Hey, friends! We have had LOTS of requests for this post, and I am really excited to share it with you today!
Over the past few years, I’ve gone from a plant killer to a borderline-crazy plant LOVER. They really are my favorite thing about our home and what makes it feel like HOME to me.
Now, some are easier to care for than others! And there’s nothing worse than buying a special plant only to have it die on you when you are trying your best to care for it (I’m looking at you fiddle leaf fig trees!). So today I’ve rounded up five types of plants that are on the easier side to care for, that can live in mixed lighting and are pretty low maintenance. These are the ones that are thriving and growing like crazy in my home.
Hope you enjoy!
1. Philodendron – I have a lot of these in our spaces. They can live in high light, but don’t need it, and they do pretty well with my slight over-watering tendencies. They grow very large. The one above is newer, and the one below we’ve had for about six months.
(It’s almost twice the size of when we bought it!)
I also love the split-leaf philodendron. It’s slightly prettier (to me) and just as easy to care for.
We have four of these in the house and the oldest one is almost TOO big. They grow really quickly.
2. Cactus – It’s no secret that I REALLY love Cacti. There are endless varieties. I am trying to buy more of the spineless ones from here on out, just to keep the house a little more safe for children (we have a LOT of kiddo house guests and visitors around here). I love the huge variety they come in!
These prickly pear cacti are probably my favorite to collect. Mine have been growing REALLY well. You can see here, all the bright green pieces are new growth. They’re so pretty. There are even some varieties (not these) that can live outdoors in Tennessee through the winter. SUPER excited to plant some outside.
This huge eight foot cactus is super low maintenance. I’m only supposed to water it once a month (that’s pretty normal for cacti).
3. Snake Plant – These snake plants are very easy to keep alive and work well in low light rooms. In rooms with high light (like our sunroom) they do well too, they just grow more. I love the shape they have, good for variety!
A type of bonsai tree, these little guys have SO much personality and are very easy to care for. I have three in very different sizes (the mini is the cutest, though, I have to say!), and they live in rooms with high and low light, even though they are recommended for low light.
Here’s the big one…
I love that their leaves look like hair. So adorable!!
5. Ivy – These are my favorite for hanging planters because they can grow really long and pretty. This one is growing like crazy in our kitchen right now.
When it comes to watering and keeping them alive, here are the two tricks that help me!
- Water on the same day every week. My day is Sunday. We usually tidy up on that day too, so that’s the first step in that process. It’s really good to get into a consistent routine so you don’t forget about watering. When I buy new plants, I always check the tag or ask how much much to water and what kind of light, but after a while, it’s up to you to use common sense and tweak things if your plant seems unhealthy.
- Move them around. If you notice brown leaves or a lot of dropped leaves and you know you’re watering the correct amount, then move them to a different lighting situation. Sometimes the smallest changes (like one room over) can be the difference between dying and thriving for my plants. Just pretend they are people who can’t talk and keep trying different things until they seem happy. 🙂
I hope these suggestions are helpful! If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them. And I would love to hear YOUR suggestions for any houseplants that have been easy to care for! xx- Elsie
Credits// Author and Photography: Elsie Larson, Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
I have planted snake plants in my balcony. But I have faced some problems in this season. There are some weeds around the plants. I don’t know what to do in such cases.
Hi I think we could be long lost sisters! At one time, I killed every plant in our house! I had spidermites. Tried to kill them, only killed the plants! Now 8m starting over with all new plants. They r doing really great!
Great list and I really love your photography 🙂
Hey Elsie – thanks for the tip! A cactus seems easy to take care of. Used to have house plants (fortune and bonsai) but they died *sad face* – so I loved the idea of keeping a schedule to water them once a week (same day every week!)
Nadya – http://dushonok.com
Any suggestion for pest control? I’ve had issues with aphids.
Hi Corinne,
Might help to research some organic pest control – harsh-free and chemical-free for your plant and your entire home! I love DIY myself – check out my website http://dushonok.com and you might have an idea.
I would LOVE to know where you got your planters also!!! Pretty please!! I have quite a few houseplants that are in desperate need of repotting but I haven’t found pots I like till I saw these! I know you posted on Snapchat but I missed it. Can you post somewhere else for me?
Great post! A couple things to note, though. While Ivy is a very easy plant to grow, the photo that you posted as Ivy is actually another type of Philodendron (just in case anyone was looking around for it). Philodendrons just make such excellent houseplants that they kind of creep in everywhere in all sorts of forms 🙂
Additionally, that photo that you posted of your “huge eight foot cactus” isn’t actually a cactus at all, it’s a Euphorbia (a really happy Euphorbia at that!). It’s important to note that they are harmless while intact, but if you snap off any part of the plant, it will secrete a sticky, white sap that is EXTREMELY dangerous. It is caustic and will cause anything from mild-moderate irritation if it comes in contact with the skin to more extreme reactions like blindness (very easily if you rub your eyes with sap on your fingers) or even death. Not necessarily the best plant to keep indoors if you have pets or kids running around, so thought it might be worth throwing out there. Not to be a negative Nancy or anything… I love the blog!!
I’m sorry this is completely off topic but I was wondering what brand your stack of plates are from or where were they purchased? I’ve been looking for these types of plates! Thank you!
I recently realised after living here for nearly 5 years that we have ZERO greenery. Like, no natural oxygen at all. Who does that?!
I love cacti and cactus and they would defo be my first choice (spineless)! I love ivy as well but I can imagine the chaos it would cause in our too small home already!
Nice idea for home plantation. I like it. Please keep sharing such amazing ideas with us.
Great post! All I have is a bamboo plant and small succulent right now. I hope to add more plants into my apartment though =o) thanks for the tips too, I’m not the best at keeping plants alive haha
http://dreamofadventures.blogspot.com/
Love these!! Im awful at keeping plants! May have to have a look into this! The one in my room currently is fake!! x
http://dreamingoffithavenue.wordpress.com
I’ve been trying to figure out what types of plants / flowers to buy for someone who is really into in-door(ish) gardening! This was very helpful.
Girl,you rock! Your posts are always ON POINT with me! I am totally feeling all of this beautiful greenery. I too would love to know where you find all of these amazingly modern pots. Wayyyyyy cooler than the typical Terra cotta style. Please share! Xo
I love me a cactus, I’ve been avoiding the flowering ones though because I find I still (somehow) manage to dry them out.
Those snake plants are lovely though x
Great post
Xoxo
http://fashionbackyard.blogspot.fr
I love me some houseplants! Our new home is almost ready to move into and you’re giving me some fantastic ways to “dress” indoor plants. I especially love the snake plant’s basket! Thank you for sharing.
Ah great guide! Need some plants in my bedroom!
Jabeen x
http://www.spilling-the-beans.co.uk/
The Cactus and Ivy are beautiful, definitely my favorites! I think have real plants adds such beautiful surroundings in a room. I’m definitely going to be looking more into adding plants into my home! Lovely post! xo
McKenzie | therosynook.com
I would love to know where you get your planters!