Are you struggling with indoor plant care? Try one of these easy-care indoor plants TODAY!
If you’re a beginner gardener, have a black thumb, or forget to water your plants, you’ve come to the right place. The good news? A diverse array of resilient and easy-care indoor plants can resist even the most forgetful or rookie caretaker.
These plants are beautiful and exciting but are easy to care for hardy, and will also tolerate a bit of carelessness. But they don’t just look nice. They can help you relax and focus and purify the air you breathe.
Other than all those well-known succulents, many beautiful, easy-care indoor plants are ready to thrive, even if you lack a green thumb. So, let’s dive in to explore 14 forgiving green companions.
Snake Plant
Snake plants, a.k.a. Sansevieria trifasciata, practically thrive on neglect. This stunning easy-care indoor plant, frequently called the mother-in-law’s tongue, has tall, stiff leaves that are dark green.
Some varieties are varied and have yellow stripes running down along the leaves’ borders. The snake plant probably won’t even notice if you forget to water it for a couple of weeks. It does better when the soil dries out entirely in between waterings.
When watering this easy-care indoor plant, give it a deep and long drink, and then allow the water to drain out fully. Another excellent quality of this plant is that it flourishes in low light. It’ll grow perfectly in an office under fluorescent lamps or any other indirect lighting.
Chinese Evergreen
For the aimless plant-lover, you can’t beat a Chinese evergreen. This attractive and sturdy plant shows off pretty green leaves mixed with a bit of silver.
Small, young plants can sit on your coffee table, but older, bigger versions will make a nice corner piece in your living room on the floor. These plants are slow-growing, so there’s no need to repot them any time soon. You simply can’t go wrong with this easy-care indoor plant.
It likes bright light but does just as well in low and artificial light. Remember to keep the soil evenly moist or let it dry for a week or two before rewatering it.
You don’t ever need to fertilize it, but you can. If you’re one of those people who tends to be forgetful of taking care of your plants regularly, this is the ideal plant for you.
Spider Plant
This favored houseplant is easy to care for and highly versatile. Also known as the Chlorophytum comosum, this easy-care indoor plant is generally available in light green or variegated white and green.
Spider plants are named for the tiny clumps of small plants that dangle off the end of their runners. These little spiderettes can effortlessly be propagated into beautiful new plants. And the best part is that they’re so easy to care for.
They even enjoy being potbound, so you won’t need to change the pot too often. They flourish in bright, indirect light near a bathroom or kitchen window and don’t need to be watered often. Just be sure to give them a good drink when the soil dries out entirely.
Your spider plant will thrive just as long as you don’t let it get too soggy. This easy-care indoor plant has very few pests or diseases and only occasionally suffers from brown tips on the leaves.
Umbrella Plant
This lovely tree will grace your space without taking up too much of your precious time. The name of this easy-care indoor plant comes from the umbrella-shaped shiny leaves tiers.
There are two kinds of umbrella trees, Schefflera actinophylla, and Schefflera arboricola, but both are very similar, and the growing conditions needed are virtually identical. Umbrella trees thrive in bright, indirect light.
Lower light conditions will hinder their development, and the tree may become somewhat leggy, but you can prune them back to improve the issue. They’re happy at about the same temperatures as humans, so they’ll be comfortable in your home.
Use soil and a pot with good drainage, and water it thoroughly. Just don’t let the plant sit in the water. The leaves and sap of this easy-care indoor plant are toxic to animals and people. So be sure to keep an eye on your dogs, cats, and small kids around any umbrella tree.
Pothos
Pothos is also known as devil’s vine and golden pothos. It’s the easiest of all houseplants to maintain. These trailing plants are variegated with white, yellow, and green. Pothos prospers in indirect light but can grow in low or even artificial light.
They’re happy in regular potting soil. But be sure that when watering, you let the soil dry out thoroughly before you water it again. This is fantastic news for those who are forgetful of watering their plants! They’ll be just fine in standard household temperatures, as well.
