beautiful colors (peach is my favorite) and flower sizes and shapes. I love the soft fuzzy leaves and how the flowers dangle like bells. 😊

[@ilavalolipop]

Nooo, the snake plant slander 🥲 lol I love my snake plant, I think the tall blades compliment my minimalist style living room. You’ve got me interested in Dracaena Marginata now, I especially like how it looks with that long arching shape. Also, your living room is looking so cozy and inviting now. 😌 I’m blissing out while watching this vid with a cup of tea.

[@whatthefu3786]

I just got into the plant game and I have to say that I really love your style. Not only the plants, also the pots and your house/flat and all :)

[@LeilaSoleil]

I love the Australian tree fern. Wish I had one. I love the warmth of your home, and how you make us all feel welcome. Also, I finally was able to get one of your passiflora cuttings! It arrived in lovely shape, and is doing well so far. I love it! Thank you, Benji.😘

[@ellieella2]

also, the same flowering anthurium you mentioned but with the black / chocolate colored flowers!!!! the super dark foliage and flower coloring is so stunning and aesthetically pleasing to me, and it’s always relatively cheap and easy to take care of. i wish i saw it around more, it’s the dark academia aesthetic perfectly wrapped up in a plant hahaha :’)

[@collinflowers56]

I love your videos :DD Your videos inspire me and I just want to say your videos are SOOOOO CALMING you probably get that a lot but they are calming! Keep up the great work! 🪷

[@anabelnguyen2275]

me too :)

[@_sabsab_]

I recently got into plants and youtube recommended your channel lol, I love how calming your videos are

[@rebeccavalicoff1581]

I like the ponytail palm. It seems to grow well indoors.

[@ohhhitsalyyy]

In Los Angeles near Beverly Hills, there’s a shop called The Faun’s Daughter that had a really big selection of platyceriums (mounted and hung) that aren’t expensive! And the owners are super lovely.

[@ekorobo2082]

A good alternative to BOP is a larger-leaved variety of Spathiphyllum (not sure of the exact cultivar, could be "Sensation"). I picked one 10" pot up from Home Depot a couple of months ago for $25. They are not as tall as bird of paradise but mine flowers and thrives in lower light and has better looking foliage, imo. Highly recommend for anyone wanting a BOP but not wanting spider mites or a dead plant. I know another popular houseplant are Maidenhair ferns, which are usually more difficult to car for, but I highly recommend Adiantum peruvianum (sometimes called Silver dollar maidenhair). It seems to be much more resilient than other kinds of maidenhair but still gives that Ginkgo tree prehistoric wispy vibe.

[@dasel3695]

omg just looked up the peruvanium and i love how globby the leaflets are!

[@tiffanytien6231]

The philodendron Congo is a great alternative to the BoP! It’s got big, broad leaves in green and red varieties!

[@dianal3827]

If you love Bird of Paradise, look for Cannas. They can grow super tall, but not to the point where they get squished by the ceiling. They have a similar visual structure of the leaves without the extreme stems/petioles. They also bloom and the flower really fills that tropical void in your heart. There are also a ton of varieties you can get. They need a lot of light, plenty of water, and fertilizer, and if things go wrong, can be cut back and restarted from the rhyzome.

[@ilovemylilly]

A banana plant is a great alternative for a bird of paradise. I have a red banana and I love it so much

[@dianebortle1141]

I have a whale fin and a rhino horn "snake plant" in my bathroom. They are so interesting together. Favorites!

[@abetweene]

great vid as always. Would love to see more plant care/routine vids as well. theyre really relaxing 😌

[@hannahf5956]

i loveee the philodendron jungle boogie aka tiger tooth it's happy even with lower light and is one of my new favorites for sure

[@cristinahutchins1902]

I just discovered that there are non-vining philodendrons (also called self-heading or upright philodendrons). As I passed by the plant and home goods shop in my neighborhood, I was stopped in my tracks by the philodendron "Congo Rojo," that was recently placed in the window. I think this would be a good alternative to the Bird of Paradise. It has large glossy similarly shaped leaves, but doesn't grow as tall. The stems for the leaves are dark red, and new shoots are brilliant red, thus the name "rojo." There are also other varieties of non-vining philodendrons: Black majesty, Black Cardinal, Red emerald, Royal queen, Prince of Orange, and more.

