Studies have proven that greenery in our surroundings helps us to reduce stress and feel better overall. Plus, houseplants double as décor and can provide an Insta-worthy look in any room. These five easy-to-grow houseplants are especially great for first-time plant parents or those who don’t have a green thumb. Aside from needing excellent drainage, these plants are hard to kill, practically thrive on neglect, and require little to live their happy plant lives. National Indoor Plant Week is September 21-25, so let’s start growing!
Care: Indirect light is favored, but it can survive in full sun or dark corners. Use sandy soil and let dry fully between watering. In winter, it only needs water about once a month!
Benefits: Studies show it can remove cancer-causing air particles, including formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene. Can convert CO2 into oxygen at night.
How to Style: Place around the home in pots; can work as a table or floor plant depending on height. Usually a bright, healthy green, some varieties have yellow coloring as well.
Care: Enjoys bright indirect light. Wilting or brown leaves = needs more water; black spots = too much water. Prune well so it doesn’t take over your living room.
Benefits: Helps clean the air in your home or office. Pothos can even survive under fluorescent lighting!
How to Style: Because it’s vine-like, pothos can be pruned to fit in a pot or trained along a trellis to show off its length. A wall sconce or hanging pot will highlight its beauty.
Care: Prefers medium or bright indirect light. Philodendrons like nutrient-rich soil, room-temperature water, and having their leaves sprayed or misted. Feed in spring and fall.
Benefits: The philodendron is excellent at filtering toxins out of the air. Its big leaves also absorb moisture and release clean oxygen into the room. And sooooo easy to grow!
How to Style: Adaptable and easy-going, thrives in almost any container. Cute in little pots (either hanging or on tables) while small, upright varieties make a great floor plant.
Care: Dryish soil and bright indirect light. Leaves can get sunburned but will also suffer and curl if kept in a dim area. Water once a week, a little more in the summer.
Benefits: It’s easy to turn one pancake plant into many! They make adorable housewarming gifts for friends.
How to Style: Pilea stays pretty small, so it’s great for your desktop, kitchen counters, bookshelves, and coffee table. Rotate it each time you water, as it grows toward its light source.
Care: These desert-dwellers like it hot, dry, and sunny. Choose potting soil made for succulents and terra cotta pots to keep it happy. Overwatering will kill this plant.
Benefits: Aloe vera gel can soothe burns and eczema, moisturize skin, prevent acne, or exfoliate you from top to toe (it contains naturally occurring salicylic acid).
How to Style: It can grow tall enough for a floor planter but starts small enough for a desk decoration. As it grows, repot and move it and/or its “pups” throughout your house.
Still think living green things just aren’t for you? There are always fake plants to fall back on. No watering, pruning, feeding, or pests! You may not grow as attached to a faux flora friend, but having that touch of green around can lift your spirits all the same. Make some new additions to your #plantgang.