Healthy vines can grow to a whopping 30 feet long, but you can cut them back to whatever length you prefer without hurting the plant.
This easy-care indoor plant is toxic to cats and dogs, but usually, it isn’t an issue if they’re kept as a hanging plant. They’re also easily propagated by putting cuttings in water until they grow roots.
Bromeliads
Bromeliads are spectacular easy-care indoor plants that come in a striking array of colors. Once considered challenging to care for, you can effortlessly incorporate these beauties into your home. Bromeliads can handle wide ranges in temperature, too.
So you don’t need to be too fussy about how cold your home is. But when the temperatures get too hot, you’ll need to raise the humidity around the plant. The easiest way to do this is to place the pot in a pebble tray and fill the tray with water.
These unique plants have various light needs, so follow the specifics on the label for your bromeliad array. Generally, bright indirect light will keep your bromeliads satisfied. The most essential part of this easy-care indoor plant’s care is the water and soil.
Be sure to use a fast-draining soil. Water it thoroughly, and allow all the extra water to drain out. Let the soil dry out fully before you water it again. And keep in mind that once your bromeliad’s bloom withers, it can be challenging to get it to bloom again.
Cast Iron Plant
This lush, leafy green, easy-care indoor plant makes a fuss-free houseplant and is as rigid and hardy as its name suggests. Like most indoor plants, it likes a well-draining potting mix. It can grow in dim light to bright indirect light. Just be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight.
During the spring and summer seasons, keep the soil evenly moist but not saturated. When growth is slower in the winter, you can water it less. They’re reliable plants for even the most black-thumbed gardener and will grow little purple blossoms deep in the foliage.
And they’re also safe for pets. As one of the most low-maintenance, hard-to-kill houseplants you can grow, filling lower-light locations in your home with this beauty is highly recommended.
Jade Plant
Jade plants are fascinating, long-lived succulents that represent good fortune and money. You’ll recognize them by their woody, thick stems and oval green leaves. This easy-care indoor plant requires very little care to thrive. It’s also perfectly okay to underwater your jade plant.
You’ll know it’s overdue for a gulp when its leaves begin to shrink. When the time comes, all you have to do is give it a long, slow drink of water, letting the water drain out of the soil entirely. Wait to water again until the top of the soil has dried out.
When growth is slow during the wintertime, you can let it go a little longer without a sip. Jade plants need bright, direct sunlight for a couple of hours daily. But the variegated varieties can get by with indirect light.
You won’t need to replant your jade often, either. They prefer being rootbound, which will help keep them under control when it comes to their size.
Ponytail Palm
This visually appealing, easy-care indoor plant will thrive just as long as you don’t overwater it. It isn’t EXACTLY a palm but grows a sizeable bulbous base with long, leafy streamers piling out of the top.
These unique plants will grow about 30 feet tall in their native habitat, but as a houseplant rarely reach heights of over 4 feet.
It’s best to plant your ponytail palm in succulent and cacti potting mix, or you can even make your own with equal parts sand, potting soil, and perlite. Just be sure to use a pot with good drainage. Keep the soil somewhat dry, draining off any excess water when you water it.
And water sparingly during the winter months. Remember that the growth will be limited if you keep your palm in a small pot. If you want a larger plant, place this easy-care indoor plant in a larger pot with lots of room to grow.
Madagascar Dragon Tree
These showy, easy-care indoor plants with vivid colors are perfect for beginners to grow and appreciate. The Dracaena marginata can grow up to about 20 feet in an outdoor environment.
However, as a house plant, it can grow up to six feet in height by potting and pruning properly. The Madagascar dragon tree can handle a wide range of temperatures, too.
It thrives best in bright indirect light but can handle lower light levels just as well, although it might lose some color. Keep dracaenas in rich, well-draining soil and only water them when the top half of the soil is arid.
