Raise your hand if you believed that Fiddle Leaf Fig is easy to care for (because I did). Plant experts say that there is no such thing as an indoor plant because most plants can’t tolerate the combination of dry, still air, irregular watering, and limited light. Luckily, there are tough plants that can tolerate these unnatural conditions, which makes them a great choice for beginners and forgetful plant parents.
Additionally, houseplants have a lot of incredible health benefits. They clean indoor air by absorbing toxins, boosts concentration, creativity, mood, and productivity, increases humidity and produce oxygen, provides privacy, and reduces colds, fatigue, noise levels, sore throats, and stress. It really is a win-win situation to fill your home with plants.
When selecting an indoor plant, choose plants with deep green leaves because they perform best in low light and require less water. A sign that your plant is thirsty if it has wilting leaves. You can also manually check if the soil is dry if it falls off of your finger when you remove it.
Bromeliads
Bromeliad plants add an exotic touch and tropical vibes to your home with their gorgeous and unique. Some would think that this plant is high maintenance, but they can easily adapt and easy to grow, which makes them one of the best houseplants for beginners. Moreover, this plant can even grow well in low light conditions and are pet friendly, too! However, caring for a Bromeliad plant is quite different, but it’s not complicated.
Bromeliad plant requires bright, indirect light, but it can also thrive in low light conditions, which makes them great low light indoor plants. It’s best to water it once a week since it’s a drought-tolerant plant. Always keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Avoid overwatering your plant to avoid root rot. Keep the central cup filled with water, particularly if the light levels and temperature are high. Be sure to remove the water from the central cup every so often to remove any built-up salts. We also suggest that you increase the humidity in your home by misting it often, placing it near a humidifier, or using a pebble tray.
Dragon Tree
Trust us, this plant is pretty hard to kill. It’s a popular choice of new plant parents because of its unique look and its potential to grow up to 6 feet tall indoors. Also called Madagascar Dragon Tree, it’s definitely one of the easiest indoor plants to grow and hardest to kill. It’s known for its thick tuft of spiky leaves edged with red that resembles a sword. Plus, it’s a drought-tolerant plant with aggressive root systems.
However, Dragon Tree should be planted in a loamy, well-draining soil modified with peat moss. You also need to water regularly during the growing season. It can survive in low light situations, but it prefers bright, filtered light. Additionally, water only when the topsoil is dry or usually once a week. However, keep them hydrated by misting the leaves regularly. Lastly, it prefers environments with higher humidity.
English Ivy
A houseplant with an undeniable personality and whimsical quality. Plus, it’s one of the best houseplants for beginners because it’s an aggressive and hardy vine. It’s also one of the top 10 air-purifying plants, according to NASA. It can remove toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, toulene, and xylene. An English Ivy plant can grow 8 inches tall and at least 15 feet wide, if you set it to grow horizontally. However, it can spread more than 50 feet high, if you set it to grow vertically. This plant prefers bright light, but it can also thrive well in the shade if you don’t have a sunny and warm spot in your home.
It’s best to grow the English Ivy plant in a pot and hang it by your window or put it on a shelf. Make sure that the pot you’re going to use can hold its roots. Avoid overwatering your English Ivy plant, if you want to be a successful plant parent. Sometimes, it’s best to keep this houseplant a little too dry than a little too wet. However, if you want to give your plant some extra TLC, we recommend that you mist it often.
Lucky Bamboo
If you want to bring fortune and good luck to your home and office, then the fascinating and unusual Lucky Bamboo is the houseplant for you. It’s a symbol of good fortune and prosperity in Feng Shui, similar to the Jade plant and Money Tree.
The Lucky Bamboo is a perfect houseplant for beginners because even if it’s poorly kept, it will still thrive for a long time before it finally dies. You can also grow your Lucky Bamboo in a simple vase filled with pebbles to support the plant. Make sure to pour at least an inch of bottled or distilled water as this plant is very sensitive to chlorine and other chemicals found in tap water. Keep the soil slightly damp, but don’t let the soil be completely dry and avoid overwatering it. It’s best to put your Lucky Bamboo in a warm spot where it can get bright, filtered sunlight.
Monstera
Monstera is one of the best houseplants for beginners and also known as the “It” plant. Interior designers love to use this plant as home decor because it looks great with different interior styles. Monsteras need LOTS of space since they are climbing plants. We recommend that you support it with moss sticks to guide its growth upward. It can stand low light, but it grows faster in a bright spot. The right amount of sunlight plays an important role in Monstera’s leaf development. Plus, Monstera is sort of drought-tolerant, so it’s best to water it when the soil is dry. Gently spray the leaves of your Monstera once a week to recreates like a tropical and humid environment.
