26 Types of Houseplants That Are Easy to Care For

Houseplants are plants that can thrive as indoor plants. They typically require bright light, well-draining potting soil, relative humidity, and infrequent watering. Most houseplants can be grown indoors in any USDA hardiness zone (so long as the proper conditions are provided). Houseplants are great decorative elements, and they boast air-purifying capabilities.

Want to start an indoor garden, but not looking for a challenging plant care regimen? Here are some of the best houseplants that are easy to care for.

1. 1. Philodendron: Philodendrons are tropical plants native to Central and South America. There are hundreds of philodendron species, each with its own unique cultivars. The most common philodendron plants produce long vines or stems adorned with thick, waxy, dark green leaves. Depending on the species of philodendron and the size of the container they're planted in, they can grow anywhere from one to six feet long and equally wide.
2. 2. Pothos plants: Pothos is a low-maintenance, vining indoor plant that’s easily mistaken for philodendron due to its similar heart-shaped leaves. Easy to care for and to propagate, pothos plants are an excellent houseplant for a beginner gardener.
3. 3. Snake plant: Snake plant is one of the most common and low-maintenance houseplants. Snake plants can grow anywhere from six inches to twelve feet tall in height. Their dark green leaves are sword-like in shape and can feature yellow borders and light green streaks.
4. 4. Peace lily: A peace lily is a tropical plant and popular houseplant. The peace lily plant blooms large, shell-like white flowers and large glossy dark green leaves. The peace lily is not actually a true lily but is part of Araceae family, and is a relative of the philodendron, anthurium, and alocasia flowers. Peace lilies are native to warm, humid, tropical climates. Too much dry indoor air can stifle your peace lily's growth, so mist your plant regularly with water to replicate a humid environment.
5. 5. Succulents: Succulents are plants with thick, fleshy leaves or stems, which store water and protect the plants from drought. Succulents are not synonymous with cacti. While nearly every variety of cactus is a succulent, not all succulents are cacti. Succulents make some of the best houseplants. Unlike most forms of vegetation, succulent plants store moisture in their leaves, which allows them to withstand long periods of drought. Succulents flourish in dry air and warm temperatures.
6. 6. Spider plant: Spider plant, also called airplane plant, is a perennial flowering plant native to South Africa. Spider plants have long, thin leaves—both solid-colored and variegated—and grow to be one to two feet tall. Spider plants are known primarily for their long grass-like leaves, but they also produce clusters of small white flower blooms that mature to form baby spider plantlets, commonly referred to as "spiderettes."
7. 7. ZZ plant: The ZZ plant is a perennial tropical plant native to eastern Africa. Its moniker derives from its botanical name, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, and you may also know it as Zansibar gem or aroid palm. The ZZ plant is a common ornamental houseplant with waxy, oval-shaped dark green leaves. ZZ plants are extremely drought-tolerant due to their rhizomes, which are underground plant stems that not only grow roots and shoots but also store water and beneficial nutrients.
8. 8. Fiddle-leaf fig: The fiddle-leaf fig is a slow-growing, large-leafed plant. Fiddle-leaf fig trees can grow as tall as ten feet with proper care. Their dramatic stature, shiny foliage, and relatively low light requirements make them a popular houseplant for living rooms. The fiddle-leaf fig is native to tropical regions of Western Africa and features veined, fiddle-shaped green leaves, which is how it received its common name.
9. 9. Aloe vera: Aloe vera is a low-maintenance succulent that grows well as an indoor houseplant. The plant’s long, fleshy, blue-green leaves are not only stunning, but they also contain soothing properties. The gel from aloe vera leaves is a popular remedy for sunburns and cold sores, so keeping indoor aloe vera plants is like growing a part of your own DIY first-aid kit.
10. 10. Orchids: Orchids are tall, flowering tropical plants with an evolved lip, three petals, and sepals surrounding them. The orchid family is robust, containing over 25,000 natural species and more than 200,000 hybrids. Orchid blossoms come in a wide range of colors, from white to orange to pink. Orchids are relatively low-maintenance. They do best in bright, indirect light for ten hours a day, and require a light watering about once a week.
11. 11. Air plants: Air plants are low-maintenance since they live without soil and store excess water in their leaves. There are many species of air plants with a wide range of care requirements. Some can tolerate bright direct sunlight while others do best in indirect sunlight, so do some research on your specific variety of air plant.
12. 12. English ivy: English ivy is a climbing vine that is easy to propagate and makes an attractive addition to indoor gardens. It can be trained to climb up a wall or bookcase, adding a little greenery to any room of the house that gets bright, indirect sunlight.
13. 13. Money tree: Money trees are commonly grown as bonsai trees and make exceptional houseplants. They're typically trained to grow so that three separate trunks braid around each other. They do best in medium light and high humidity. Their roots are sensitive to overwatering, so it's best to keep the soil dry. An occasional light misting of its leaves will suffice.
14. 14. Prayer plants: Prayer plants do best in high-humidity, low-light conditions (partial to full shade), and moist but well-draining soil. They do produce blooms in early spring, although rarely when kept as indoor plants. Prayer plants can grow indoors year-round, making them attractive houseplants any time of year, but especially during the cold winter months.
15. 15. Rubber plant: If you’re seeking a low-maintenance indoor tree to spruce up your home decor, look no further than a rubber tree. They require indirect light, well-aerated potting mix, high to average humidity, and a light watering when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch.
16. 16. Swiss cheese plant: There are several similar-looking plants that are often referred to by the common name of “Swiss cheese plant,” although Monstera deliciosa is the most common type. As vining plants, Swiss cheese plants are easy to care for and can grow exceptionally tall in the warm, humid air of their native regions, clinging to trees and other support structures with aerial roots (roots that grow freely out of the soil).
17. 17. Yucca plants: Yucca plant is the common name for some plants within the Yucca genus of drought-tolerant trees, plants, and shrubs. Yucca plants are succulents that produce long, narrow, pointy leaves. There are two types of yucca plants that are easy to care for as indoor plants: the Spanish bayonet and the spineless yucca.
    
