This post contains affiliate links. I will earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through these links.
In this post, we’ll discuss 15 of the easiest houseplants for beginners to care for and review their basic care requirements so that you can determine which plants are right for you as you continue on (or begin) your houseplant journey. That’s the thing. Right for one person doesn’t mean right for everyone.
Some people swear that succulents are the easiest houseplants to care for while other people simply cannot figure them out. Me? I’m in the latter category and have never had much of a chance to care for them anyway since I’ve always lived in places that have medium to low light. (I’m still going to include them on the list because I know for some of you, succulents will be just what you need to unlock your inner green thumb!)
The point is, “easy” is subjective.
What is the easiest indoor plant to keep alive?
For the reason described above, I don’t think you can definitively state that any specific plant is THE easiest indoor plant to keep alive. However, I would say that a specific kind of plant is the easiest to keep alive.
A plant that can survive in a variety of light levels and doesn’t need to be watered often is something that will be easiest for most people. Snake plants and Aglaonemas are good examples.
I also want to briefly mention that sometimes there is a difference between “low maintenance” and “easy.” Low maintenance means something requires very little care or effort to keep happy. This generally refers to plants that don’t need to be watered frequently, don’t require much humidity, don’t need to be rotated often, don’t need to be fertilized, etc.
Easy plants might require a little more care, but nothing tricky or complicated. Much of the time, easy and low maintenance overlap, and the differences between the two don’t matter much. However, if you have a tendency to forget about your plants or if you travel a lot, you should look specifically for low-maintenance plants.
Now, let’s dive into 15 houseplants that are perfect for beginners!
Pothos
In my opinion, the pothos is the perfect starter houseplant for someone who wants to make a statement in their home, take beautiful photos, and learn more about propagation. Bright to medium indirect light is best but it can tolerate lower light. Water your pothos when the soil is dry one to two inches down.
Grab this Marble Queen Pothos from The Sill here!
- I have ordered from The Sill many times and have always received very healthy plants for affordable prices, depending on if your order your plant in a plain grow pot or pre-planted—which does come in handy sometimes! This is why The Sill is one of the places I recommend often on my blog.
Air Plant
I love air plants because they look complicated and cool and exotic, but guess what—they’re actually really simple. Air plants need bright indirect light, however, they can survive in medium light. To water, just soak them every one to two weeks depending on the climate (usually it’s less often in winter), and twice a week if it’s very hot and dry. Soak them for about an hour and gently shake them out afterward to prevent rot from water that is sitting in the crevices.
Click here to browse through Succulents Box’s collection of air plants.
- I recently purchased the randomly picked assorted air plants option. It was fun to receive a plant-y surprise like that in the mail! One of the tillandsias even came with a bloom. I recommend Succulents Box for air plants and succulents because they have a wide variety of affordable options.
Snake Plant
Snake plants are what you’ll read about whenever you see a post about plants that “like the dark.” Snake plants actually prefer medium light but can tolerate higher or lower light levels making them an awesome houseplant no matter where you live. Water your snake plant when the top one to two inches of the soil is dry. The one slightly tricky part of this plant is if you’re keeping it in low light you’ll have to be careful to not overwater it.
Grab the Snake Plant below from The Sill here!
ZZ Plant
Medium indirect light is ideal for this houseplant, but it does fine in low light which is why you see these plants frequently in office buildings and malls. ZZ plants store water in their leaves and can go for long periods without water. They’ll need to be watered about every two to three weeks, and sometimes even longer, but check to make sure the soil is completely dry first.
Check out this ZZ plant on Etsy!
- I have also ordered many plants from Etsy sellers over the years. I mean, do I even have to explain why I love Etsy? So many more options, sizes, prices, varieties, hard-to-find plants—you name it, it’s there!
- Just make sure you read the descriptions to double-check if you’ll be receiving a potted plant, a cutting, or a bare-root plant. Check the sellers’ reviews, too, because there is a slightly higher risk when ordering from independent sellers.
- Like I said before, I do love and recommend The Sill, but I’ll be linking to Etsy for some plants in this post where I feel there are more affordable options or The Sill is sold out (at the time of writing this post).