Peace Lily
Peace Lily is a perfect go-to gift plant for your family and friends. It can literally brighten up any room in your home. It’s beautiful, easy-to-grow, and one of the top bedroom plants that you can get for a fairly cheap price. It can grow between 1 to 4 feet tall and wide. However, some types can reach a height of 6 feet. It can also cope with low, natural light but prefers bright, indirect light.
Place your Peace Lily plant either in a North or West facing window or as long as it’s in a warm area in your home where it will benefit from indirect sunlight. Water it at least once a week, or wait for the plant to droop slightly before watering. Your Peace Lily plant will sag a bit, the main sign that it needs water. It’s also best to keep the soil moist, but avoid overwatering it. It’s also best if you can mist it often, place it near a humidifier, or use a pebble tray.
Philodendron
Philodendron is one of the best houseplants for beginners with a really bad black thumb. It’s one of the easiest indoor plants to care for. It’s forgiving, low-light tolerant, and low-maintenance. Trust us, this plant is harder to kill than to keep alive. It will tolerate all kinds of neglect. Place your Philodendron plant is to put it in a location with medium to bright indirect light. Water it when the top 50% of the soil is dry. It’s best to put it in an extra humid environment to promote larger leaves.
Pothos
Pothos is arguably the easiest houseplant to grow, even if you have a black thumb. It’s easier to care for Pothos than to grow succulents. All you need is to give them the right amount of light and water when they start to look wilty. We can guarantee you that you’ll have them for years. One of the main characteristics of Pothos is its trailing, leafy vine that can reach grow up to 10 feet indoors. Another unique characteristic of Pothos is its heart-shaped, bright, and waxy green leaves with variegation in yellow. Pothos is a perfect plant for any type of home or even office because it can filter gaseous toxins like formaldehyde from the air.
It can do well in both low indirect light and medium light. Keep the soil moist, but do not overwater it since this can cause root rot. Pothos can do well in low humidity environments, but they prefer a place with higher humidity since they are tropical plants.
Snake Plant
Snake plants are chill, low-maintenance, and very forgiving indoor plants. One of its features is stiff, upright leaves that range can grow anywhere from eight inches to 12 feet tall. They are broad, stiff, and upright, in a dark green color with white and yellow striping. Snake plants are popular for their ability to survive in the most unsuitable growing conditions.
Snake plants will thrive in either very bright light or low light areas of your home, but it’s best to position your snake plant in an area with indirect sunlight or medium light. Water when the soil is completely dry.
Spider Plant
One of the best houseplants for beginners since it’s easy-to-grow. Plus, they look nice in a hanging basket in your bathroom. You can also keep them on your bedroom table or home office desk to reduce indoor pollutants. Spider plant produces a rosette of long, thin, arched leaves, similar to spider legs. They are solid green or variegated with white. Spider Plants prefer bright to moderate indirect sunlight.
Succulents
Succulents are cute, easy to care for, and you can place it anywhere in your home. Plus, according to a NASA study, succulents are air-purifying plants, and they’re child-friendly, too. One of the characteristics of succulents is their fleshy, thick leaves and enlarged stems that store water. If you’re planning to start a succulent collection, choose naturally green types like Aloe Vera or Snake plant.
Place it under direct sunlight at least 3–6 hours every day, preferably during the morning. It’s not recommended to place your succulent under the afternoon sun because the light is quite harsh and will likely cause damage to the leaves. Water it when the soil becomes dry. It’s also best if you put your succulent in a pot with drainage. Succulents do not like humidity because this can lead to fungal problems that can end up in root rot, so place it in a dry area with minimal humidity.
ZZ Plant
ZZ Plant is the perfect plant for forgetful owners. It’s literally one of the best houseplants you must have in your collection, especially if you have a black thumb. It basically thrives off of neglect. ZZ plant grows slow, but it can survive occasional watering and low light areas. It can grow from two to four feet tall indoors.
ZZ plants prefer bright, indirect light. However, it can tolerate low-light conditions or bright, fluorescent light. Avoid placing your plant under direct sunlight since its leaves can dry out and burn from too much direct exposure to the sun. Water it regularly if you want it to grow faster, but allow the soil to dry between watering. It grows best in humid climates, but it can also survive in less humid areas of your home.
Now that you know the best houseplants for beginners, it’s important to learn how to properly care your new plant fam, such as choosing the right planter, increasing the humidity indoors, how to water your plants correctly, how to properly repot it, and how to trim dead leaves and branches.
So, if you want to be a successful plant parent, check out our Plant Care blog to learn more about different houseplants and tips on how to keep your plants alive and healthy.
