If you're new to the zeitgeist-y hobby that is plant parenthood, consider starting small by cultivating an indoor garden.
Many popular indoor plants require very little attention each day, and they’ll happily grow and thrive as long as they’re placed in a good spot and watered just the right amount. From there, the sky (or your square footage) is the limit!
Before you start your indoor plant collection (it's an addictive hobby!), the first thing you'll want to consider is the amount of direct, indirect, or low lighting your home has, as you want to make sure that you're choosing plants that are compatible with the setting. While some plants are versatile and can thrive nearly anywhere, others may wilt if they aren't getting the appropriate amount of sun or shade they need.
Once you have your plant and have placed it in its spot, keep an eye on how it looks from day to day: Is it looking healthy and strong, or getting pale and losing its leaves? You may need to relocate it if the lighting isn't right.
Watering your plant on a schedule that's appropriate to its type is also very important, but it's best to always feel the plant's soil before you do so — especially if the plant is in an indirect or low-light setting. Overwatering your indoor plant — even if you're only watering once a week — can cause the roots to rot, and it can be tough to salvage the plant once that starts to happen.
Once you've lived with it for a while, tasks like dusting the leaves, pruning the vines, and repotting the plant into fresh soil or a different-sized planter can all help keep it happy from year to year.
These 15 indoor plants are low- to medium-maintenance ... aka the perfect greens to get you started.
If you parent both plants and pets, opt for greens that are safe for your fur babies to be around.
This trio of peperomia plants all have a distinctive look, and are a cinch to care for. Place them in a northern-facing window so that they get just the right amount of indirect light each day.
The Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 is a great gardening solution for anyone who loves growing edible plants and herbs, but may not have the time to monitor them closely each day. Oh, and basil is far from the only option: Click & Grow has a huge seed library.
If you've ever used a pod coffee maker, this plug-in planter is very similar. Its seeds and soil come in the form of capsules, which you can simply insert into the unit. And its included LED lighting system means that you don't have to clear your windowsills to make room for it. Keep the bottom chamber filled with water, and watch your progress via the app each day.
Once you've mastered regrowing your scallion scraps, try some more plant propagation on for size. This giftworthy set from Bloomscape includes a terrazzo-speckled base with three test tube-sized propagation vases.
When your vine-y plant needs a haircut, just snip it at the node and place it in one of the water-filled vases: You might start to see roots form within days.
You may be most familiar with the fiddle-leaf fig in its towering, very trendy tree form. But even though this one is tabletop-sized, it can be trained to grow taller if repotted and pruned appropriately, so that the roots can grow.
This tropical plant likes warmth and humidity, so keep it in a sunny spot and make sure the top inch of soil stays moist. It's also a good idea to rotate them every few weeks, especially if you notice the plant leaning one way or another, or if you see that some of the leaves are changing color.
Tradescantias are indoor plants that thrive in a range of different environments. Displaying distinctive purple-and-green striped leaves, this plant is happy in both direct and low-light areas — although you may want to gently transition it from one spot to another if you decide to move it to a drastically different light setting.
Even better: It only needs watering about once a week, when the soil feels completely dry.
If you have a super sunny space, your place was made for a bird of paradise plant. These indoor plants thrive in warm climates, and can grow to be up to 5 feet tall. They only require about one watering per week to stay vibrant and happy.
Want to hit snooze on your plant-caretaking responsibilities? Get yourself a ZZ plant! These leafy, long-stemmed greens are incredibly hardy, as they're able to thrive in low light without frequent waterings.
However, if you have pets, you may want to consider something else. ZZ plants' leaves contain an irritant that can be toxic if ingested.
Surely you're acquainted with these little guys! Echeveria succulents are petite plants that display rose-like blooms, and they can be repotted with others in a single planter.
They only need minimal water to thrive, but that doesn't mean you should shirk caring for them completely — just make sure they get proper drainage so that their roots don't rot.
Snake plants are known for their stunningly variegated, sword-like leaves. They like direct — but not intense — sunlight, so they're perfect for keeping by a window at home or in an office. Just water them once a week, and occasionally dust off their leaves so that they stay happy on your sill.
Studies have also shown that these indoor plants have air-purifying properties, even if their total amount of CO2 removal is very slight. (It may be better to get an air-purifying device, though, if you really want these benefits.)
Pothos plants are fast-growing, resilient greens that are fun to care for because they're always changing. When placed in indirect light, they only need to be watered about once a week, and they can grow to be incredibly long and vine-y.
Bamboo is as hardy as it is low-maintenance, and with proper care, it'll continue to grow and proliferate for years.
This indoor plant comes in a small, ceramic, pebble-filled planter that prevents its roots from spreading and growing too much. It also loves hydration — all you need to do is keep an inch of water in the planter at all times, and it'll be happy.
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Soil-Free Plants
The Air Plant Shop Assorted Tillandsia Ionantha Air Plants
Air plants come in many different colors and sizes, and they're unique in that they aren't planted in soil. Arrange them with other plants inside of a terrarium, or alone in any decorative container to add a little low-maintenance greenery to your workspace.
About once a month, soak your air plants in water for 10 minutes to rehydrate, and then let them completely dry out in a sunny spot before returning them to their planters.
Native to desert climates, aloe vera plants thrive in indirect sun and dry atmospheres, and only need to be watered about once a week. When it's robust and green, it's at its happiest. Any paleness usually indicates that it needs to be moved into or out of the sunlight.
It has skin-soothing properties, too. In case of a small kitchen burn, just break off the tip of the plant and rub its cooling goop onto your skin for quick relief.
Money trees have distinctive twisted trunks and lots of feathery green leaves. This tree is a good one to place by a bathroom window, as it thrives in warm, humid indoor climates, and only needs a little water (not a drenching) every 10 days — along with a turn of the planter so that all sides get sun.
You can even encourage growth by repotting your plant every 2 years into a larger container, so that its roots consistently get more room.
There are numerous types of bonsai trees, but there's something especially eye-catching about the juniper bonsai. This tabletop tree is great for intermediate-level green thumbs, as it can be cared for similarly to a succulent — aka, only water or mist it when the soil feels nearly dry.
Melanie YatesSenior Home Decor EditorMelanie is the senior home decor editor of Best Products, where she's been researching and testing out home and bedding products since 2015 — her work can also be found on House Beautiful and Women's Health.
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