8 Best Houseplants for Beginners
These are my list of 8 of the best houseplants for beginners. There are obviously more than 8 easy to care for plants for beginners, these just happen to be my favorite. Walking through a greenhouse may be overwhelming when you’re not sure what to look for so keep reading for some ideas of what will be the perfect beginner houseplant (or plants) for you!
My grandma had several plants in her home. I loved all of them and her house was so cozy. When I got married I bought some for our new home but they eventually died off and I decided I didn’t have a green thumb. Because of that I avoided real plants and had a few faux. Fast forward several years I bought a snake plant after I heard they’re hard to kill. I have learned which plants are easy to care for and affordable. I love having houseplants in my home, they easily transform any space.
What are the Best Houseplants for Beginners?
- This post is a list of my favorites. Why are they my favorites? Because they are all easy growers, the upkeep is simple and they’re good lookin.
- Easy houseplants for beginners are those that can handle a little neglect, ones that don’t have special soil requirements and those that are not finicky with water & lighting. Basically, the best houseplants for beginners are ones that grow well without being high maintenance.
Best Tips to Keep Your Houseplants Alive
3 things you need to know to be successful. Watering needs, type of light & type of soil.
ZZ Plant
This plant is one of my favorites. I bought it at Walmart a few years ago in a small 4″ pot. In the photo this is the top of the plant. It’s a little over a foot tall right now. So many people have asked if it’s real, the leaves look like plastic. It’s such an easy plant to grow and so pretty.
Plant 1: ZZ Plant
- Water: Every 1-2 weeks. This is a perfect plant if you tend to forget to water. It is very forgiving.
- Light: This pretty plant loves low to bright indirect light
- Soil: Well draining soil
My ZZ plant is in my kitchen. I have an open floor plan from the kitchen to the living room but not a lot of natural light. The biggest window in the living room faces east. This plant does very well in this spot. My favorite potting soil is Miracle Gro Potting Mix, my plants all have done well with this soil and it’s affordable.
Snake Plant
I’ll probably say this about every plant in this post, but this is also one of my favorite plants. This little snake plant was a gift that was propagated from a bigger plant. This little cutie will be repotted as soon as I find a planter I like. This is the plant that I recommend to friends as one of the best houseplants for beginners. Once you have success you will soon become a plant mamma.
Plant 2: Snake Plant
- Water: Water every 2-3 weeks. Don’t feel like it’s being neglected by waiting so long to water. This plant likes to dry out between watering.
- Light: Low light is perfect for this plant. It also does well bright light. I’d say that makes it a pretty adaptable plant!
- Soil: Well draining soil
I have three snake plants. My first snake plant is about 3 years old and it’s huge. The second I propagated from my first snake plant and the 3rd was given to me by my daughter-in-laws grandma. She also propagated it from her plant. I LOVE to propagate my plants. It’s the best way to get another plant for free and it’s also nice to be able to grow them to share. Curious on how easy it is to propagate your plant? Click here
Pothos
This plant is one that I have propagated the most of all of my plants. It is such an easy plant to grow and there are other varieties with different variegation in the leaves. In the photo you can see my DIY propagation bottle to the left of my pothos plant. Those little leaves will soon grow new shoots and I will plant them in a pot.
Plant 3: Pothos
- Water: Every 1-2 weeks. Make sure the soil is dried out between watering.
- Light: This plant is very adaptable which is one of the reasons it’s such a great beginner plant. It does great in bright, indirect light. But it will also do well in medium to low light.
- Soil: Well draining soil
If you like the look of trailing plants, this is a great choice. I love to hang plants so I have several of these. They look great on bookshelves, mantels, tables, walls and hanging from the ceiling. If you are a beginner to the plant world or know someone who is, this is another, of many, amazing houseplants for beginners!
Spider Plant
This spider plant is in my grandbabies playroom. This room has both north and east facing windows. When this plant produces little spider babies (aka plantlets) I will cut those off and start a few new plants. It’s always so much fun to start a new plant from a plant! I was going to say it’s fun to propagate but I feel like I have said that word a lot in this post. Oops I said it again.
