30 Best Houseplants For Beginners: Tips For New Plant Owners
Do you want to make your home more beautiful and inviting? Adding plants to your home is a great way to do that. Not only do houseplants add color and life, they also help clean the air. And if you’re new to plant ownership, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
We’ve put together a list of 30 of the best houseplants for beginners. These plants are easy to care for and will thrive in any environment. So whether you live in a tiny apartment in the city or a big house in the suburbs, there’s sure to be a plant on this list that will fit in perfectly with your lifestyle.
What to Know Before Buying Indoor Plants
Are you thinking of buying some indoor plants to help brighten up your home? If so, there are a few things you need to know before heading to the store.
Temperature and Light
The first step to growing houseplants is choosing plants that are suitable for your climate and lighting conditions.
All houseplants require bright, indirect sunlight, but the duration of light exposure varies with each plant. Some need four hours or less of full sun, while others thrive in the all-day sun.
When in doubt about a plant’s lighting needs, look for these keywords:
Low Light
Suitable for dimly lit rooms. Also called “intermediate” or “soft” light.
Average Light
The plant can tolerate a few hours of medium-light per day (a north window). Also called “diffused” or “mixed” light.
Bright Indirect Light
The plant should have at least 4 to 5 hours of direct sunlight per day. Also called “sunny” or “hard” light.
Buying Houseplants
Houseplants can be an excellent addition to any home, but before you purchase your plants, it’s important to take take a close look at them and note their condition. Are the leaves:
- smaller-than-usual
- mushy
- discolored
- wilting
These are signs of root rot – which is deadly to houseplants – and if they show any of these symptoms, do not buy them!
You also should examine the leaves for tiny pests like spider mites (look for webbing between stems), mealybugs, and scale infestations.
Once in your home, watch for pest outbreaks; it may be necessary to isolate new indoor plants until you have determined if there is a problem. It’s better to catch an infestation early before it spreads to your other houseplants.
In order to make sure that your new houseplant thrives in your home, it’s important to know the light needs of your plant before bringing it home and then position it correctly once you get there.
Humidity
All houseplants need some humidity, but it varies.
Some indoor plants grow best in humid environments (over 50% relative humidity), while others prefer dry air.
A most common indoor plant like Ficus Benjamina or Philodendron can tolerate lower humidity around 30-40%.
Whether your home is too humid or too dry for specific species, the solution is usually simple – just mist the leaves with water occasionally or place a humidifier near the plant. If you have more than one houseplant, putting them together will help create a healthy atmosphere for all of them.
For even better results, use pebble trays: fill each tray halfway with small stones and add water to about 1″ below the top. Then sit your plants, with the pots resting on the stones, into the trays. The tray will provide humidity and help keep the soil moist longer (especially important for some succulents).
Plants growing in a pebble tray can become top-heavy and tip over, so make sure to secure them to something and always monitor their condition.
Finally, note that some houseplants like Abutilon need little water because they come from hot climates where rain is infrequent; whereas others – like Spider plant – do best when watered regularly.
Feeding, Fertilizing & Potting Soil
Plant foods are available in powder, fluid, or slow form. Using too much can kill your plants so follow the instructions carefully and apply only small amounts of it at a time.
Feeding will encourage new growth, so you may want to prune back the top growth, but avoid doing this more than two or three times per year because it can drastically slow down your plant’s development.
In order to maintain the health and beauty of your houseplants, it is important that you fertilize plants at least once every month during active growth (from spring through fall). Use half-strength liquid fertilizer or a slow-release one in soil form for best results. Be careful not to over-fertilize – especially with blooming plants as this can damage or kill them.
If you’re not sure about fertilizing – skip it and stick to the pruning!
Repotting is an important part of taking care of your plant. Make sure you have fresh, well-draining potting soil that contains organic components like peat moss or composted bark.
Sphagnum peat moss helps retain moisture and discourages root rot without restricting airflow; whereas bark provides drainage and allows air to reach the roots.
