I’m so excited about this post and to share with you 12 plants that are perfect for your home and/or office! I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely a wanna be plant lady. I aspire to have a home FULL of plants and all things greenery… There’s just something so beautiful about bringing nature into your home. Plus, there’s benefits like having the plants absorb sound, making your home and oxygen cleaner, and then there’s all these studies on how plants just plain make people happier. I mean – who wouldn’t want all of the above?
So I’ve curated a list for you of 12 beautiful house plants that really are not that difficult to take care of! I’ve owned about half of these, and I totally don’t have a green thumb… yet ๐ So trust me, if I can do it, then I believe that you can too!
+ Peace Lily
This was one of the first plants I purchased – and I bought the biggest one in the shop! It instantly livened up our room, as this large pop of beautiful green in the corner. I didn’t realize that there were flowers that bloomed, and so I freaked out when these sweet little buds popped up!
This plant is another relatively easy one – you water it pretty significantly, and then let it dry out. Sometimes you will notice that the leaves will droop (so sad when this happens) but worry not – a little water spritzing will do the trick to perk those pretty, big leaves right back up!
+ Fiddle Leaf Fig
I don’t own one of these yet (it’s next on the list) and I’ve heard they can be a little finicky. From what I’ve read, they prefer indirect sunlight and like to remain relatively untouched (aka, don’t move them a lot). You will, however, need to rotate the plant every now and again so all the leaves can get adequate sunlight. Since the leaves are so large, it’s hard for all areas of this plant to get light if it’s only in front of one window, facing one angle. But a simple twist every now and again should do the trick!
Pro tip: During the growing season (aka when the plant starts to get bigger), you’ll need to feed it fertilizer and possibly move it into a larger pot.
If you want to learn even more about this plant, Apartment Therapy had a ton of tips for taking care of your fiddle leaf fig!
+ Monstera
This is a beautiful plant, and one that I’ve frequently seen drawn out for phone cases, wrapping paper, fabric, apparel, you name it! The leaves are definitely the appeal to this beauty, and it’s easy to see why.
Please note: if you have cats and dogs in your home, this might not be the plant for you! This plant is poisonous to them and can be very harmful. However, this is a beauty and another easy one to care for! I
Apartment Therapy has tips on taking care of this plant, too! I highly recommend checking it out if you’re going to purchase this plant and want the full low down.
+ Philodendron
Regular, split leaf, or heart leaf… There are so many beautiful options in the philodendron family! The thing I love maybe most of all is that these babies are pretty hard to kill – which I always call a win in my book! They are pretty flexible when it comes to light, as they can thrive in low or bright light. They like water and being kept moist, especially during growing season.
Here’s a few links if you want to learn more about this beauty: link | link | link
+ Snake Plant
This is another chill, and very easy to start with house plant! It can do high or low light, though it definitely thrives in bright light. It’s also hard to over-water this plant, so it’s a great one for those that aren’t great at keeping a consistent plant schedule.
There’s a range of variety, and this link from Costa Farms shares a little more about the different varieties of snake plants that you can choose from. Hopefully that will help you find the one that is right for you!
+ Rubber Plant
Sometimes I wonder how plants end up with their civilian names – but I supposed this one is stemmed from the fact that the leaves have this “wax” residue, if you will, that makes them look fake, and thus, rubbery. Anyways, these babies light bright light, though they don’t want it to be direct. Their watering habits vary by the season, so they are a little trickier to track (if you’re a “I water my plants every Sunday” kind of person, like I am). However, don’t lose hope! You basically just don’t want to over water this baby, so less is more (unless it’s a growing season).
Pro tip: don’t forget to dust off the leaves! The dusk can block the sunshine from seeping into the plant, and we definitely don’t want this beauty to die on account of dust.
For more tips and tricks, visit this link to Apartment Therapy. It probably sounds like I’m trying to promote or advertise them, but I’m not (though I totally would). I just love their information and find it super easy to understand!
+ Succulents
Succulents are definitely one of the easiest plants to take care of! They are pretty much equal to succulents (as they are a cousin of the cacti) and thus they have great water retention and do well if you forget to water them! Now I will say – I HAVE killed succulents before, so they aren’t impossible to kill. However, they definitely recommend #1 easiest way to learn how to gain a green thumb.
One of the other things I love about succulents is how many beautiful varieties there are!
