17 Easy Houseplants Every Beginner Can Keep Alive

Do you remember the Joanna Gaines-induced fiddle leaf fig tree craze several years ago? I too succumbed and purchased one. But between the low light in my living room, overwatering, and my dogs swatting off leaves with their tails, it was a doomed venture. (At least I was able to repurpose the giant terracotta pot I bought for it, so it wasn’t a total waste.)

While I still stare longingly at any fiddle leaf fig tree I see out in the wild (read: coffee shops), I shifted my houseplant efforts to sturdier – and smaller – choices. I’ve dabbled in succulents, I can keep a basil plant alive, and my dining room windowsill just so happens to be the perfect lighting environment for orchids. But I want more – I want to have green, growing things in every room of my house. Not just for the air purifying benefits, but because it literally makes the space feel more alive yet peaceful. 

If you too want to up your houseplant game, but you want to make smart plant purchases, then read on to find your new, hard-to-kill houseplant.

African Violets

Despite its name, African violets are not actually a type of violet. The name derives from its vivid, violet-colored flowers and its native land of East Africa. This low-growing plant blooms multiple times a year and comes in a variety of leaf shapes and colors. 

• Light: Bright, indirect light

• Water: Keep them evenly moist. Put water into the tray you keep the plant in. Do your best not to get water on the leaves, as they will be much more likely to rot.

• Size: 8-12 inches

Aloe

You’re probably familiar with aloe vera, the sunburn treatment, which was originally derived from this desert plant. This succulent is identified by its lance-shaped leaves with white spots, edged with tiny teeth. Aloe thrives on neglect, so it’s an excellent choice for those who forget to water their plants!

• Light: Bright, indirect light 

• Water: Water every week or two when the soil is dry. 

• Size: 1-3 feet tall, 6-12 inches wide

Calatheas, or Zebra Plant

There are many varieties of calatheas, each with boldly striped or colorfully spotted leaves. Also known as the prayer plant, it tends to tend to raise its leaves at night and lower them during the day. 

• Light: Medium-low light to bright, indirect light

• Water: Keep soil slightly moist, and water one to two times per week.

• Size: 6-24 inches tall and wide

Cast Iron Plant

The cast iron plant lives up to its tough name – it can handle neglect and low light. Choose your size plant based on the area you want it to go, as it grows slowly. 

• Light: Low light

• Water: Keep evenly moist during active growth, and barely moist in fall and winter.

• Size: 2-3 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide

Chinese Evergreen

Also known as Aglaonema, the Chinese evergreen is a triple threat: adaptable, durable, and attractive. You can find varieties with leaves in various shades of silver, gray, green, pink, and red.

• Light: Will tolerate everything from low light to bright indirect light levels. 

• Water: Needs watering only every 10 days to two weeks or when the top few inches of soil feel dry. 

• Size: 1-3 feet tall and wide

• This plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Chinese Money Tree 

This potted tree typically boasts a braided trunk and is considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity. The Chinese money tree can grow up to eight feet indoors. 

• Light: Bright indirect light for six hours a day, and turn it occasionally so it grows evenly. 

• Water: In its native habitat, it likes to be near water, so it's a good choice if you tend to overwater your plants. Give it a drink every week or two when the top few inches of soil feel dry. 

• Size: Can grow up to eight feet indoors

English Ivy

The name English ivy likely evokes the image of vine-covered cottages or vines climbing the walls of a manor house. You’re probably not aiming to blanket your house in ivy, but when potted indoors, this draping plant can also be trained to climb a support.

• Light: Medium to bright, indirect light

• Water: Ivy plants don't like to be overwatered, so wait until the top inch or so of soil dries out. Water every one to two weeks.

• Size: 3-8 feet tall, 1-5 feet wide

• This plant is toxic to pets and humans.

Jade Plant

The jade plant is a succulent, so if you go weeks or even months without watering it, it won’t mind! Watering it too much will cause it to grow faster. Sometimes called a jade tree because the thick stems branch off like tree branches, jade is a symbol of friendship, luck, and prosperity.

• Light: Position it in a sunny window (south- or west-facing, preferably) where it can get bright sunlight for six hours a day.

• Water: Once every two weeks, when soil is completely dry.