Most important of all – never use ordinary garden soil! It’s too heavy for houseplants and can cause your plants to wilt.
Pruning
Clip off dying or dead leaves and stems as soon as you notice them, but make sure not to remove more than one-third of each plant at once. Leaves will grow back, though it might take some time.
If you have no idea what to do, just leave it alone!
Cut off the yellowing leaves and remove dead growth around the base of your plant. Also, be sure to clean up any fallen debris immediately; if allowed to accumulate at the base of houseplants, it can create a home for pests.
How Often To Water Houseplants
There are no “rules” for watering. If you’re a beginner, following some simple tips can help.
- If your plant is in a red clay pot, watering will be more frequent than if it was in a white plastic pot.
- Soil type also plays an important role – a fast-draining soil ensures better air circulation around the roots and prevents overwatering.
- Use room temperature water when you water your plants – cold water can shock them and cause the leaves to drop off.
But remember: even with all those guidelines, there is no exact way of knowing how much or little your plant should be watered. The best thing you can do is keep track of what works for you and your plants!
Note that some plants require less water during the winter months (when they are resting) than during spring/summer.
New plants that are potted for the first time will also require less water than established ones of similar size.
Signs & Symptoms Of Over-Watering
What do you see when a plant is overwatered? Slow growth or losing leaves and yellowing. Maybe it’s getting mushy and withered, with brown spots appearing on the leaves.
Leaves are beginning to curl; this can be due to over-watering, but it also may indicate a lack of humidity in the air or poor drainage at the roots.
Also, if you see black spots on the leaves – they may be signs of a fungus that thrived in wet soil. The remedy is to treat with an organic fungicide and let it dry out slowly before watering again.
The dark color at the base of stems can indicate over-watering; However, this generally won’t kill your plant outright; it means many problems that will develop if you continue to water.
Uneven growth (where there are both wet & dry spots) means that not all of the roots have access to water, thus causing slower growth or damage in some areas.
If this is happening, make sure to correct it before moving on – an unstable environment is unhealthy for any houseplant!
Too much water restricts airflow around the roots and inhibits their ability to absorb nutrients. A plant that is constantly waterlogged will eventually begin to produce yellow leaves as a result.
Remove any dead leaves or stems as soon as possible to avoid infection around the base of your plant.
If it looks like your plant is simply drowning every time you water, try changing its location so that it has better access to sunlight and airflow – this could help absorb moisture more effectively.
Regular Watering Schedule
Water your houseplant once a week, but only if required (wait until the soil feels dry). Ensure to thoroughly wet it and let all of that excess water drain out of the bottom.
Your goal is to have all of the nutrients reach your plants’ roots instead of sitting in the bottom of the pot and causing root rot.
Skeletonizing leaves occur when parts of your plant lose too many nutrients; this can lead to a loss of foliage or even death if not corrected.
If you see any leaf damage, try fertilizing with either an organic or chemical fertilizer (whichever one seems more appropriate for your plant).
For plants receiving enough sunlight, check the soil pH level first – it should be no less than 6.0 and no more than 7.5 to avoid nutrient depletion.
And don’t forget to rotate the plants monthly, so they grow evenly!
Houseplants
These are the best houseplants for beginners, so whether you’re looking for something low-maintenance or hoping to add a dash of green to your living space, there’s bound to be a plant on this list that’s perfect for you.
1. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
This low-maintenance plant is known for its distinct white flowers and is one of the best indoor plants, which makes it an excellent choice for those of you who love indoor plants.
But if don’t have a lot of time to tend to them each day and need houseplants that can keep up with your busy schedule, a Peace Lily is a great choice.
It will do well in bright to medium light conditions, so be sure not to put it somewhere too sunny or dark.
The Peace Lilly will tolerate low light, average humidity, and normal room temperature.
Also, the Peace Lily needs watering about once a week when the soil first starts to feel dry and should be allowed to go slightly dry between waterings if you’re going away for an extended period of time.
