Are you searching for the perfect low-maintenance houseplants to satisfy your green thumb? Do you often find yourself going to water your plants only to realize that half of them have wilted and died? Well not to worry! We understand that it can be difficult to care for houseplants so finding easy indoor plants to care for is ideal for those of us desperate to try our hand at indoor gardening but not quite willing to dedicate our time to ensure they are properly cared for.
Growing plants indoors is growing in popularity and if we want to join the hype then we have to be sure we’re choosing plants that are hard to kill. Many plants claim to be easy houseplants, but you’re not alone in finding it harder than expected, especially after you’ve watched the fourth plant die this week. With this non-exhaustive list of easy indoor plants, you’ll be sure to find the best low-maintenance plants for you.
Contents
11 of the Easiest Houseplants to Keep-Alive
1. Sansevieria Cylindrica
- Otherwise known as Cylinder Snake Plant
- Origin: Angola
- Visual Features: tall cylindrical leaves that shoot upwards in a spear-shaped manner
This easy to care for a houseplant is very low maintenance. It can adapt to a variety of conditions and even helps purify the air in your home. Sansevieria Cylindrica only needs watering once the soil has completely dried out.
2. Aloe Vera
- Otherwise known as Aloe
- Origin: Arabian Peninsula
- Visual Features: a short-stemmed plant with thick pale green leaves. Each leaf reaches a spike which is often serrated
Aloe Vera is a very popular plant amongst beginner gardeners as it is one of the easiest indoor plants to grow and care for. They only require watering every three weeks, however, do prefer high levels of sunlight.
3. Crassula Ovata
- Otherwise Known As Jade Plant
- Origin: South Africa
- Visual Features: thick trunk with branches leading to dark green, oval-shaped leaves
When searching for easy to care for indoor plants, Crassula Ovata is definitely one of the go-to plants you can’t kill. Its ability to withstand neglect is second to none. This beautiful plant is very similar in appearance to a bonsai. Crassula Ovata is succulent so it requires ample sunlight and not too much water.
4. Chamaedorea Elegans
- Otherwise known as Parlor Palm or the Neanthe Bella Palm
- Origin: rainforests in Southern Mexico and Guatemala
- Visual Features: slender green trunk with punctured, crescent-shaped leaves
Chamaedorea Elegans is one of the easiest plants to take care of indoors. It prefers low-light conditions. So, keep it away from windows that receive direct sunlight throughout the day. Chamaedorea can handle neglect when it comes to water, as they require the soil to dry out between each watering.
5. Pothos
- Otherwise known as Devil’s Ivy/Epipremnum Aureum
- Origin: French Polynesia
- Visual Features: glossy heart-shaped leaves varying in color from green to yellow
Pothos is a beautifully intricate plant that can decorate any indoor space exquisitely. As one of the top easy to care for plants, we highly recommend Pothos. It thrives in many environments and so can survive in either a jug of water or in soil.
6. Sansevieria Trifasciata Laurentii
- Otherwise known as Variegated Snake Plant
- Origin: Tropical West Africa
- Visual Features: glossy green leaves with a mottled pattern and yellow outlines
Sansevieria Trifasciata is popular amongst the green-thumbed population. As one of those ‘never die plants’ we love how simple it is to ensure this snake plant variety has a long happy life. This common snake plant variety can survive low-light conditions and only requires watering once a month! For more information on how to care for Sansevieria Trifasciata Laurentii see our article ‘A Beginner’s Guide On How To Care For A Snake Plant’.
7. Spider Plant
- Otherwise known as Chlorophytum Canosum
- Origin: Southern Africa
- Visual Features: lots of long narrow leaves often sprouting ‘babies’ so can appear to be a climber plant
Spider Plants are definitely competing for the top spot on easy-to-grow houseplants as they are so good at producing babies that you can then propagate and start your own spider plant collection! Spider plants are considered as one of the most adaptable houseplants. They can handle abuse, so even though they enjoy sunlight and plenty of water they don’t die easily if forgotten about.
8. Air Plant
- Otherwise known as Tillandsia
- Origin: Northern Mexico/Caribbean
- Visual Features: pale grey-green leaves curl under almost giving them a spherical nest-like appearance
These super hardy plants are as different as they come. They don’t require any soil at all so can be quite confusing for a beginner, however, once they have a suitable home caring for them is by far the easiest of them all. Water your Air Plant by regular misting, bath your plant every month. These quirky indoor plants survive very well in shaded unheated homes.
9. Chinese Money Plant
- Otherwise known as Pilea Peperomioides/Pancake Plant
- Origin: Southern China
- Visual Features: Leathery dark green leaves that are flat and round
If you’re hot on superstition this wonderful easy indoor plant is perfect for you. Legend has it you’ll start attracting a wealth of fortune with the Chinese money plant at home. So care for it well by watering once a week and rotating regularly. (It loves sunlight!).
10. Ponytail Palm
- Otherwise known as Beaucarnea Recurvata/The Elephant’s Foot
- Origin: Eastern Mexico
- Visual Features: sleek bulb-like trunk with a fountain of long curly leaves growing from the crown mimicking a ponytail (hence the name!)
Although it thrives in the bright light half of the time, placing your ponytail palm by a window should do the trick. It can sometimes withstand less bright conditions and you should always allow the soil to significantly dry out between watering. For more information on this popular indoor plant our article ‘A Beginner’s GuideTo Indoor Palm Plants’ has everything you need to know about this hard-to-kill houseplant.
11. Easter Cactus
- Otherwise known as Hatiora Gaertneri
- Origin: Brazil
- Visual Features: stacked flat paddle-like leaves giving this cactus many layers
As it is a cactus this plant does need plenty of sunlight however it only needs watering once a week or less! Check on your plant by making sure the soil is dry before watering. For more information see ‘How To Take Care Of A Cactus Indoors’.
Conclusion
Now you have a better idea of the hard-to-kill house plants on the market, you’ll be joining the elite indoor gardeners and vying for that top spot in home gardening skills. Never again will you be laughed at for neglecting a plant with these ‘never die plants’ your collection will just keep growing and growing. Whilst these are definitely the 11 easiest indoor plants to care for they do still require some attention so be sure to check in on your hard-to-kill houseplants every now and again just to be sure you don’t do the (almost) impossible.