• Size: 3-6 feet tall, 2-3 feet wide

• This plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Monstera, or Swiss Cheese Plant

Monstera is a tropical plant native to Mexico and Central America. Don’t forget to dust its eye-catching leaves with holes occasionally! 

• Light: Can tolerate low light, but it looks better (and grows faster) in medium to high indirect light. 

• Water: Water it when the top inch of soil is dry, about every one to two weeks.

• Size: 3 -15 ft. tall, 3-8 ft. wide, depending on the variety

• This plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Peace Lily

Peace lilies are a great houseplant for people who tend to overwater their plants. This tropical houseplant helps purify the air, and with sufficient lighting, it will bloom its spade-shaped flowers. 

• Light: Bright, indirect light, but can tolerate low light. 

• Water: Once per week.

• Size: 1 to 4 feet tall

• This plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Philodendron

Philodendron is derived from the Greek words philo-, which means "love," and dendron, which means "tree." The most common variety is heart-leaf philodendron or sweetheart plant, known for its elegant heart-shaped leaves and trailing vines. Philodendrons are easy to propagate – so you could buy one plant and propagate enough for one for each room in your house.

• Light: Medium to bright indirect light, but can tolerate low indirect light

• Water: Water when the top few inches of soil feel dry. They like to be on the dry side, so water every one to two weeks.

• Size: Trailing or climbing up to 8 feet or more

• This plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Pothos

Pothos has earned the nickname "devil's ivy" for its ability to survive in almost pitch-black conditions, plus under- and over-watering. The trailing stems are also easily propagated. 

• Light: Bright, indirect light, but can tolerate low light.

• Water: Let the top few inches of soil dry out before watering. Water every one to two weeks.

• Size: 6-8 feet long, 3-6 feet wide

• This plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Rubber Plant

The rubber plant is a low-maintenance plant that's native to Asia. It can grow into a large tree, but you can easily keep it shorter and smaller by pruning back long stems, which will cause it to branch into a multi-stemmed shrub. Just be aware that a sticky, milky sap exudes from cuts. 

• Light: Medium to bright indirect light

• Water: Let it dry out a bit between waterings. Water once per week to once a month.

• Size: 6-8 feet tall, 4-6 feet wide

• This plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Snake Plant

Native to tropical West Africa, the snake plant grows slowly, is tough to kill, and can go a whole month without water. The stiff, sharp, and spiky leaves add strong vertical lines to a space, but you can find other varieties with different leaf shapes and patterns.

• Light: Medium to bright indirect light for fast growth, but it will tolerate low light levels too. 

• Water: Let it dry out completely between waterings. Water once per month.

• Size:  1-3 feet tall, 3-36 inches wide

• This plant is toxic to pets and humans.

Spider Plant

While the name is unattractive, the spider plant itself is. It’s also a great budget plant, as once the plant gets big enough, it will produce baby plants on the ends of long stems. You can repot these “babies” for more plants. 

• Light: Bright to moderate indirect light, though it can handle low light too. 

• Water: Water it when the top few inches of soil feel dry, about once per week.

• Size: 6-12 inches tall, 6-24 inches wide

Succulents

Succulents are hardy, drought-tolerant plants that come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. When planted in pots indoors, you need to mimic their natural desert habitat with a location that’s warm, dry, and offers plenty of light. However, succulents can actually get sunburnt and spotty from too much direct sunlight. Additionally, succulents benefit from drying out completely and then getting soaked, which mimics the desert dryness followed by a rainstorm. 

• Light: Lots of bright, indirect light. Succulents do not tolerate low light.

• Water: Water every few weeks. You want it to dry out almost completely before giving it another drink – otherwise, it will rot.

• Size: depends on variety

• Most varieties are not toxic to pets.

ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant is officially named Zamioculcas zamiifolia and nicknamed both "the king of the indestructible plants” and “the eternity plant.” Native to East Africa, this tough plant can survive drought, low light, and low humidity. It often goes dormant in the winter (while staying green) and will return to active growth in the spring and summer. 

• Light: Medium to bright indirect light, but can tolerate low light.

• Water: Let it dry out between waterings. Prefers to be mostly dry before you give it a good, long drink. Water it every two to three weeks.

• Size: 2-3 feet tall and wide

• This plant is toxic to pets and humans.

Now that you have many options for easy houseplants to care for and keep alive, it’s time to visit your local nursery and bring back some greenery for your home!

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