Plant 4: Spider Plant
- Water: Every week.
- Light: Spider plants flourish in bright indirect light but they also do very well in low light.
- Soil: Well draining soil
Spider plants are easy to grow and maintain. NASA has reported that these plants have air-purifying abilities. There are other plants known to purify the air as well. This is another good reason to add plants into your home. I am sure you’d have to have an abundance of plants to clean the air but plants are beautiful none-the-less.
BIRD’S NEST FERN
My bird’s nest fern was originally in my office which tends to be on the chilly side so I brought it upstairs. It’s still acclimating to it’s new surroundings so it’s growth is slower than normal. But I do get to enjoy it more now that it’s upstairs. I love the waves and curls the leaves have. Such a pretty plant.
Plant 5: Birds Nest Fern
- Water: Water every 1-2 weeks when top inch of soil is dry. Avoid watering in the center of the plant.
- Light: Thrives in medium to bright indirect light
- Soil: Well draining soil
The bird’s nest ferns have a slow growth rate like I mentioned above. The leaves will grow about 2 feet long. My plant has another foot to go. New leaves grow from the center part of the plant called, fronds. They are delicate and shouldn’t be touched or moved. Harsh direct sunlight can burn their leaves. Place the plant near a north or east facing window.
Plant 6: Peace Lily
PEACE LILY
I’ve had my peace lily plant for several years now. It’s one of the plants I brought home from my dads funeral. You see lots of these plants at funerals because they are so easy to maintain making it a great beginner houseplant. This plant faces my east window and does very well. I am trying to finish up this post and I have tried taking a picture of this plant as well as my fern but we have had so many gloomy days!
- Water: Once a week or when the leaves droop giving you hints it needs a drink. The leaves will perk up fast after watering.
- Light: Moderate indirect light. East & north windows are best.
- Soil: Well draining soil
The peace lily is one of the most popular indoor plants. A NASA study showed that the peace lily neutralizes both formaldehyde & carbon monoxide. I love a natural air purifier! This plant can grow up to 3 feet tall and wide so it’s a perfect floor plant!
Plant 7: Dracaena
Dracaena
I love the shiny leaves on this plant, the variegated white and greens look great in a white pot. Depending on which variety you have, this plant can grow anywhere from 2-10 feet tall. Mine will grow 2 feet tall and is half way there.
- Water: Every two weeks.
- Light: Bright indirect light
- Soil: Well draining soil
Dracaena can do well in low light areas but their growth will be slower. You’ll notice a growth spurt during the spring and summer as this is their growing season. NASA studies showed this plant purifies the air of harmful gases. A few things to note about this plant; it is sensitive to tap water, use distilled if you can, otherwise let your tap water sit out over night before watering. Also, if you have pets keep in mind that this plant is toxic to them.
Plant 8: Chinese Money Plant
CHINESE MONEY PLANT
This is the only plant in this post that I don’t have yet. It is on my want list. Why is it on my list? It’s easy to maintain. Also, I love the rounded shape of the leaves, it’s also known for its air purifying abilities AND it’s easy to propagate. I think that is plenty of reasons to have this cute plant on my wish list.
- Water: Water lightly once a week. It can handle having its soil dry out between watering.
- Light: Bright indirect light
- Soil: Well draining potting soil
The money plant is believed to bring wealth and abundance. I better get more than one plant! This plant is also known as the friendship plant. This makes sense because of how easily it can be propagated. Like the spider plant, this plant also produces baby plants. The babies are called, pilea.
Conclusion
- I hope you were inspired by these amazing houseplants listed here and feel more confident adding a few or all of these into your home.
- Of the plants I’ve listed here I would recommend that you definitely start with the snake plant and pothos!
- I believe that having houseplants is a beautiful addition to your home and an easy way to freshen up the rooms in your home.
- Not only do they add beauty but there have been studies showing how they can improve our homes air quality, reduce stress & boost our moods, increase productivity and overall make us feel good.
A few more things…
Check out my post how-to-decorate-with-houseplants
Click here for a free plant-printable
