If you are of the 'brown thumb' tribe, you can increase your success with houseplants by choosing a more hardy variety. These plants can withstand a fair degree of abuse and neglect and have modest needs that even the more incompetent gardener can manage. Following are eight hale and hardy suggestions for not-likely-to-succumb houseplants for you to love.

Aloe (aloe barbradensis) is a great plant to keep in the kitchen. Also known as the medicine plant, the aloe grows long, slender arms that, when cut, exude a sticky juice that's great for burns. Aloe needs good light but little else. It's a member of the cactus family and requires water only when the surface of the soil is dry.

A cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) is as hardy as its name implies. This plant grows steadily despite its conditions, producing oblong, dark-green leaves that arc outward from the spears that rise directly from the soil. This plant can be pruned to serve as a charming table plant, or encouraged with light fertilizing and increased pot size to become a gargantuan specimen.

The Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema 'silver queen') tolerates even dim light and also loves direct sunlight. This plant sprouts silvery green leaves from short stems to create a bushy, shrub-like appearance. Chinese evergreens need to be kept away from drafty areas and watered when the surface of the soil becomes dry.

Ficus (Ficus benjamina) is sometimes called a weeping fig. Ficus plants are often criticized for dropping every single leaf suddenly and without warning. The fact is, ficus is very hardy and will tolerate poor conditions for months before finally running out of reserves and succumbing. With good light, moderate watering when dry and the occasional fertilizer stake, a ficus will grow steady for years and years. Ficus do not like to be moved, so once you've settled on placement, let it be.

Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is the perfect plant for the forgetful caretaker. Pothos offers creamy yellow and green leaves, loves to be drenched periodically and left to dry out completely in between. This plant loves the light, but cannot tolerate direct sunlight. It will grow quickly and doesn't mind cramped roots. If you repot it occasionally and keep it pinched back, it will grow lush and full. If a pothos starts getting scraggly or leggy, just cut it way back and it will fill out quickly, healthy and happy in short order.

A mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata) is virtually indestructible. This plant gets its name from its long, sharp leaves, so best to refer to it as a 'snake plant' when your mother-in-law is around. Related to the cacti family, this plant prefers a fairly dry soil and lots of light. It can survive dim rooms and weeks without water. The stiff leaves grow straight up, and can reach heights of several feet.

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