A beautiful plant with white flowers, the peace lily is OK in low light conditions and thrives on neglect. Be sure to water this plant enough that the soil dries completely between each watering, making it one of the most forgiving plants.
2. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The spider plant is another easy to care for houseplant that thrives on neglect. It does well with bright to medium light and watering once a week or whenever the soil first starts to feel dry.
The most common issue for these houseplants is the yellowing of their leaves. For more information on this check out this post: Why Is My Spider Plant Turning Yellow? 15 Tips
It grows long runners which can be cut into smaller plants, making it an excellent choice if you want to start multiple plants from one in your home.
The Spider Plant was one of my very first plants. It’s by far my favorite of the indoor plants and holds a special place in my heart and holds fantastic benefits. It could be one of the most perfect plants for beginners.
3. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
This low-maintenance vine is one of the best houseplants for beginners. It needs very bright but indirect light and infrequent watering, meaning that those of you who forget to water will still have success with this houseplant.
Pothos will give you a little leeway before it shows any signs of stress, but be sure to avoid overwatering and never let the plant sit in water.
Pothos is one of the most popular and easiest to grow houseplants out there! They do best with medium indoor light and infrequent watering while they’re growing.
Once they start producing flowers or fruit though, regular watering will help encourage blooms and production.
You can also fertilize these guys every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming.
4. Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podophyllum)
A perfect plant for the new plant parent, the Arrowhead has dark green leaves shaped like arrowheads with white, pink, cream, or silver veins.
As they get older, they produce trailing or climbing stems. If you prefer the denser and “bushier” look, just trim off those trailing stems.
5. Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
The low-maintenance jade plant has beautiful thick leaves that form rosettes. It does well with bright, indirect light and infrequent watering, allowing the soil to go slightly dry between each watering.
The Jade Plant is a member of the succulent family that looks like a tree. – it can reach up to 4 feet and spread out.
However, make sure not to overwater it since it can develop root rot easily if left in soggy soil too long.
6. Aloe (Aloe vera)
The aloe vera plant is great for those who have a difficult time remembering when they last watered their plants because this one needs water just once or twice a month!
If you’re looking for an easy-to-care-for succulent, then be sure to check out the aloe plant because it thrives on neglect.
Aloe Vera has been known to help treat burns from its own leaves and requires little plant care. Just make sure that your pot drains well so it doesn’t stay wet.
7. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
ZZ plant is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a beautiful, durable houseplant that has little to no problems with pests or diseases and can grow in just about any type of light.
It’s very drought-resistant once established, so be sure to only water this one when the soil first starts to feel dry and let it go slightly dry between waterings.
ZZ plant will do well on your coffee table or on your desk at work!
8. Dracaena (Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’)
The dracaena plant does best with medium lighting and infrequent watering, allowing the soil to go slightly dry before watering again.
If the leaves turn yellow, however, then it means it’s getting too much water, and you should let the plant dry out a bit more between waterings.
These plants are great for those of you looking to add some green into your home or office decor as they come in many different varieties to suit any space!
9. Beefsteak Begonia (Begonia erythrophylla)
You can’t go wrong with adding this beautiful houseplant into your home or office! The Beefsteak Begonia thrives best with bright light and infrequent watering, allowing the soil to go slightly dry before watering again.
This plant is difficult to find in stores and has heart-shaped leaves that are shiny and olive green. A beautiful addition to your collection of indoor houseplants.
Some begonias have flowers and are harder to keep alive.
If the leaves begin to turn yellow, however, then that means it’s getting too much sunlight or is overwatered and needs a little less time between waterings in the future.
10. Rubber plant (Ficus elastic)
Another great fiddle-leaf fig is the rubber plant, which makes a beautiful addition to any room in your home.
It thrives best with bright, indirect light and infrequent watering when it’s young and then more frequent watering after it has begun to grow roots and become more established as its root system grows deeper into the soil over time.