[@karenroberts781]

I acquired a red emerald by happy accident…I thought it was something else. I love it. It’s so hardy, and with its shiny dark green leaves and upright red stems, stunning. Fast growing as well.

[@jennifersutton3115]

Benji 👋 I really appreciate all the knowledge and advice. I'm so inspired by all your beautiful plants. I watched many of your video's. I'm ready to start growing plants too. I will start with a snake plant as you said. Hopefully everything will work out for me too. Thanks for sharing 😊

[@AerialistAlexis]

love u benji :3 I just ordered a plant off your website, i can't wait for it to come in the mail!!!!

[@ThatanOmega]

You channel is evolving so much! Was here near the beginning

[@pjuk]

Good video. There's so many other varieties of snake plants that might interest you; a starfish, cylinder or whale fin all look different than the standard. All of mine growing well and putting out pups.

[@becausevideos8692]

Wonderful. Please make a video about good plants for a balcony. I would love to watch that.

[@cartilagehead]

omg please do not buy planks of basic hardwood for $30 a linear foot on etsy 🤣

[@DJ_Dutchess]

A smaller alternative to Fiddle Leaf Fig is the variation is "The Little Fiddle." It's a Ficus lyrata 'Bambino.' They are difficult to find in stores. I found one in Lowe's and at my local garden center. They do get about 5 feet tall if especially if grown outdoors. I am letting some grow taller and also trying to keeping one compact. These are nice for desktops but supplemental light is required if you don't have it right up against a sunny window. 🪴😊

[@FGFsMo]

Benji you literally influenced me to buy a staghorn fern. I just bought it on etsy yesterday and I can't wait to get it! 🥰

[@Hustka_project]

Ive also been recently thinking of the Norfolk pine. Seen them around Mexico and Peru, and lots of people have them as house plants here in Canada. I like them for a more Nordic look as a stand-alone rather than layered with aroids.

[@PJNormand]

In the US Black Walnut is a natural source of juglone which is a natural herbicide.

[@corruptedteka]

Anthurium ! My creole zodiac flower ! It's all over the place where I live, and for good reason considering this is a tropical island ! It always makes me happy to see them on the internet ! EDIT: TREE FERNS. I LOVE TREE FERNS SO MUCH. TROPICAL RAINFOREST PLANTS MY BELOVED. They just look so cool ! Ferns, but TREES ! How cool is that ?

[@GreenhornBonsai]

Thanks for the suggestions! I think Agave americana 'Variegata' is a good alternative to snake plants. It does need more light, but if you have a south window it's a great choice and easy to grow.

[@Sophie-kf7qk]

I live in Australia, and i must say, when they say tree fern they mean TREE fern! this plant gets the size of large trees. i do not recommend it as a house plant, unless care is taken to keep it small.

[@rock2946]

My mom neglected her snake plant for a year. Barely any water, too much heat, too much sun. I brought it inside and watered it regularly. It has now exploded in growth

[@katherinespencer2073]

Love 'mother-in-law's tounge' (snake plant) cus they are so easy in low light locations where otherwise we could not have plants w. our 6 months of winter/low sun. Think of them as a background plant behind a small maidenhair fern or something like that. 2 very different textures to draw the eye into a corner. In Nova Scotia the power costs are way too expensive & unreliable to commit lights etc to plants unless one can eat them or sell them. I am more happy to do P. cuttings inside, then keep young plants until I am sure that they will survive outdoors, which then a few yrs later end up at the next property to do quick landscaping. Right now I have trays of boxwood, camellia & mum cuttings in sand-perlite mix. Never tried camellia before but treated myself to a $10 bouquet of just 7 green stems & several leaves had indications of future growth so I am experimenting w. 3 of the branches cut into short pcs. The others I will let develop incase I want to try softer cuttings...these were thick as a pencil but still green, not really flexible. What do you think? Bag said product of Columbia.