These easy-care indoor plants need enormous pots for their extensive root systems. They have very little need for extra humidity or fertilizing. And even though this plant isn’t harmful to humans, it can be toxic to house pets.
Peace Lily
This doesn’t surprise us, but peace lilies are some of the most beloved and common houseplants. They’re easy to grow and low maintenance, making them beginner-friendly.
These lovely plants come in various sizes, from tabletop sizes to 4ft versions, that can easily overpower a room. They’re characterized by their striking white flowers resembling peace flags and deep green plumage.
Caring for this easy-care indoor plant is relatively simple. They’re happy growing indoors. And all they need is bright, indirect light to keep them growing. You’ll know they aren’t getting enough light if they stop blooming.
They like a well-draining potting soil mix that’s kept evenly moist. You might need to increase the humidity around your peace lily, so a pebble tray with water under the plant will come in handy.
You should know that they don’t do well in cold temps, but the warmth of your home should be just right. If the leaves get dusty, wipe them off with a damp cloth to keep them happy.
Rubber Plant
If you’re looking for easy-care indoor plants, you can’t go wrong with a rubber plant, a.k.a. the ficus elastica. Even though it has been technically labeled a plant, the ficus elastica can grow up to 80 feet tall in the wild.
And indoors, the rubber plant can grow relatively fast under the proper conditions. So, even if you buy a smaller version, you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck with this plant. They come in many varieties, from pale, variegated varieties to dark, rubbery green leaves.
Keep in mind, though, that rubber plants do need a lot of indirect light to grow. And you should keep the soil a bit damp yet not soggy.
If they look dusty, you can wipe the leaves off with a wet cloth. Also, you’ll need to repot your rubber plant periodically as it grows. Opt for a heavy pot with well-draining potting soil.
Purple Shamrock
Purple shamrock, a.k.a. false shamrock, is a rich, purpled-hued plant with white flowers that looks like a three-leaf clover or shamrock. This stunning house easy-care indoor plant looks delicate but is surprisingly tough.
The photophilic plant opens and closes its flowers and leaves in reaction to light and darkness, making it a mystical plant to enjoy. Plant your oxalis triangular in a standard, rich potting soil, but make sure it drains well.
We also recommend adding a bit of perlite to get the mix just right. It likes bright indoor light, so you can place it near a sunny window. This easy-care indoor plant will be happy at temperatures that keep your home comfortable, anywhere between 60 to 75 degrees.
Water your plant when you feel that the top inch of the soil feels dry, and ensure all the water drains away.
When the plant goes dormant and isn’t actively growing in the winter months, you only have to water it every two or three weeks. The best part is that these plants can quickly grow from bulbs in a matter of weeks.
As we’ve mentioned, adding some perlite to your soil and mixing it in can do wonders for your plants. Here’s one of our favorite options from Amazon: Natural Horticultural Perlite
ZZ Plant
Last but not least, if you’re looking for easy-care indoor plants, you’ve just found one of the best possible options for your home. A ZZ plant can flourish under the most severe neglect. This shrubby plant with shining green leaves grows up to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide.
It isn’t particularly finicky and will do well under various conditions. You can keep your ZZ plant in rooms with low light to bright indirect sunlight. It’ll also grow just as well in an office building under the fluorescent lights. It isn’t too particular about its dirt, either.
Keep it in some regular potting soil, and only water it when it is completely dry. If you skip a watering or two, it’s pretty forgiving, so don’t worry if you forget. You can even cut it back if you feel it’s getting too big, and it won’t care.
One word of caution, though: the ZZ plant is highly toxic. So don’t let your children or pets eat it, and after touching it, wash off any sap immediately because it may cause skin irritation.
Have you ever had any of these easy-care indoor plants in your home? Be sure to share your experiences with us in the comments section below.
And if you’re looking for more tips and tricks for all your foliage needs, Gardeners And Plants has your back! For instance, we highly recommend you also read: 27 Best Air-Purifying Plants, According to NASA