If the leaves start to turn yellow at all or if they begin dropping off, that means your rubber plant needs more water in the future.
11. Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
Another beautiful houseplant to add to your collection is the often-overlooked cast iron plant that does well when grown as a houseplant year-round and thrives in indirect light.
Size can reach 12-24 inches and can produce little reddish flowers at the base, peaking out of the soil.
Be careful not to overwater this one, however, since it will rot if left in soggy soil too long. This plant is also very pest-resistant!
12. Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron scandens oxycardium)
The philodendron is another popular plant for indoors because it’s so easy to grow! Most varieties will do well with indirect light and infrequent watering.
The heartleaf Philodendron has long, wandering stems that can stretch out up to 30 feet in length. t has dark green, glossy, heart-shaped leaves.
Let the soil dry out slightly between waterings, but if your leaves begin turning yellow at all or seem limp and wilted, then you should increase your watering schedule in the future.
Try using a good-quality fertilizer once or twice a year for best results.
13. Succulents (Various varieties)
If you’re looking for a unique and interesting houseplant to add to your collection, then consider adding a few succulents into the mix!
These unique plants can make an exciting addition to any room in your home or office. Make sure that they have good drainage so they don’t stay wet too long, and water them sparingly when the soil first starts feeling dry until you get a feel for how often they need watering.
Succulents are generally pest-resistant as well!
14. Bamboo (Chamaedorea Seifrizii)
One of my favorites on the list, Chamaedorea Seifrizii, is a bamboo palm that does best with medium indoor light and infrequent watering, allowing the soil to go slightly dry between waterings. It’s also very pest-resistant and easy to care for!
15. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea Elegans)
Another popular choice, this parlor palm prefers indirect light indoors and infrequent watering when it’s young and then more frequent watering after it has grown roots and become established in its pot.
Be careful not to overwater this one or let the soil get soggy because too much water can lead to root rot.
16. Poney Tail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
17. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
The English Ivy is another popular houseplant to add to your collection. It thrives on neglect and does best in medium indoor light with infrequent watering.
This one can climb up the side of a pot or be grown as a groundcover plant, too! Make sure not to overwater it, though, since it doesn’t like soggy soil and can become susceptible to root rot.
18. Air Plants (Various varieties)
You can’t forget about air plants! Air plants are a fun way to bring greenery into any room in your home or office.
They thrive best indoors with indirect light and infrequent watering. Like succulents, most air plants prefer to dry slightly between waterings, and some will even need their “flowers” (the part that sprouts the baby leaves from the center) misted instead of water directly.
19. African Violets (Saintpaulia ionantha)
African violets are a pretty flowering plant that adds a pop of color to any room in your home or office.
They thrive with medium indoor light and infrequent watering, but you may want to water them more often if it’s hot or dry indoors since they don’t like the dry air.
If the leaves start turning yellow at all or get soft and mushy while their soil is still damp, then reduce how often you water so the soil can dry out slightly between waterings.
African violets also benefit from being fertilized every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing their flowers until after they stop blooming.
20. Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans)
Yup. It looks like a mini corn plant that you would see growing in a field in August. Except with little white flowers on it.
Although it’s slow-growing, the corn plant has broad green leaves with cream stripes and could grow to a ceiling height.
21. Dwarf Schefflera (Schefflera arboricola)
You can’t go wrong with a Schefflera plant indoors! Like the other plants on this list, it thrives in medium indoor light with infrequent watering.
Make sure to use a good-quality potting mix or potting soil and avoid using heavy, water-retaining soils or fertilizer since these plants don’t like wet roots; drench and let dry.
If leaves start turning yellow at all or get soft and mushy while their soil is still damp, then reduce how often you water so the soil can dry out slightly between waterings.
22. Mother Of Thousands (Tolmiea menziesii)
Mother of Thousands is pretty, doesn’t need a lot of care, and it’s easy to propagate at home with inexpensive supplies from your local garden shop.
