I began my journey with houseplants last year, when a friend of mine dropped off a plant during the pandemic, hoping it would bring me some encouragement (which it did). That one plant has since turned into many, and I absolutely love my houseplants. Outside plants? Not so much. This list of Easy House Plants is sure to help you start your collection.
My mother-in-law, however, is the opposite—her outside garden and property look like something that should be featured in a magazine, whereas she can’t (but has tried to) keep a houseplant alive to save her life.
If you’re like my mother-in-law, then this article is for you. We are going to hook you up with 30 of the easiest houseplants that even the most brown-thumbed among us could keep alive and thriving.
Get ready to be a plant enthusiast—we promise you’re going to want to be after reading this!
30 Easy House Plants
(If this was a Geico commercial, we’d say even a caveman could care for them)
Aloe Vera
Considered the easiest succulent to care for, aloe vera is a great choice for people who want a plant that hardly needs any attention or maintenance. Just place it in a window that gets plenty of indirect sunlight (too much could make the leaves go brown) and watch it grow!
What It Needs:
- 6-8 hours of indirect sunlight
- Well-draining soil
- Watered once the first few layers of soil feel dry
Pothos
The best plant for those with less-than-ideal lighting situations, as pothos can thrive in medium and low lighting (does not always love lots of bright light). It can also survive the occasional missed watering, just as long as the soil does not become completely dry.
What It Needs:
- 2-6 hours of light (can handle minimal amounts of light to medium indirect light)
- Well-draining soil
- Watered when the first layer of soil is dry
Fun Fact: There are 12 different types of pothos, including the famous golden pothos
Snake Plants
You literally can’t kill this plant. I promise–even my friends with no green thumb whatsoever love their snake plants and have been able to keep them thriving!
What It Needs:
- Like Pothos, Snake plants can thrive in a variety of different lighting conditions. Ideally, they should have 6-8 hours of bright, indirect sunlight to get those tall, beautiful reeds. However, they also do great in medium and low-light (they can even survive in fluorescent lighting, making them a perfect choice for your office!).
- Well-draining soil
- Allow soil to fully dry between watering
Chinese Money Plant
With 4 names (also known as the Friendship plant, Missionary Plant, and UFO plant—we don’t want to know how it got the last name), this plant has rapidly grown in popularity and availability due to how easy it is it is to grow and propagate.
What It Needs:
- 4-6 hours of bright, indirect light (does NOT like direct sunlight)
- Very well-draining soil; a pot with drainage holes
- Let the soil dry out between watering
Hens & Chicks
I love these beauties, partially because they are succulents and because they are a plant that keeps reproducing more of itself. Hens & chicks are an especially great choice for hanging terrariums or orbs, simply place them in front of a sunny window and watch it grow tons of babies!
What It Needs:
- Tons of bright, indirect sunlight (direct will cause the plant to wither and die)
- Well-draining soil
- Allow the soil to dry between waterings
Monstera
This quirky “swiss cheese plant” hails from the Amazon rainforest and grows big, beautiful leaves that make any space feel like an indoor jungle paradise.
What It Needs:
- Monsteras are amazing in that they can thrive in both low and medium levels of lighting. Their natural environment is on the bottom of the Amazon rainforest, so the best spot for them is a south-facing window that gets a maximum of 6 hours of bright, indirect light
- Well-draining soil and planted in a pot with drainage holes
- Allow the soil to dry between watering
- Needs higher humidity levels
Fun Fact: There are many different types of Monstera plants, including the rare Monstera Adansonii
Related: Click here for the best places to score insta-worthy houseplants online!
African Violets
A sweet friend of mine gave me an African violet not too long ago, and it has quickly become one of my favorite houseplants! With beautiful violet blooms, it brings a touch of color and elegance to any windowsill.
What It Needs:
- 6-8 hours of bright, indirect sunlight
- Well-draining soil
- Watered twice a month
String of Dolphins
Much easier than its persnickety cousin, String of Pearls, String of Dolphins are extremely easy to grow and propagate. Put near a window with lots of sun and give it plenty of space to trail and watch this beauty grow!
What It Needs:
- 4-6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight
- String of Dolphins roots can grow very well when placed in water and soil. However, if you decide to grow it in soil, water the plant thoroughly and let the soil dry completely between waterings.
Fun Fact: Did you know there are at least three different “string of” plants, with String of Pearls, String of Hearts, String of Bananas, and String of Dolphins being the most popular?
Parlor Palm
Snake plant’s biggest rival for the easiest houseplant, Parlor Palms, is extremely easy to care for and requires virtually no maintenance.
What It Needs:
- Parlor Palms do incredibly well in low light conditions. Ideally, they like to receive 2-4 hours of medium-low indirect lighting.
- Water every 1-2 weeks; allow to drain between watering
Rubber Plant
A member of the ficus family, the Rubber plant is very easy to care for and grows to be a beautiful, big statement piece-making this the perfect choice for a living room or space that needs a bit of live foliage.
What It Needs:
- 6-8 hours of bright, indirect light
- Well-draining soil
- Fertilize in the spring and summer
- Let soil dry completely between watering
Fun Fact: This trendy plant is also known as the Burgundy bush due to its leaves’ red and brown edges.