[@thatcrazyhindu]

Anthurium vietchii imo is the easiest, I have let mine dry out so much and it doesn’t get crispy Also I have a small 2 feet wide, 8inch tall tree fern and they are SOOO easy! It drinks a lot and grows fast. I even have it hidden behind other plants so it doesn’t even get great light. I haven’t gotten any crisping if I let it dry out too much or forget to check it (I keep my living room at 60% humidity)

[@sellmoon]

always thought the "typical" snake plant (the green and yellow one) was boring but I now love the silver varieties and the "fat ones" like the Dracaena hanningtonii or the cylindrica; I never got the ficus lyrata craze, i think the common ficus tree (the carica) has a much more interesting shape and it actually produces edible figs😊 a plant i adore and i don't see many people talking about is the Medinilla magnifica... it's beautiful even without flowers and so far, it's easy to care for

[@EricRhysTaylor]

This video was especially helpful. I recommend creating index TOC points. I like the snake plants. I have them right by my front door. They don’t get in way of path and they have a cool way of spreading that doesn’t require water. Your thoughts are insightful. Keep up the great work. Cheers!

[@Allthingswithak]

Hi!! I found out that the red “flowers” on the Anthurium are actually leaves.

[@juliettefrediere8349]

My favorite genus will always be Hoyas. They’re so easy and beautiful!

[@gigihogan9348]

Wonderful alternatives! Thank you Benji :)

[@hamaragarden111]

beautiful nice sharing friend 🌿🌿🌿🙏

[@Kyddoemiko13]

No large ferns, or palms, or bird of paradise. Just some Highland Nepenthes 🍃😍🍃 and various other carnivorous plants. Mexican Pinguecula, Sundews. Outdoors temperate American pitcher plants and Venus Fly traps. I do enjoy watching and learning from your videos. 🤗❣️

[@iona5125]

omg ur videos r soso relaxing 🫶🏻

[@SJL07]

This is very helpful. Thank you, Benji!!!

[@Jacobkryn]

In my home town there was a music store that had a gigantic money tree the leaf groups were about as big as my 16 yr old chest and about a story and a half tall.

[@tigerlewis7370]

Benji is giving grandpa energy, in the best way possible

[@Madina509]

I agree Benji, I also do not like Snake plants. 😊

[@trevormcbane9341]

A great alternative to the BOP is a spathiphyllum sensation

[@anitatyvm]

Some of these alternatives are still very difficult to come by in my area but loved this video! One of my favourite filler plants would be cissus rhombifolia or alata or Ellan Danica - I like the way it grows fuller in comparison to hanging scindapsus or epipremnum.

[@ReynaandKeithCanada]

Anthurium flower are gorgeous

[@juliaferguson7468]

I would definitely recommend an Australian Tree Fern! It is an absolutely stunning plant and i love it's fuzzy stems! I watched a video when I first got it and the guy said he watered his every 2 days and that's what Ive been doing and its been thriving for over a year now with so much new growth. It really enjoyed the Canadian summer weather outdoors

[@b-m4401]

that's so interesting I never would have imagined they'd make good indoor/potted plants ! (Sincerely, an Australian who is used to them towering over me lol) Ill have to try it.

[@Janelou42]

I never liked the snake plants.. the shapes are awkward and I dont like the look and patterns on the leave with the yellow squiggle... that said I find the metallic silver one nice! Its way more slender +elegant and the silver makes it look like from an elven forest ^.^ sometimes you can see pale blush rose on the margin... thats a nice alternativ!

[@Janelou42]

Oh.. I paused and wrote the comment before you mentioned the silver one😬😂 but yeh... I agree

[@notverynotoriousg5674]

I have bromeliads that kind of fill the same category, guzmania musaica has nice wide leaves and a good size and shape, also has horizontal striping instead of vertical and more mottled, it just feels calmer and less like its going to put your eye out. I feel like bromeliads for the most part get overlooked because everyone just thinks of the sad plants at the grocery store. Aechmea correia-araujoi is a little more attention grabbing, it has a camouflage pattern.

[@Janelou42]

@@notverynotoriousg5674 ooooh, I have to google them all but they sound fantastic! :D

[@colleen9580]

I like the Moonshine Snake Plant

[@gypsylee333]

Alternative to Monstera Albo- Epipremnum pinnatum albo 👍 much cheaper and gets the split leaves, bright cool white variegation, and easier to grow for me. Idk why but I've killed a few green deliciosas.