You can even grow little mother cuttings that you take from existing plants! They are low-maintenance houseplants and do best in indirect light indoors and infrequent watering while they’re growing.
Once they start producing flowers or fruit though, regular watering will help encourage blooms and production.
23. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
The Chinese evergreen plant has beautiful, glossy-green leaves that look lovely and add some greenery to any room in your home.
They do best with medium indoor light and infrequent watering while they’re growing. Once they start producing flowers or fruit though, regular watering will help encourage blooms and production making them great house plants.
24. Fern (Various varieties)
Ferns are one of the best houseplants for beginners because they look beautiful and don’t need a lot of care.
They can thrive in medium indoor light with infrequent watering, or you may want to increase their water intake if your home is very dry.
If leaves start turning yellow at all or get soft and mushy while the soil is still damp, then reduce how often you water so the soil can dry out slightly between waterings.
These plants also benefit from being fertilized every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming.
25. Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa)
The monstera is a fun, tropical-looking plant that you can’t kill! It thrives on medium indoor light and infrequent watering while it’s growing.
In fact, if your plant’s soil feels dry when you water it and droplets of water cling to the leaves after you pour off any excess in the catch tray below, then you don’t need to water this one.
If leaves start turning yellow at all or get soft and mushy while their soil is still damp, then reduce how often you water so the soil can dry out slightly between waterings.
Monsteras also benefit from being fertilized every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming making it one of the best indoor plants.
26. Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’)
The hardy Snake Plant is another one of the easiest-to-care-for-houseplants out there! It does best with medium indoor light and infrequent watering.
If leaves start turning yellow at all or get soft and mushy while your snake plants’ soil is still damp, then reduce how often you water so the soil can dry out slightly between waterings.
Snake plants also benefit from being fertilized every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming.
27. Peperomia (Peperomia spp.)
Peperomia is another easy-to-care-for house plant, and they come in lots of different varieties.
They do best with medium indoor light and infrequent watering while they’re growing. Once they start producing flowers or fruit though, regular watering will help encourage blooms and production.
You can also fertilize these guys every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming.
28. Wandering Jew (Zebrina pendula)
This houseplant has beautiful leaves and doesn’t need a lot of care! It can thrive in medium indoor light with infrequent watering, or you may want to increase its water intake if your home is very dry.
If leaves start turning yellow at all or get soft and mushy while the soil is still damp, then reduce how often you water so the soil can dry out slightly between waterings.
These plants also benefit from being fertilized every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming.
29. Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)
The Prayer Plant has oblong olive green leaves and will give you little pink flowers every once in a while. They’re beautiful houseplants that are perfect for hanging baskets.
They do best with medium indoor light and infrequent watering while they’re growing. Once they start producing flowers or fruit though, regular watering will help encourage blooms and production.
You can also fertilize these guys every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming.
30. Orchid (Various varieties)
Orchids are beautiful and fascinating plants that need careful care, but they’re not too difficult to grow indoors if you have lots of light.
They do best with high indoor light and frequent watering while they’re growing. Once they start blooming though, reduce how often you water so the soil can dry out slightly between waterings.
Orchids also benefit from being fertilized every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming.
31. Cactus (Various varieties)
Cacti are some of the easiest-to-care for plants out there! They do best with medium to high indoor light and infrequent watering.
If leaves start turning yellow at all or get soft and mushy while their soil is still damp, then reduce how often you water so the soil can dry out slightly between waterings.
These guys also benefit from being fertilized every two weeks during their active growing cycle once they begin producing flowers until after they finish blooming.
Ready To Buy Your Easy Indoor Plant?
Houseplants are a great way to add greenery and life to your home. If you’re new to the world of indoor plants, here’s what you need to know about 30 popular varieties of houseplants that can thrive in any beginner’s home.
Whether you want an easy-to-grow succulent or something with more delicate flowers like an orchid, these tips will help ensure they get just enough water while not getting too much (and then wilting) so they stay beautiful all year round!