Monstera Deliciosa
Aspiring houseplant owners might fear the Monstera because of how big, vibrant, and trendy it has become. It’s actually a pretty easy plant! Bright to medium indirect light is best for the monstera. It can survive in lower light but might not grow as large with as many holes and splits on its leaves. This plant will need to be watered about once a week or so, but check that the top one to two inches of the soil is dry first.
Check out these beautiful and affordable Monstera Deliciosa options!
I actually just ordered this Monstera Adansonii—a different type of Monstera. I received it yesterday and, as you can see below, it’s still adjusting from being in a box, but it’s looking great!
Succulents and Cacti
If you’re prone to accidentally ignoring your plants and forgetting to water for long periods of time, then succulents and cacti could be perfect for you. Although this varies between different varieties, most succulents and cacti will like about 10 hours of light per day. Keep in mind that even these plants will burn in overexposure to direct sun and that there are also some varieties that can survive in lower light. Succulents and cacti like to be thoroughly soaked but then completely dried out in between waterings. Just picture the desert environment, which has huge but infrequent thunderstorms.
Check out Succulents Box for a huge variety of succulents and cacti (as well as air plants). You don’t have to subscribe to the box and can purchase single plants if you prefer.
Spider Plant
Spider plants are the ultimate houseplants for beginners and are also very easy to propagate! They prefer bright indirect light but can tolerate lower light. Spider plants like to dry out in between waterings. Water these plants when the top one to two inches of the soil is dry. (Are you sensing a theme with the one-to-two-inches rule, here? It applies to many plants.)
Get yourself a ridiculously easy Spider Plant here!
Prayer Plant
Prayer plants like bright indirect light but are flexible in medium and lower light levels. They like to remain somewhat moist, not wet, though. Water prayer plants when the top inch of the soil is dry or when you see the leaves start to curl.
Pick up a beautiful Prayer Plant to add to your collection here!
Philodendron
The philodendron does well in bright to medium indirect light but can also grow in lower light. Philodendron and pothos have a very similar look so if you want a pothos but have low light, go for the philodendron. Water your philodendron when the top one to two inches of the soil is dry.
Got a low light situation but want a cool vining plant? Click here to get the gorgeous Philodendron below from The Sill!
Ponytail Palm
The ponytail palm is a whimsical-looking houseplant that will add a fun vibe to any space! They prefer bright indirect light but can tolerate lower light. These plants store water in their trunk and can go long periods without water. Water them about every two to three weeks but check that the top one to two inches of the soil is dry.
Shop Ponytail Palms here! Man, I love these plants.
Dracaena
The Dracaena is a very cool houseplant that can be grown as a large tree or a little tabletop plant. They prefer bright indirect light and can grow in medium or low light but will grow slower. Water this plant when the top half of the soil is dry, around every two weeks.
Click here for some gorgeous Dracaena Marginata, or Madagascar Dragon Tree, options!
Cast Iron Plant
The cast iron plant can survive in bright, medium, or low light as long as it’s indirect, making them great for houseplants for beginners. These plants like to remain somewhat moist, not wet, though. You can water them when the top inch of the soil is dry.
Check out this Cast Iron Plant here!
English Ivy
English ivy grown indoors does best in bright indirect light. They can tolerate medium and low light but will grow leggy. Water this plant when the top inch of the soil is dry and be careful not to overwater it.
Buy English Ivy here! Ivy makes such a subtle but beautiful statement, I love it!
Aglaonema
Aglaonemas, or Chinese evergreens, are awesome houseplants for beginners because, although they will thrive with more light, they can grow successfully in bright, medium, or low light as long as it’s indirect. Water this plant when the top two inches of the soil is dry, probably about every 10 days to two weeks depending on the climate.
Aglaonema silver bay is my favorite type of Aglaonema. The leaves are nothing short of awesome in my opinion. Shop this stunning Aglaonema here!
Arrowhead Plant
Arrowheads are beautiful, lesser-known plants compared to other vining plants and make excellent houseplants for beginners. They can grow in bright, medium, or low indirect light. Green varieties do better in lower light than variegated varieties. Water the arrowhead when the top half of the soil is dry.
Leave a Reply