Houseplants for beginners areeasy to growand generally withstand erratic watering, uneven or bad light, and fluctuating temperatures.
They thrive in dorm rooms, offices, and sometimes even dismal corners.
Here is a selection of the best beginner houseplants to help you get started.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
As a houseplant, the plant grows vigorously in pots or trailing baskets with minimal care.
It also will easily root in a simple glass of water.
With good care, it develops large, mottled, mature leaves.
The Spruce / Candace Madonna
Spider Plant
The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) grows easily in baskets or atop columns.
Thevariegated varietyis by far the most common of this plant with long, slender, arching leaves.
Itsplantlets, or offsets form an impressive hanging display.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
These plantlets are easily repotted to create new specimens.
Spider plants are not picky about water, light, or temperature.
Snake Plant
Snake plants (Dracaena trifasciata) feature green on green bands on sword-like leaves.
The Spruce / Candace Madonna
And they are exceptionally tough.
They like plenty of light, but they tolerate lower light conditions too.
And they are not too particular about watering, as long as it is not too much.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
They also thrive in anoffice environment.
When repotting is necessary, the main clump can be easily divided.
Dragon Tree
Dragon trees (Dracaena marginata)are wonderfully easyplantsthat tolerate many conditions.
The Spruce / Alonda Baird
These plants feature sword-like leaves with red edging that grow from a woody stem.
Indoors, they grow much shorter than outside where they can reach 20 feet in height.
Water when the top few inches of soil are dry.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
It also doesnt need a lot of fertilization.
Water only when the soil has nearly dried out, as overwatering causes rot and other problems.
Bromeliads
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
Bromeliads (Bromeliaceaespp.)
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
have gained an unfair reputation, probably because of the difficulty required to coax a bloom.
To bloom, the plants need warmth and water, along withhigh humidityand filtered light.
Many species have beautiful leaves that are attractive even without flowers.
The Spruce / Cori Sears
Bromeliads are usually watered by filling the central cup.
Lucky Bamboo
Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is the perennial office plant.
Untold pots of thesethrive in awful conditions, such as sporadic watering with bad lighting and poor air quality.
The Spruce / Michael Marquand
This tropical species tolerates more humidity and less sun than typical desert cacti.
Water when the top 2 inches of soil have dried out.
So it wont suffer if you forget to water it.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
And once you do water, its long, narrow, sword-like leaves should plump up again.
It also doesnt need much fertilization.
Ensure that both its container and its soil drain well.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
It takes a lot of neglect, including low light and inconsistent watering, and still looks great.
The plant features large, dark green, glossy leaves.
Outdoors it does flower, but thats not common indoors.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
Aim to keep it away from direct harsh sun, which burns the leaves.
The leaves are large, glossy, and oval, and they come in a variety of colors.
This plant isnt overly picky about its soil conditions, though it should never sit in waterlogged soil.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
If you have a dark green foliage variety, you dont need to give your plant much light.
The variegated varieties should receive bright, indirect light.
Echeveria
Echeveria (Echeveriaspp.)
The Spruce / Anastasia Tretiak
are popular succulents for good reason.
They produce stunning rosettes with plump leaves that come in a variety of colors.
These low-maintenance plants like lots of bright light, although direct afternoon sun burns the leaves.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
And they need well-draining soil.
Water when the soil has mostly dried out.
It is actually a rainforest plant, meaning it needs more water than desert cacti.
The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Still, its needs arent excessive; water when the soil is dry about 2 inches down.
Its also not picky about its soil, as long as it has good drainage.
Ox Tongue
The Spruce / Anastasia Tretiak
Ox tongue (Gasteriaspp.)
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
gets its common name due to its long leaves with a rough texture.
The leaves are commonly green but come in different colors and patterns.
This succulent likes bright light but protection from strong afternoon sun.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Water when the soil has nearly dried out, and dont let water accumulate in the leaves.
Jade
Jade (Crassula ovata) is a popular succulent and is said to bring good luck.
It features deep green, oval leaves on woody stems.
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Its a relatively hands-off plant.
double-check it has well-draining soil.
Peace Lily
The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllumspp.)
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
are tropical plantspopular to grow indoors.
They feature large, oval, dark green, glossy leaves and bloom with white or yellow flowers.
The key to their care is moderation: They like relatively moist soil and filtered sunlight.
The Spruce / Anastasia Tretiak
Also, use a houseplant fertilizer during the growing season.
This plant tolerates some neglect, such as short periods of drought.
It likes direct morning sunlight but should be shielded from harsh afternoon sun.
The Spruce / Anastasiia Tretiak
This plant is grown for its decorative foliage, which also comes in a tricolored variety.
Give your plant indirect light, well-draining soil, and moderate moisture to thrive.
This plant doesnt need much light, and it grows in a variety of soil types.
The Spruce / Alexandra Shytsman
Just see to it its never waterlogged.
Repot it every year or two if its cramped.
String of Buttons
String of buttons (Crassula perforata) is a relative of the jade plant.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
Also known as necklace vine, this succulent features tiny, gray-green leaves encircling a central stem.
Good drainage and not overwatering are key for growing success.
These ferns dont grow very large, and theyre fairly hardy.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
Just ensure to keep them in a warm, humid environment, such as a bathroom.
And keep the soil moist but not soggy.
The leaves are so glossy and uniform in color that they might be mistaken as fake.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
This low-maintenance plant also tolerates some drought.
It adapts to many light conditions, except for harsh direct sunlight.
Water the soil when its nearly dry.
The Spruce
Philodendron
The Spruce / Alexandra Shytsman
Philodendron species(Philodendronspp.)
tend to have large, glossy leaves.
There are both vining and non-climbing types, and do well as houseplants.
The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Keep them in a fairly warm andhumid environment, and shield them from strong direct light.
Water when the top inch or so of soil has dried out.
Maintain moist but not soggy soil.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Satin Pothos
Satin pothos (Scindapsus pictus) is notable for its variegated foliage.
Its heart-shaped, dark green leaves feature silvery splotches that almost make them shine.
This vining plant looks great trailing over the side of a hanging basket.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
Water when the top 2 inches of soil has dried out.
Wax Begonia
Wax begonias (Begonia semperflorens) are cheerful flowering plants grown indoors and outdoors.
Their blooms typically come in pink, red, white, and bicolor.
They are tropical plants, preferring a fairly warm and humid environment.
Water when the top inch of soil dries out.
Place them by a window with bright light, but protect them from direct afternoon sun.
And ensure that they have sharp soil drainage.
Keep it in a warm, humid spot with filtered bright light, and maintain even soil moisture.
Polka Dot Plant
Polka dot plants (Hypoestes phyllostachya) are grown for their interesting foliage.
The most common variety features leaves with a pink base color and green speckles.
Keep your plant in bright, indirect light from an east- or south-facing window for optimal foliage coloring.
Water when the top 2 inches of soil have dried out.
Aeonium
Aeonium (Aeoniumspp.)
species are succulents with glossy or waxy leaves that form rosettes.
Use a container and soil with good drainage.
Water when the top 2 inches of soil have dried out, and reduce watering over the winter.
The easiest houseplants to grow generally arent too picky about their environment and bounce back from some neglect.
How easy a plant is alsodepends on your homes conditions.
If youre a beginner with houseplants, start caring for a few with similar growing needs.
That way, their care is easy to integrate into your routine without worrying about individualized care.
Plants Toxic to Cats.
Plants Toxic to Dogs.
Common Poisonous Houseplant Species in Florida.
University of Florida Extension.
North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