Also, there’s a website called “Succulents & Sunshine” and it’s ALL about learning how to take care of your sweet little succies! She has tons of free tips and tricks for caring for your succulents, as well as paid materials (and a book) if you’re really wanting to get hardcore and go in depth! This specific link talks about taking care of your succulents indoors.
+ Cacti
These are probably the easiest plants that you will ever take care of. Basically, due to the glorious fact that they are plants that manage to survive on their own in the desert, they are pretty great at going through a drought and surviving. So if you’re brand new to the plant world, and want and plant that’s going to extend you a ton of grace when you forget to water it? A cactus is the way to go! They absolutely love sunshine, so make sure they are in a place where they can soak up those beautiful sun rays!
These prickly friends come in different shapes and sizes
If you want to learn more about cacti, here’s a great link from Costa Farms and then another one here about the best cacti to grow in your garden.
+ Aloe
Did you know the aloe is a kind of succulent? I didn’t realize that until I started doing research for this article! Now that I think of it, it totally makes sense… and makes me wonder if all succulents have healing powers ๐ If you didn’t know, aloe is a great natural resource for different ailments, especially burns. I remember growing up, if I ever burned myself on the stove or in the oven, mom would cut off a little bit of the aloe plant and run the goo on my finger… And it would instantly sooth and help with scarring. As you know, aloe is frequently used as sunburn relief! The kind you buy at the store is more than likely synthetically engineered and produced, but it plays a similar role.
So how to care for the plant? You want to plant this baby in a wide-container/pot that drains really well. They like to be watered well, but be sure to let the soil dry at least 1-2 inches before rewatering them again, to discourage any rotting in the plant. They like bright, indirect sunlight and do best at moderate temperature (think 55-85 degree Fahrenheit).
To learn more about this plant, or really any plant, there’s a great resources called the Farmers Almanac and you can learn all the things you need to know about plants!
+ Dracaena
This air purifier likes to be kept moist and be left in semi-sunny to shady locations. They really thrive in your typical house hold situation, and even though they prefer filtered light, they can still thrive in bright light, as well.
This plant is really easy to grow, so it’s a great starter house plant. Also, because it will thrive in just about any kind of light and does like to have moist soil, it’s going to be one that will be harder to kill. Plus, there are a lot of different kinds of dracaena plant, so I definitely recommend looking into which one you think will work best for you!
A few links to more information about this plant: link
+ Pothos
I have this one at home, and it has to be one of the easiest plants to take care of! It literally started out as a little bud (like the above) and in a year, I now have it on the top of my bookcase and it’s vines are cascading down. I absolutely LOVE it!
This plant requires indirect sunlight, and needs to be watered whenever it dries out (aka not often because I forget to water it and it’s been fine). I water mine probably about once a week-ish… And it’s done great!
Highly recommend this plant. If you want to learn more about the pothos plant, or the different varieties, check out these links: link | link | link
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* Note: All images are from Home Depot’s website and unsplash. The photo of me in the nursery was taken by my sister Alisa Nicholle of Brad Hart Co.
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Hope you enjoyed reading this post, and maybe learned something new! Even though I am far from a plant expert, I have really enjoyed learning more about the plants that I have and the next ones on my list. Also, please feel free to share any tips or recommendations that you have and would like to share! I am definitely still learning and I’m excited to grow my plant family.
This list features 12 that are pretty easy to take care, are aesthetically very appearling and for the most part, are hard to kill (ish). However, it’s important to learn about the plant you’re caring for and do your best to do what it needs!
Are there any plants that aren’t on this list that you think needs to be? Comment below and let me know so that I can add it to the list!
Slightly unrelated, I couldn’t figure out how to embed someone else’s video from YouTube (not sure if that violates something) but I found the absolutely cutest little illustration for plant care! So if you want to watch one of the cutest little illustrations on plants and how to take care of them… Check out this video right here.
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Then of course, what’s a plant lady without some cute plant merch?
You can find my Plant Lady Tank, or this adorable Plant Lady mug right here! This is perfect for if you’re like me and you’re still more of an “aspiring” plant lady then a full blown plant lady. I’m just speaking it into existence, alright? Or if you’re already that amazing plant lady, then this tee and mug are for you!
Know a friend or know that your mom or grandma would absolutely love one of these items? Snag the set now and give it to them for Mothers Day on May 13th!
Until next time, xo