Jade
The newest addition to my plant collection, the jade succulent, has been trending recently due to its ease of care and the beautiful red-pink lines that grow on the end of its leaves as it blooms. A beautiful succulent, it is also thought to bring you good luck.
What It Needs:
- 6-8 hours of bright, direct, or indirect sun
- Well-draining soil and fertilized about every 6 months
- Let soil dry completely between watering
English Ivy
It turns out this beautiful, trailing outdoor plant also makes an easy houseplant. A perfect choice for a hanging planter, English Ivy brings a touch of elegance and sophistication to any space.
What It Needs:
- Ivy does extremely well in low-light conditions. Put in a room that gets low to medium levels of indirect sunlight, and it will be a happy camper (or planter)!
- Keep soil moderately moist and fertilize often
- Needs higher humidity levels
Dragon Tree
Officially named Dracaena Marginata, the Dragon Tree is super drought tolerant (meaning no sweat if you *occasionally* forget to water it!) and boasts a wood trunk that turns and twists as it grows (hence, its dragon nickname).
What It Needs:
- 4-6 hours of bright, indirect light (avoid direct light)
- Well-draining soil
- Water once a week, or whenever the top few layers of soil feel dry
Wandering Jew
If you’ve read any of my other plant articles, you know how much I LOVE wandering jew plants. One of the easiest plants to care for with gorgeous leaves, this beauty is one you will want to add to your cart asap!
What It Needs:
- 6-8 hours of bright, direct, or indirect light (can handle less, but won’t get as colorful leaves)
- Well-draining soil
- Let soil dry completely between watering
Design Tip: Due to their love of bright, direct sunlight, Wandering Jew is the perfect plant to display in a gorgeous basket hanging planter!
Bunny Ear Cactus
A relative to the prickly pear cactus, the bunny ear cactus is named appropriately due to its sprawling pads that closely resemble, you guessed it, bunny ears. This plant is a tropical native to Mexico, perfect for if your home gets lots of natural sunlight (white fluorescents can be used as an alternative).
What It Needs:
While Bunny Ear does require a bit more work initially, once you find it a sunny spot, this plant will take care of itself and require very little upkeep from you!
- 8+ hours of bright, direct sunlight (the more, the better!)
- Planted in sunny soil and in a clay pot for proper drainage
- Regulate the temperature by keeping it away from cooler conditions (not recommended to keep on a windowsill during the winter)
- Find out more on how to care for your bunny ear cactus here!
Lavender
$10
Who needs candles when you can fill your home with the natural, calming aroma of lavender? This aromatic herb surprisingly makes a great and easy houseplant!
What It Needs:
- 3-4 hours of bright, direct sunlight
- Pot in well-draining soil and in a pot with a drainage hole
- Allow to completely dry between watering
Note: Lavender only blooms during the summer and fall. To have the beautiful aroma all year long, simply dry the herbs and hang them around your house for a natural alternative to candles!
Design Tip: Take all the stress out of having to keep up with watering your lavender (did i water it last week- I can’t remember?) with this self-watering herb pot!
ZZ plant
Also known as the Eternity plant and Zanzibar Gem, the ZZ plant is the #1 choice for anyone who wants houseplants, but lives a hectic life (or struggles to remember to water their plants). This semi-succulent from East Africa has an incredible water mechanism that makes it almost entirely drought intolerant and can grow in artificial light (hello, office decor!) or very low amounts of light.
What It Needs:
- 3-4 hours of indirect light; can survive with less
- Planted in well-draining soil and occasionally rotated to let all parts of the plant get equal light exposure
- Let soil completely dry out before watering–this is essential! When in doubt, let the soil go through a drought before watering. We recommend using a soil moisture meter to ensure that you don’t overwater your ZZ plant.
Umbrella plant
Calling all of us who have an allergy or auto-immune issues (I know I’m not the only one!), it’s time to take our lives back with this powerhouse plant! The umbrella plant, or Schefflera Arbricola, removes toxins like formaldehyde from the air and can even remove toxins produced from cigarettes.
What It Needs:
- 4-6 hours of bright, indirect light. If the leaves start to turn brown or drop, your plant is not receiving enough sunlight.
- Well-draining soil in a pot with lots of drainage holes; we recommend this terracotta pot that includes a tray.
- Keep the soil moist, water at least once a week
Herbs
Bring all the fragrance, savory flavor, and fun of growing herbs into your very kitchen! Perhaps surprisingly, many herbs (i.e., rosemary, basil, and thyme, for starters) do exceptionally well when grown inside.
We recommend using these self-watering herb kits by Modern Sprout. For just $20 each, you get a self-watering herb that grows in a vintage mason jar that guarantees you will have fresh, organic herbs all year long!
Angel Vine
I found this gem at a local nursery a couple of weeks ago and was completely taken aback by both its simplicity and beauty. The Angel Vine is a naturally trailing plant that is extremely tolerant of neglect and can grow pretty much in any lighting condition. I have mine on a bookshelf and it added the touch of green that I was looking for!
