Most of the plants on the following pages can be found at your local nursery, Home Depot, or grocery store. (To see photos of those listed under Other Choices, go to More Easy-to-Grow, Hard-to-Kill Houseplants.) If not, check out www.glasshouseworks.com. For more tips and ideas, see the new book from professional gardener and New York Botanical Garden instructor Ellen Zachos, Tempting Tropicals: 175 Irresistible Indoor Plants (Timber Press, $30, www.amazon.com).

The Overwaterer

The Type: Thinks, If a little water is a good thing, a lot must be better; is overcompensating for previous episodes of neglect.
The Perfect Match: Flamingo flower (Anthurium hybrid; shown right). Bright to low light.
Why: It loves moist soil, so the Overwaterer can indulge her habit (neurosis?) with impunity.
Do: Spray it with a mister once in a while. It likes surface moisture, too.
Don’t: Leave the plant sitting in water. Empty the runover whenever you see some in the dish.
Other Choices:

Arrowhead plant (Syngonium podophyllum). Moderate to low light.

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum hybrid). Moderate to low light.

The Underwaterer

The Type: Is forgetful; travels frequently; is overscheduled; was raised in the desert.
The Perfect Match: Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata; shown left). Bright to low light.
Why: It’s a glutton for punishment, thriving on neglect. The only thing it doesn’t handle well is overwatering (not a problem for the U type).
Do: Reduce your already spartan watering to once every three to four weeks in winter.
Don’t: Expect growth spurts — this snake is slow-moving.
Other Choices:

Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior). Moderate to low light.

ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia). Moderate to low light.