With spring right around the corner, our minds tend to start to shift toward thoughts of greenery and the outdoors. For me, I’ve also been jumping the gun on that a bit by visiting my local greenhouse and bringing some plants home to liven up my indoors. Plants have been shown to improve our quality of life; I recently wrote about 6 pet-friendly houseplants you can bring home, but today I’m going to list off a few of my favourite houseplants for beginners.
Heads-up: not all of these ones are pet-friendly, so if that’s a must, check out my other post here.
Houseplant #1: Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
Literally the only way to kill this plant is by taking too much care of it. It retains water, so you want to water only very rarely; overdoing it will kill it. It can tolerate just about any form of neglect though: the snake plant thrives on low light, low water, and low effort.
As a bonus, the snake plant absorbs carbon dioxide at night and release oxygen (many other plants do this during the day), making this a great choice for your bedroom. Put a few of these bad boys near your bed, and you’ll be sleeping better in no time!
Houseplant #2: ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia)
With a scientific name as obnoxious as that, it’s no wonder ZZ plant got its nickname. Nomenclature aside, the ZZ plant needs even less water than the snake plant (you can literally ignore it for months at a time), making it an incredibly low-maintenance houseplant. It’s also tolerant of low light, making it a versatile plant that’s more than happy to brighten up whatever corner of the house you see fit.
The only kicker to this guy is that it’s slow-growing, which means it’s going to cost you more at the greenhouse, and you’ll want to pay the price in order to get the exact size you want!
Houseplant #3: Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)
Unlike the other two houseplants we’ve talked about so far, Pothos is a vine-like plant that loves to trail down over its pot. This make it great for placing on a bookshelf, in a hanging basket, or on an open-faced wall shelf.
And if you own a pet, you’re going to want to put it in one of those places, too, because this guy is absolutely poisonous to them. But it’s beautiful, tolerant of all kinds of light conditions, and isn’t too fussy on water, making it an all-star on the list of easy-care houseplants.
Houseplant #4: Rubber Tree (Ficus Elastica)
The rubber tree is a striking plant that makes a statement no matter where you place it in your home (you’re going to want to show it off though). Even indoors, this one will reach for the sky, so prune it periodically to keep it in check.
The rubber tree likes a bit of light, so put it somewhere where it will get at least indirect sunlight. As for watering, it only needs a good soak every week or two – easy peasy.
Houseplant #5: Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra Elatior)
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The only plant to make both the list of pet-friendly and the list of easy-care houseplants, the Cast Iron plant is an all-star for a reason. Like the snake plant, it thrives on neglect, preferring low light and very little water. In fact, giving it what many of the more fussy houseplants out there demand – direct sunlight and tons of water – are really the only ways to kill it.
Houseplant #6: Umbrella Tree (Schefflera Actinophylla)
This striking easy-care plant is another beauty that demands little of its owners. Just place it somewhere with bright, indirect light and water it once the soil is completely dry, and you’re good to go. Like many of the other plants on this list, the umbrella tree is more tolerant of dry soil than overly soggy soil, so water sparingly and it will reward you with beautiful foliage.
Houseplant #7: Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera Deliciosa)
This guy is my personal favourite on the list, and I have several in my house. Its foliage, which is perforated in a way that resembles swiss cheese (I wonder where it got its nickname…), just can’t be beat, and it loves a once—week watering schedule. Just get into a weekly rhythm, and this plant will reward you with beautiful foliage and very fast growth.
If you really want to get the most out of your plant, you may want to put a stake in the pot, as the swiss cheese plant likes to grow up fixed objects. It makes sense, since in the wild, it can be found in rainforests growing up the trunks of trees!
Houseplant #8: Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Peace lilies are beautiful, easy-care plants that are also great at cleansing the air of toxins like ammonia and formaldehyde. They’re a little more demanding of water than some of the other plants on this list, but the nice thing about them is that they’ll tell you exactly when they really need water. If you go too long without watering, the peace lily’s leaves will start to droop noticeably. Give it some water, and it’ll perk right back up!
Wrapping it Up
Bringing natural greenery indoors with you is a great way to improve your quality of life and make your home feel more inviting. Caring for your houseplants doesn’t have to eat up all of your spare time, either; just pick any of the plants from today’s list, and you’ll be able to enjoy your little slice of nature with minimal effort!
