As an indoor plant enthusiast with over 7 years of experience nurturing a thriving urban jungle, I often get asked by budding gardeners – “What are the best and easiest houseplants to grow?”
It’s a great question. When you’re just starting out, it can feel overwhelming with so many options to choose from. Get the right plants that thrive on neglect, and growing houseplants suddenly becomes a breeze! Here we will discuss “Which Houseplants Are Easiest for Beginners to Grow?”
I’ve put together this handy guide on 13 easy-care houseplants that are almost impossible to kill. These beauties can tolerate low light, inconsistent watering, and even a little neglect – perfect for beginners and busy folks!
13 easy-care houseplants For Beginners
Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
With its upright, sword-shaped leaves, the snake plant is one hardy houseplant. It actually thrives on being ignored! This nearly indestructible plant tolerates very low light and only needs watering every 2-3 weeks. The snake plant also removes toxins from indoor air, making it a perfect bedroom plant.
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
With its cascading vine-like stems and variegated or neon-green leaves, pothos make excellent hanging plants. They aren’t too fussy about light or water – just give them bright indirect light and water when the soil is partly dry. Pothos are also easy to propagate in water!
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
ZZ plants have waxy, oval-shaped leaves that emerge in pairs from thick underground rhizomes. They can easily tolerate very low light conditions and just need watering every 2-3 weeks. The ZZ is one of my favorite beginner plants – it thrives on neglect but looks so lush!
Air Plants (Tillandsia)
These cute little epiphytes grow without soil and don’t even need pots – making them impossible to overwater! Simply mist your air plants 2-3 times a week and soak them in water for 30 minutes once a week. Provide plenty of airflow and bright indirect sunlight.
Succulents like Echeveria & Jade Plants (Crassula)
With their plump leaves and symmetrical rosette shape, succulents like Echeveria and Jade are perfect for beginners. They store water in their foliage and can tolerate some drought. Provide these plants with plenty of direct sun and water only when the soil is completely dry.
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
With its bulbous base and long, curly leaves, the Ponytail palm makes a fun statement piece. Despite its name and appearance, it isn’t a true palm or even a tree! Ponytails are actually succulents and only need watering every couple of weeks. Bright indirect light keeps them happy!
Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra)
As its common name suggests, you’d need a “cast iron” will to kill this nearly indestructible plant! With its long, pointed leaves, the Cast Iron plant tolerates very low light, inconsistent watering, dry air, and even dark corners. An occasional watering is all it needs to keep looking fresh.
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
The lush green leaves and cheerful white blooms of peace lilies brighten up any space. They thrive in medium to low light and should be watered when the top inch of soil is dry. Peace lilies also filter indoor air! When they need water, leaves dramatically droop – hard to ignore!
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
With colorful leaves in shades of red, pink, silver and green, the Chinese Evergreen brings a pop of color. It adapts well to low light conditions, is pet friendly, and needs water only once the top inch of soil has dried out. The slower the soil dries, the happier it is!
Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
The parlor palm is a popular houseplant, identified by its lush, arching fronds. Despite its tropical appearance, parlor palms adapt well to low-light indoor spaces. Allow the soil to partly dry out between waterings. Yellow leaves are a sign of overwatering. Provide bright, indirect light for best results!
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants have long, ribbon-like leaves with white stripes that resemble spider legs! These quirky yet charming plants are very easy to grow – perfect for beginners. Spider plants tolerate low light and just need occasional watering. You can also propagate them easily in water!
Pineapple Plant (Ananas comosus)
With their spiky, pineapple-resembling foliage, these tropical beauties make excellent indoor plants. Pineapples tolerate low light very well and only need occasional watering. Allow the soil to partly dry out before watering again. The pineapple plant is my favorite low-maintenance houseplant!
Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podophyllum)
The arrowhead plant has arrow-shaped leaves that change shape as the plant matures. Young leaves start out heart-shaped then become lobed and finally deeply divided. Arrowheads tolerate low to medium indirect light very well and should be watered when half of the soil has dried out.
The Easiest Place to Start!
When you’re just beginning your indoor gardening journey, I always recommend starting with these 5 easy plants – the Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, Pothos, Peace Lily and Ponytail Palm. They are extremely forgiving, adapt to low light very well and don’t need frequent watering.
Before bringing any new plants home, consider the light and space you have available. No matter how cute a plant is, choose ones suitable for the conditions in your home so they have the best chance of thriving!
Conclusion
I hope you’ve found this guide helpful. Growing can seem intimidating at first but doesn’t have to be with the right plants! Let me know if you have any other questions – I’m always happy to help new plant parents nurture their budding green thumbs! I hope you get all the useful information on “Which Houseplants Are Easiest for Beginners to Grow?”
Katia Hougaard is a PhD candidate at Imperial College London, specializing in plant-aphid interactions. With a background in Plant Biology from the University of Texas at Austin, she focuses on the genetic and physiological resistance of Medicago truncatula to pea aphids. Katia has served as a science advisor for startups in vertical farming and the houseplant industry. She also mentors students and manages a research lab, contributing her expertise to both academic and entrepreneurial projects. At SuperbPlants.com, Katia shares her in-depth knowledge of plant biology, emphasizing sustainable practices and scientific integrity.
