The best indoor plants, in my humble opinion, are ones that don’t take a whole lot of maintenance to keep alive. I mean, my partner would probably agree that I’m high maintenance enough without adding greenery into the equation! But that’s another story altogether.
I’ve covered off how amazing the indoor plant trend is on the blog before (click here for the details), so you know I love to greenery galore in my home. In today’s post, though, I want to give you some tips on caring for indoor plants, as well as showing you six of the best indoor plants you can rock at home.
And no, the fiddle leaf fig is not included here. I’m not saying that it’s had its time, but from what I hear they are hard to keep alive. So let’s avoid that variety for now.
6 of the Best Indoor Plants for your Home
Aloe Vera
I think we’re all familiar with this one (pictured above left), and with good reason; Aloe Vera looks sublime and it’s functional for use on cuts and burns too (just snap a leaf and rub into the wound). I love displaying these on the windowsil in gorgeous terracotta pots.
Care Tips: Water well, but allow soil to dry at least one to two inches between watering. Test this by sticking your finger into the soil closest to the pot rim.
Jade Plant
These beauties (on the right) feature thick, lush leaves, and they look sublime in both small and large living spaces. Because these plants grow slowly, they’ll have a long life in your home if you look after them properly.
Care Tips: Jade plants don’t need much water, so keep the soil pretty dry. They love natural light and flourish in standard room temperature.
Air Plants
There are over 600 air plant varieties on the market, and the best thing about them is that they can thrive without soil. They feature triangular-shaped leaves and many have tubular or funnel-shaped flowers. I love using these in terrariums like in the image above.
Care Tips: Keep these creatures away from direct sunlight, but somewhere airy and warm. They’re pretty low maintenance too; spritz them daily spring to autumn, and twice-weekly in winter.
Cactus
Oh how I love a cluster of Cacti (this post will give you cacti styling tips if you need). These plants are the ultimate in low-maintenance and come in so many shapes, colours and sizes that you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Care Tips: Place cacti near a window so they get plenty of sunlight and water occasionally (ensure the plant has dried out completely since its last water though).
Spider Plant
This plant has vibrant green and white stripes. It may look similar to some of the air plants you might see in stores, but this variety definitely needs soil and is larger than a lot of the air plants available. I love these in bathrooms and laundries.
Care Tips: Water this plant regularly in its infancy. Once matured, you only need to water it occasionally. Just ensure the soil doesn’t dry out.
Rubber Plant
This plant can grow pretty tall, so it’s great for larger homes with raised ceilings. It also requires little care, so for those of you who aren’t green thumbs, this could be the one! Style idea: pop your rubber plant in a basket like this one – for added colour and drama!
Caring Tips: This plant flourishes in bright spaces (but not direct sunlight). Keep the soil moist but don’t over-water as you’ll kill the plant. Also ensure you spray the leaves with water too.
How not to Kill your Plants
Here are the top four reasons why you tend to kill plants. Curb your wicked ways and you can end up with greenery that grows for years and loves you back!
- Offer them Humidity: Plants need their leaves sprayed as well as the roots watered
- Read the care instructions before you buy, to see if you have the right conditions for the plant
- Give the plant drainage; put rocks in the base of the pot to avoid rotting plant roots
- Don’t move plants from room to room; differing temperatures can give them shock
These tips on the best indoor plants come courtesy of Capital Garden Services. Click here to visit their website.
What are the best indoor plants for your home? Drop a comment below and let me know your favourite variety.
I would like to have some flowers in the house that clean the air and look nice. I’m thinking of spathiflora and Hebe. With this hebe I do not know if it is healthy for the environment. Because it is also a garden decoration. Does anyone know if it’s safe to have them at home too?
I adore greenery in the home, I currently have over x30 indoor plants! My favourites are fiddle leaf fig, columnea, acacia, string of pearls, chain of hearts (which is about 3m long and growing by the day) and an indoor variety of gardenia which throws the most fragrant white blooms.
Sounds like you’re a true indoor plant addict Angela – I love it! Once I am in my new home in a few months I am going to go plant crazy (I just hope the cats don’t ruin them!). The varieties you have sound awesome.