18. 18. String of pearls: String of pearls plants are succulents known for their small, pea-shaped leaves. Native to South West Africa, string of pearls plants exist as ground cover in their natural habitat. As houseplants, they provide cascading vines from window boxes, hanging baskets, and pots. In addition to their pearl-like foliage, these plants blossom with small white flowers in the spring.
19. 19. Chinese money plant: Peperomias—also known as Chinese money plants, UFO plants, missionary plants, or pancake plants—are succulent indoor shrubs with waxy, fleshy leaves and green or red stems. Chinese money plants come in various textures, colorings, and sizes. Some have heart-shaped leaves, while others sprout thin or round foliage. One of the most well-known versions of the Peperomia has round, bright-green coin-shaped leaves. These slow growers usually only reach heights of around twelve inches, making them a popular vegetation choice for people who want unique-looking, flowering indoor plants.
20. 20. Jade plants: Jade plants are succulent plants with thick, oval leaves and stout stems. Even though they grow slowly—roughly two inches a year—jade plants can reach heights of up to six feet with a three-foot spread. Jade plants can grow indoors and live for up to one hundred years with consistent care. These succulents symbolize good luck, fortune, and prosperity in some cultures. Jade plants are toxic to cats and dogs, so it’s wise to keep them out of reach of pets.
21. 21. Dragon tree: Dragon tree, or Madagascar dragon tree, is a popular houseplant characterized by spiky green leaves with variegated red edges. Dragon trees can grow up to twenty feet tall outside in warm climates but often grow to about six feet tall when grown indoors. Dragon trees are popular indoor plants that are low-maintenance and don’t require a lot of watering because they are drought-tolerant.
22. 22. Dumb cane: Dumb cane is a tropical perennial plant that is native to South America and the Caribbean. This plant grows large, oval green leaves from large, green stems. In the right conditions, dumb cane will produce green flowers that look like peace lilies, but this rarely happens when it grows indoors. Dumb canes are popular indoor plants that require little maintenance. Most species can survive in any light conditions except for direct sunlight.
    
23. 23. Kalanchoe: Kalanchoe is a low-maintenance flowering plant. This succulent plant is also known by the common names Christmas kalanchoe, flaming Katy, Madagascar widow’s-thrill, and florist kalanchoe. This Madagascar-native plant is known for its clusters of small, long-lasting flowers that bloom in winter and spring.
24. 24. Garden croton: Garden croton is a shrub native to high-humidity areas of Southeast Asia. When the top half-inch of soil is dry, water your crotons thoroughly. You may notice some leaf drop when the plants aren’t properly hydrated, so try misting the leaves with room temperature water about twice a week. You can also use a humidifier to keep the room in the right moisture conditions.
25. 25. Asparagus fern: An asparagus fern is a feathery, herbaceous perennial with white flowers and red berries. Needle-like leaves form in nodes on the main stems. For the best results, plant these ferns in a well-draining potting mix and place them in a sunny windowsill.
26. 26. Calathea plants: Calathea plants are tropical plants known for their dark green leaves with pinstripe patterns. Originally from Brazil and other areas in South America, they thrive in a humid environment. If you live in a dry area, mist these plants regularly or run a humidifier nearby. They make excellent nontoxic and pet-friendly houseplants.

Consider these houseplant care tips.

1. 1. Keep track of when to water your plants. When caring for multiple houseplants, it's important to keep track of each plant's specific watering needs. Create a calendar or set reminders for yourself to help you keep on top of watering.
2. 2. Propagate houseplants to encourage new growth. Many houseplants—especially vining varieties—can benefit from regular pruning and propagation. Take your plant clipping, root it in water for a few days, and transfer it to well-draining potting soil to create a new plant and promote the health of the old plant.
3. 3. Apply houseplant fertilizer as needed. Not all plants benefit from fertilizer, but some need a little extra help in order to thrive. Apply a liquid houseplant fertilizer at the start of the spring growing season to help encourage new growth.
4. 4. Regularly clean the leaves. Dust accumulated on the leaves of houseplants can prevent photosynthesis and stunt the growth of your plants. Wipe down the leaves with a damp cloth on a regular basis (every few months or so) to keep your plants healthy and looking their best.

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