[@bigkeve]

Seeing the tree fern was funny to me. The way you listed BOP being outside and not seeming like an indoor plant was the same way I felt. I grew up in a hilly area which was covered in ferns in Australia, and these guys are EVERYWHERE around me, it was very jarring to see them inside in a pot! Really does depend on perspective doesn’t it?

[@evelynhill4826]

Love to watch your vlog

[@SrRuss]

I feel like a good replacement for a monstera adansonii is a acuminata! These are pretty common I would say. Personally I don't really love the ruffled look of an adansonii especially if its small/med. With the fenestrations ontop of it and being kind of ruffled in a way it just really doesn't look that pleasing to me. Acuminata's even in small-large sizes dont have that ruffled look, but still fills the swiss cheese itch! They look almost identitcal in the mid range of size BUT if you get yours hands on a mature or even starter plant you can really tell the difference and personally its a lot more pleasing!

[@gypsylee333]

Is it easier to care for? I had a couple adasoniis randomly go yellow on me after being fine a while.

[@rreid498]

If you like platycerium then I'd recommend a birds nest fern! They're an Australian native epiphyte which like the same conditions as the Aussie platycerium. You can grow them in pots or mount them on the wall. They have a unique shape as the leaves grow in circles and they leave an opening in the middle to catches leaves and debris. I think you'd especially like the curly leafed varieties, they make quite the statement!

[@momo830223]

Hi Benji! Watching your videos made me buy a lot more plants recently and I even bought a passifloral from you last week! 😍 I also live in LA, so I was wondering if as we are heading towards winter (this is my first winter with so many plants) do you have any tips on keeping some of the more tropical plants alive thru lower temperatures? Do they go dormant? Most of my plants are living in my balcony (north face) Thanks! ❤

[@faisalchowdhury1945]

Hi @Ben can u please link those ceiling lights ur using for ur ferns on the wall. I have been looking for something like that. Ty

[@LexyBach]

I only wish the silver and black maranta love me. they die everytime so im just gonna stick to my lemon lime

[@mosslou9854]

theres so many calathea varieties that arent even that expensive that can look really cool and special! i personally love the look of the calathea musaica. i also have a bird of paradise plant and can say they dont flower easily without enough light but make good houseplants when you dont have the climate types of california 😹 if you want a similar look but a more niche plant you can also always try a banana ^^ i love the more velvety look of the foliage (only onsome banana varieties) they also look more tree-shaped than many bird of paradise varieties!

[@Pollymichaelis]

You're the reason why I want a dracaena reflexa and I couldn't manage to find it as a small or medium sized plant in my local nurseries as they only sell them as mature big trees 😩 One day one day...

[@lil.dizzee4220]

Isn’t a banana plant kind of similar to the bird of paradise? Maybe they share the same “cons” that you listed thooo

[@dannykerdel9217]

I have a blechnum gibbum silver lady, it's one of the fastest growing miniature tree ferns. It's growing more up than wide, ideal for my apartment and maybe yours as well benji! 😉 Silver lady likes full shade instead of most tree ferns liking some sun. Mine is growing extremely quickly compared to all my other ferns and the leaves can get huge and go upright. The leaf turnover is pretty quick as well, old leaves get brown and you can remove them as it forms the trunk. The new leaves expand with a light yellow color and then becomes much bigger and more green. I wish I saw more YT channels talking about it for indoor care and growing. Tree ferns are like one of my latest obsessions haha

[@SawanChallani]

Benji, i just havent been vibing with your back drop in your recent videos :(

[@k.s5889]

Love the decor and plants ❤🐕🪴🌱🌿⚘

[@jekalambert9412]

As a low income retired person, most of my plants are "basic" easy care easy to propagate varieties. Now living in the desert in southern California, I've killed many of the plants I brought with me when I moved here from northern CA because the summer temperatures here reach into the 100s for weeks at a time combined with humidity in the 20% range in my mostly not air conditioned home. I have to monitor my collection of 100+ potted plants daily and sometimes don't manage to stay on top of everything. I cannot afford to spend on a plant with questionable resistance to the growing conditions in my home. I've come to love snake plants because they aren't fussy and their upright structure works well when combined with other plants and even as a focal point on my dining room table. I loved seeing your examples and hearing you talk about them. You definitely have a green thumb combined with a great aesthetic.

