I’ve moved often in the last few years and haven’t furnished or decorated my own space in quite a while.
Someday, hopefully not too far away, I hope to have a place to call home that I can fill with plants!
Having indoor plants is not only beautiful, it’s good for your health!
Indoor plants purify the air of toxins as they create oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. NASA’s research has shown that houseplants can remove up to 87% of air toxins in 24 hours!
They improve concentration and productivity by up to 15%!
Indoor plants also have a relaxing and calming effect.
They can even help with depression and loneliness as caring for them brings a feeling of purpose.
I’m not much of a green thumb – in fact, most plants I’ve owned have died within a few months. That’s probably because I travel often and didn’t do much research about how to care for them well.
These 6 fun and easy plants to grow indoors are some of the hardest houseplants to kill!
These are the plants I want to start with, since I don’t have a very good track record of keeping plants alive.
They’re great easy plants to grow indoors for people who travel a lot, or who just tend to be forgetful when it comes to plant care.
Just a heads up: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are entirely my own. Thanks for supporting me!
1. Air Plants
Air plants are really fun little plants that can literally grow in the air, without being planted in anything.
Native to the southern U.S. and northern Argentina, they’re inexpensive and extremely easy to care for.
Air plant care:
- Give them bright but indirect light.
- Submerge them in water for 12 hours every 10-14 days.
- Add a water-soluble fertilizer to the water before submerging the plant.
There are SO many really fun and cute ways to display your air plants! You can get hanging terrariums, a geometric brass and glass tabletop terrarium, or a rose gold wall mount for your air plants.
You can get 12 unique individual air plants for a really good price on Amazon.
Buy Air Plants on Amazon
2. Spider Plant
Also called airplane plants, spider plants are very easy to grow and propagate. They’re native to Africa and come in striped, solid green, and curly leafed varieties.
Spider plants are great for hanging because of the way their leaves cascade. According to a study done by NASA, they also purify the air by filtering out formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.
Also, they are non-toxic to pets. Although if a pet eats a lot of it, like grass, it could upset their stomach.
Spider plant care:
- Give them lots of indirect light.
- They thrive in humidity (like in a steamy bathroom).
- They do well in temperatures between 55-80 degrees F.
- Plant in a pot with drainage holes.
- Water about once a week when the soil is dry.
- This post shares how you can propagate it to have baby spider plants.
Buy a Spider Plant on Amazon
3. Aloe Vera Plant
Aloe vera is a succulent that has become a really trendy houseplant, that can also be used as a natural remedy.
You can take an aloe vera leaf, slice it lengthwise, and scoop out the gel inside. That gel can be used on sunburns, as a face mask, on cuts or scrapes, and for other skin issues.
Aloe vera plant care:
- Give the aloe plant bright, indirect light.
- Keep it between the temperatures of 55 and 80 degrees F.
- Let it almost completely dry out before watering again, once a month or less.
- Water it thoroughly but make sure the water drains out the bottom.
Buy Aloe Plants on Amazon
4. Jade Plant
Jade plants are a form of succulent that live a long life and can grow to be three feet or taller!
Also known as money plants, jade plants are traditionally thought of as good luck.
Jade plant care:
- Make sure it gets at least four hours of sunlight per day.
- Room temperature (65-75 degrees F) is great for jade plants.
- Keep the soil damp during spring and summer, but let it dry before watering in the winter.
- Fertilize 3-4 times per year with standard liquid houseplant fertilizer.
Buy a Jade Plant on Amazon
5. Ponytail Palm
Ponytail palms start out very small and grow slowly. As they get bigger they will have a trunk and are very interesting!
Great for people who travel a lot, ponytail palms are very easy to care for.
They’re also totally non-toxic to pets.
Ponytail palm care:
- Ideally placed a few feet from the window, ponytail palms need 5-6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
- Rotate it every few months to distribute its sunlight exposure evenly.
- Water once every 3-4 weeks at the most.
Buy a Ponytail Palm on Amazon
6. Snake Plant
Also known as a mother-in-law’s tongue plant, the snake plant is hard to kill and will purify your home’s air.
This plant is toxic to animals, so make sure your dogs or cats don’t try and chew on its leaves.
Snake plant care:
- Let the soil dry completely between waterings. Avoid getting leaves wet.
- Choose soil and a pot that allows water to drain through completely.
- Give the snake plant indirect light.
- Fertilize the soil with an all-purpose plant food during growing season.
2 comments
I first thought that plants improving health was a load of “woo woo” BS but haven’t read into it more, it appears to be true! Maybe something to get for Christmas this year.
I totally understand – the science behind it is pretty cool! Plants are definitely one of my favorite gifts, for giving and receiving! 🙂