What It Needs:
- Can handle a variety of light. Just make sure that you don’t place it in direct sunlight for long periods.
- Well-draining soil
- Water about once a week, don’t let the soil dry completely between watering.
Design Tip: This is an extremely cheap way to bring some green into your space. While I love having mine on my bookshelf, it would also look amazing in this hanging copper pot!
Ginny Peperomia
$42
Loved for its beautiful pink and marble leaves, this houseplant is both elegant and incredibly low-maintenance. And the best part? She does amazingly in very low levels of indirect sunlight.
What It Needs:
- 3-4 hours of indirect or low levels of sunlight; can also do well in fluorescent lighting
- Well-draining soil
- Make sure that the top levels of soil are completely dry before watering–this plant does not like to be overwatered!
Fun fact: There are over 1,500 species of peperomia plants! Ginny is one of the most popular because it effortlessly produces blooms and how easy it is to find.
Bird of Paradise
Desired for its white flowers that closely resemble a bird, this tropical beauty is both extremely easy to care for and a very easy statement piece to care for. The main thing a Bird of Paradise needs is space to grow its gorgeous green leaves and white flowers.
What It Needs:
- 4-6 hours of bright, indirect, or direct light; keep away from drafts or air vents
- Prefers a space with lots of light and warmth
- Well-draining soil
- Keep the soil moderately moist; check the first few layers before watering to make sure the soil is not soggy
Blue Star Phlebodium
A native to rainforests in South America, this curly-fronted beauty is actually a fern! Living naturally on the bottom of the jungle floor, Blue Star loves lower light and high humidity–making it a perfect choice if you are looking for some shower plants.
What It Needs:
- Low light (2-3 hours maximum of indirect, filtered light)
- Well draining soil
- Keep the soil moderately moist; water about once a week
Coffee Plant
$42
While it’s not likely that you will get the beautiful red beans that a coffee plant produces in its natural environment (which includes many hours of bright, direct light), the coffee plant makes a surprisingly amazing houseplant.
What It Needs:
- 4-6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight
- Well-draining soil
- When the top few layers of soil are dry, water thoroughly so that the soil is moist. Make sure that it is not soggy, as oversaturation could kill the plant.
- Higher levels of humidity- a kitchen or bathroom would work great
Spider Plant
$60 (hanging basket included!)
The classic easy-peasy houseplant that you truly can’t go wrong having. Effortless to take care of and continually reproducing itself, the spider plant keeps on giving.
What It Needs:
- 4-6 hours of bright, indirect light
- Higher humidity levels
- Well-draining soil
- Water about once a week, or whenever the soil feels dry
Peacock Peperomia
Pet owners, this one is for you! Completely pet safe, air purifying, and extremely easy to care for, there’s truly no reason why you shouldn’t buy the peacock peperomia (you have my permission to add this to your cart like, now).
What It Needs:
- 3-4 hours of medium to bright indirect light
- Well-draining soil
- Water about once a week, when top layers of soil are dry
Design Tip: Showcase multiple plants together on this metal plant shelf!
Rattlesnake Plant
I hate snakes, especially poisonous ones, but thankfully there is much to love about this plant! Thriving in low-light conditions and moist soil, a rattlesnake plant is a great option for a shower plant!
What It Needs:
- Partial sun to partial shade; no more than 3 hours of indirect sun a day
- Well-draining soil
- Loves humidity (great for bathrooms) and moist soil
- Fertilized once a month from spring-fall
Fun Fact: The Rattlesnake plant is native to the Brazilian rainforest, hence why it loves higher humidity levels. Place in a humid spot or use a humidifier, and this will be one of the easiest houseplants you’ve ever owned!
Ponytail Palm
I see this plant everywhere, and it’s no surprise why—one of the easiest and hardiest houseplants to care for, you will definitely want to add this one to your collection!
What It Needs:
- 6-8 hours of bright, direct, or indirect light (it is super forgiving, so just give it as much light as your space affords!)
- Well-draining soil
- Let the soil dry out completely between watering
Fun Fact: The ponytail palm is actually not a palm tree! It is a member of the Agave family and is a succulent, which makes this gem of a plant even easier to care for
Air Plants
With over 450 different types of Tillandsia available and countless ways to display them (more on that in our design tips), it’s no surprise that air plants are one of our top picks for easy and fun houseplants!
What They Need:
- NO soil!
- 4-6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight (can be slightly less)
- Water plants once a week by placing them face down in a bowl or sink and soaking for 10-20 mins. Make sure to shake any excess water off their roots to prevent root rot
- Mist occasionally during the week
- Learn everything you need to know about air plant care here!
Design Tip: Air plants are so fun, so get creative in how you present them! Some of our favorites are these super cheap glass bottles, these macrame hangers, and the air plant display hanger.
Money Tree
One of my personal favorites, the Money Tree features a gorgeous wooden trunk that is often braided together!
What It Needs:
- 3-4 hours of bright, indirect light (direct light will cause the leaves to yellow and die)
- Well-draining soil
- Watered with the equivalent of an ice cube once a week; let soil fully drain between watering
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