[@stokrotnie7]

Great video! Thank you very much! 🙏 I have the bird of paradise on my window sill. Recently I planted turmeric. They are both fairly small (though growing pretty quickly). And, I’d say they look fairly similar. Turmeric has more delicate leaves and won’t look as impressive when it grows up. (Unless it blooms.) But it looks cute and apparently the leaves are edible, so it may be an interesting substitute…

[@Nclk619]

Ok... I always say I love every plant, but I don't like that como. anthurium, it just look like plastic

[@midithi]

I never recommend the Melanochrysum Philodendron due to the finicky nature of it. I find when its paired as a hybrid with the Verrucosum, its finicky nature mellows out a lot as the Philodendron Splendid (Melano/Verru).

[@joellechiara]

anyone know the difference between the Marginata and the Reflexa? I bought a Reflexa the other day hoping it was going to be the kind I could 'sculpt' into some cool shapes at some point but now I'm thinking I got the wrong variety to do that :/

[@delll372]

birds of paradise (strelitzia)-> heliconia family (such as densiflora, etc) also they are much cheaper alternatives. but also thrive in sun though :")

[@AcrylDame]

I think you underestimate Anthurium Andreanum. There's a black variety with really dark foliage and I also got a variety called rainbow which is insanely beautiful with new leafs emerging a bright red and a really attractive growth pattern. There are so many varieties to chose from.

[@GreenWitch1]

Agree on the common snake plant. I recently bought a Moonshine & put it in a southwest style pot & it looks great. I really like anything that’s silvery.

[@anthonymatthews3698]

Incredibly soothing voice, and very informative. I looking forward to watching more videos.

[@jah1987jah]

Umbrella plant for a larger plant alternative to bird of paradise! I think they’re native to New South Wales in Australia!

[@persiagil1488]

I love eating pachira nuts. And they grow sooo fast as well! I eat then raw, right frim the ground where I picked them from!

[@rvqa212]

What is your friends ig with the fern inside his house? LOL I wanna see too!😊🙏

[@garlicbread8823]

ur just so cool, I can’t say anything else

[@growwithgrace2024]

I also don't like snake plants, but find the bantel's sensation interesting. Still not buying that yet, tho. Maybe if I get it in a swap. 😅

[@dianebortle1141]

I love seeing plants living in homes. Great inspiration and decorating ideas.

[@vv.7044]

i have a birds of paradise plant and i didnt know they could get that big 😭 mine only has like 4-5 leaves and is very medium sized

[@duyo1552]

Do Platycerium need lots of light or just normal office lights is okay, thankyou ?

[@karenfreedman9180]

Your channel has been recommended by many. So I tuned in. Yes! I’m a subscriber now!

[@professinal_yapper69]

i like asparagus ferns over boston ferns because they grow faster and i like their texture better than the basic boston

[@johndorosan2155]

Benji is so adorable, I can’t stop staring respectfully 😫

[@kathleenlewis1954]

Umm about that tree Fern.. really pest prone. But that's just here in NZ. Best outside

[@inktex1265]

mister benjiplant how do you feel about raid shadow legends

[@patsommer4495]

My favorite house 'tree' I refer to as my parsley tree: Ming Aralia. Slow growing so I waited until a large one was on sale for a give away price after Santa Ana winds crisped it up badly. So worth nursing it back to health!

[@SafianiMahat]

I have one ming aralia too! It often gets thirsty tbh but suits my overwatering persona 😂

[@quayswae]

Bookmarking this for if I ever get my own place

[@lauraburke4544]

I’m not the biggest fan of snake plants either but I absolutely love the look of a nice whale fin snake plant

[@astridp9362]

Can you please link the store for the wood wall mount. Thank you. :)

[@beautifulstems1631]

Hi Benji, I love you’re clarinervium anthurium, what type of potting substrate do you use?

[@kennethadrian]

What plants do you recommend for rooms north facing windows?