Having houseplants is one of the most fulfilling hobbies out there, but it can be a bit daunting figuring out which plants to start out with. We’ve picked out ten plants that are perfect for beginners.
Overview of our top 10 beginner houseplants:
- Aloe vera
- Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata)
- Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
- Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
- Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
- Satin pothos (Scindaptus pictus)
- Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
- Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
- ZZ plant (Zamioculas zamifolia)
- String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
1. Aloe vera
Aloe vera is notoriously difficult to kill. It’s an extremely low-maintenance plant – as long as it gets plenty of sun and not too much water, it’s good to go. The leaves store water, making this a very drought-tolerant plant. Make sure the soil has mostly dried out between waterings. Outside of being a gorgeous houseplant, Aloe vera has loads of uses in skin care as well as food and drink
2. Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata)
Dragon trees have long leaves with beautiful red edges, adding a nice pop of colour. This is a low-maintenance, versatile plant that will grow happily in most types of light. This means they could fill a shadier spot in your house with some greenery. Dragon trees are also drought-tolerant, making them perfect for a forgetful beginner.
3. Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
This is a great plant for beginners because not only is it easy to grow, but it’s also fast-growing and really rewarding to take care of. If it’s given the right conditions, you’ll see new growth almost constantly in the summer. This is also really easy to propagate once the vines are long enough.
4. Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
Peace lilies are perfect houseplants for beginners because they need so little care. As long as you don’t let them dry out, they’re not fussy at all. They’ll even let you know when they’re thirsty by very dramatically drooping until you water them, and then springing back to life.
5. Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
Rubber plants are very low maintenance and won’t demand too much from you. They’re drought-tolerant and grow well if their soil can mostly dry out between waterings. As long as they don’t get too much direct sunlight, they’ll grow happily under most conditions.
6. Satin pothos (Scindaptus pictus)
Satin pothos (not to be mistaken with actual pothos in number three) is known as one of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow. It’s very low maintenance and fast-growing, meaning you put less effort in to get great results. This plant also has really interesting leaves which can add so much to a room.
7. Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
Snake plants are known to thrive off of being ignored, making them one of the best houseplants for beginners. They will grow in any light conditions, thriving in full sun but surviving just fine in low light, so any room in your house will work for them. Water when most of the soil feels like it has dried out – overwatering can be damaging for this plant. Learn more about snake plant care here.
8. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants are fast-growing and easy to look after. They also produce a lot of baby plants, which you can either keep on the plant for a fuller look or pot up individually. Spider plants are great for beginners because not only are they low-maintenance, but the baby plants let you expand your collection quickly. You can either keep them for yourself or swap them for other plants for some diversity in your collection.
9. ZZ plant (Zamioculas zamifolia)
ZZ plants are excellent for low-light areas that some other plants wouldn’t grow in, but they’ll grow faster in medium and indirect light. They only need water when the soil has almost completely dried out, which will usually be every 2-3 weeks. They’re drought-tolerant because of the water-storing rhizomes in their root systems.
10. String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
Growing a string of hearts is the perfect way for beginners to have some interesting, trailing foliage. The heart-shaped leaves form beautiful strands that can easily be propagated to make more plants or to add to the mother plant for a fuller look. Grow this plant in indirect sunlight and only water it once the soil has dried out.
Conclusion
Hopefully this list has given you a good starting point in your journey to plant parenthood. If you want to read more about getting started with houseplants, click here for our beginners guide!
