“What plants live the longest?” many gardeners ask themselves. Plants can bring so much to your life: color, vibrancy, and a hobby.
But what good are they if they keep dying? Luckily, we have curated a list of plants with some of the longest living spans to keep you accompanied forever (or almost)!
Contents
Top Plants That Have Extremely Long Lifespans
1. Peonies
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Plant peonies if you wish to leave a floral legacy. These resilient perennials have a long lifespan. When your peonies are blossoming, add grid stakes around the plants to offer support and prevent the flowers from falling over. Although a few are woody shrubs, most are herbaceous perennials.
Peonies are medium-sized flowers with tuberous roots that combine large storage roots with thin roots intended for nutrient and water absorption. When planting or transplanting peonies and dividing plants to increase their number, it is essential to handle their roots carefully.
Peonies are traditional garden plants that can last for decades with little maintenance when planted in soil that matches their requirements. Which plants live for many years? Peonies are one of the garden plants that live the longest, and they are frequently passed down through generations.
To thrive, peonies require wet, well-drained soil. They should ideally get one to two inches of water each week. Peonies require a place with at least six hours of sunlight every day, and a full day of sunlight is preferable. Although peonies are adaptable, their optimal soil is well-drained and somewhat acidic.
2. Liriope Plants
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Liriope, often known as lilyturf, has slender, grass-like leaves that can be green or variegated. It works well as a groundcover or edge plant, so steep slopes frequently have it planted to prevent erosion. This enduring method of problem-solving can last for years. It has been discovered growing in long-abandoned Southern gardens.
Liriope spicata gets its name from the spiky shape of its flowers, and Liriope muscari gets it from the grape hyacinth Muscari botryoides, which has a related flower structure. Liriope can be planted virtually anytime from spring to fall, usually from divisions or nursery plants. It spreads and expands rather quickly – some types grow bigger and more quickly than others. Its rate of growth is significantly influenced by fertilizer and irrigation.
Whether you are growing L. Spicata or L. Muscari, these require little care. Both kinds are hardy plants that may thrive in full sun or partial shade. The only “must-have” is that the soil has good drainage.
Each liriope should be planted about a foot apart, keeping in mind that L. spicata is a creeping plant and will spread. Although it is not required, you can divide the plants every three to four years. These are also some of the longest living house plants you can grow.
Water the plants frequently during their initial growing season, but avoid doing so daily since this can result in damp soil. Although they can handle the full sun well and even thrive in practically complete shadow, liriope plants thrive in a site with partial shade. Although liriope may grow in various soil types and weather patterns, it dislikes permanently soggy or wet ground.
3. Daylilies
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Daylilies are as hardy as they are resilient and may flourish in industrial areas, alongside roads, and on steep hillsides. Daylilies will endure for years in your garden and come in various hues, colors, and flower styles. The plants will survive even if you ignore them, but you must divide them every few years to keep them blooming.
These flowers may blend with any color scheme because they are grown in various cold and warm hues. The daylily is a wise choice for inexperienced gardeners who frequently get them as gifts from more knowledgeable gardeners. From early spring to late summer, blooms are predictable.
The height of a daylily clump can range from six inches to five feet. Space bare roots about three feet apart since they can grow to a span of two to four feet wide.
Plant roots in the early spring or the early fall. The optimal time to plant in northern gardens is in the spring to promote healthy root growth during the summer months before chilly winters.
During the first growing season, water frequently. Only use water going ahead if the weather is exceptionally dry. Make sure your daylily receives at least six hours of full light daily because they enjoy it. In a warmer climate, you can plant Devil’s ivy as well, as it resembles the daylily somewhat.
4. Crassula ovata
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Looking for indoor plants that last forever? Keep reading to see more about this beautiful variety. The jade plant, a common succulent houseplant, has soft, oval leaves and sturdy, woody stalks that resemble little tree trunks. With a little care, it may reach a height of three to six feet. Similar to snake plants, it grows slowly – gaining just about two inches every year.
Crassula ovata plants, indigenous to South Africa, are frequently presented as housewarming presents because people believe they will bring their owners luck, wealth, and prosperity. The money plant is one of their nicknames as a result. These plants can be brought home or started anytime from a nursery or by propagation.
They have extremely long life spans. With consistent care, you can maintain them for a hundred years! Many people wonder, “how long do indoor plants live?” and for most varieties, a maximum of two to five years is the answer. But with the crassula, you are set for at least 50, as it is one of the longest-living indoor plants to exist.
Upkeep is typically not difficult, regardless of whether you are growing your crassula plant indoors or outdoors. However, the plants are vulnerable to several illnesses and excessive dampness. Overwatering will undoubtedly be fatal for all succulents, so err on keeping the soil too dry rather than overly moist.
Water crassula frequently plants in the spring and summer so that their soil is moist but not soggy. Crassula plants require lots of sunlight. However, they should be shielded from direct sunlight because it can scorch the foliage, especially of young plants. Your best chance when selecting a potting mix for your crassula plant is a blend made specifically for succulents.
5. Hostas
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You can count on hostas to make the dark areas of your garden more colorful every year. There are different colors, sizes, leaf forms, and textures of varieties for your shadow garden. If you can keep snails, slugs, and deer at bay, you’ll be able to enjoy hostas for a very long time after you plant them.
Hostas are often planted as bare root divisions or potted transplants. Although hostas are sometimes considered shade plants, they require some sunlight to thrive. Varieties with yellow leaves are a little more sun-tolerant. But you shouldn’t grow hostas in locations that are always hot and sunny.
If necessary, water hostas to maintain moist but not soggy soil. Hostas occasionally handle dry soil after they are established, but they won’t endure prolonged drought. Hostas can thrive in complete darkness, although most cultivars flourish when exposed to dappled light for a few hours each day.
Some good companions for hostas are ferns. These are one of the most common ancient plants still in existence. Are ferns the oldest plants on earth? Yes, they are, so you can create a mix of ancient ferns and recently-evolved hostas for a unique design.
6. Irises
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There are a lot of long-lived relatives in the iris family. The bearded iris is frequently in bloom in old cemeteries or surrounding abandoned homes. Other iris species that can survive in your yard with little care include Siberian and African irises. All irises, even ones that rebloom, require division every few years to encourage flowering, but they can survive without it.
Because they are some of the longest living plants in any garden, most gardeners love growing them. The bearded iris is typically planted in the spring from nursery beginnings and blooms the first year. It can be planted from bare roots in the spring or fall, but bare-root plants might not produce a vigorous blossom until their second year.
Conclusion
These plants are a long-term commitment and will be in your garden for a very long time.
Before planting any of the above, just remember the following:
- Want to add some color and rose-like aesthetics to your gardens? Peonies are the ideal flower to plant, perfect for most seasons. They can last for 20 years or more!
- While irises will thrive with regular watering sessions, you should always give them access to well-draining and rich soil to avoid root rot at all costs.
- Crassula ovata plants are ideal long-lasting indoor plants, and they can live for decades with proper care. Similar to spider plants, rubber figs, and tillandsia, they are easy to grow!
So, which of these plants will make it to your gardens?
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