Is your New Year’s resolution to finally keep a houseplant alive? Picking a variety that’s easy to care for is the best way to ensure success, and fortunately, there are many varieties that are both beautiful and resilient to get started with. Here are 10 low-maintenance houseplants ideal for perfecting your green thumb.
Snake plant
These affordable, dry weather-loving plants only require occasional watering and thrive with moderate light and infrequent replanting. With little maintenance, these can thrive in your home for years.
Peperomia
Also called the rubber plant, there are over 1,000 varieties of this neglect-resistant plant. It’s non-toxic and comes with different leaf shapes and colors, making it easy to integrate into any space.
Asparagus fern
A step up from the snake plant or peperomia, the asparagus fern looks like a classic fern, but it is slightly easier to care for. They store water in their tuberous roots, requiring less frequent watering and making it okay to leave them unattended while on vacation.
ZZ plant
If you have truly lost faith in your plant care abilities, it may be time for a ZZ plant. This virtually indestructible variety requires watering only every three to four weeks and is tolerant of varying light levels and temperatures.
Chinese evergreen
These beautiful two-toned plants come in a variety of colors ranging from light green to hot pink and can withstand sporadic light levels and watering.
Cactus
These spiky plants famously thrive in dry, hot climates, but they also require very little water and fertilizing, making them ideal for beginner plant owners. As long as you don’t live somewhere too cold, dark, or humid, these should do just fine with little care. Just be careful not to overwater and place them in a pot with plenty of drainage.
Pothos
Pothos are rewarding for early plant owners because they are fast-growing but require little care. Keep them in a hanging pot near a window and they’ll thrive. Plus, you can easily give the cuttings to friends and family or use them to expand your own collection.
Philodendron
These are another fast-growing, easy going variety, plus, with over 450 known species of philodendron, you can easily add to your collection while keeping things new and exciting.
Ficus Audrey
This more resilient alternative to the classic fiddle leaf fig can grow up to 10 feet tall and is relatively low maintenance for its size. Native to India and Pakistan, the ficus Audrey has a unique root system that makes it especially resistant to over and under watering.
Aloe
If you don’t already have an aloe plant on hand for home skin remedies, you now have another reason to invest in one: they’re incredibly difficult to kill. These affordable plants do well with occasional watering and placement in a bright, sunny spot.
Plants to avoid
There are many other beginner-friendly plants out there, so if you don’t find one that suits you on this list, don’t worry. When choosing an easy to care for plant, avoid varieties with delicate leaves, like maidenhair, or those that are sensitive to salt and mineral build up in the soil, like birds of paradise, calatheas, and peace lilies.
