After we finally renovated the main floor of our house this past summer, I bought myself my first house plant at a convenience store as a house warming gift. Although it was just a simple snake plant, and nothing spectacular, it ignited my love (or as my boyfriend puts it, obsession) for plants 😜
There’s just something beautiful about seeing a plant put out brand new leaves, and a pop of green always easily liven up a space! I used to kill all the plants my mom put in my care, so I’ve always thought I had a black thumb, but trust me, these plants below are super easy to grow, even for the blackest of thumbs among us 😂
These plants all adapt easily to its surroundings, don’t need a ton of TLC, and won’t fuss if you accidentally forget about watering, perfect for the ultimate beginner.
1. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
LIGHT: Bright indirect light, but can live in any lighting condition
WATER: Let soil dry out between waterings, then water thoroughly
Considering this was my first plant, and I still have not killed it even after leaving it for 1 month while on vacation, you can say this is one of the easiest plants to care for! In fact, the most common reason of death for this plant is due to overwatering, so it’s a lot better to err on the drier side for this one!
There are also some beautiful variations of this plant for this plant including:
Sansevieria ‘Golden Hahnii’: This is the one I have, short leaves with yellow borders
Sansevieria Cylindrical: With dark, striped, cylindrical round leaves, this species will definitely add some character to your desk!
Sansevieria ‘Night Owl’: This cute little variety has silvery edges with short pointy leaves
Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Bantel’s Sensation’: Also called the white snake plant, this cultivar has white vertical stripes, and is absolutely gorgeous
Sansevieria Zeylanica: Dark tall leaves, with a marbled like look, this is definitely a statement piece
2. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum)
LIGHT: Bright indirect light, but mature plants can live in almost any lighting condition
WATER: Let the top 2 inches of soil dry out before watering thoroughly
Known for its invincibility, this plant is super low maintenance. Like the Snake plant, this plant is prone to being overwatered. Its leaves will also tell you if you’re giving it too much light: if it looks weak, soft, and bleached, move the plant into the shade! This is also a great friendship plant as mature mother plants will grow little spiderettes that you can snip off and propagate in a pot of soil, or just leave it and let it grow in a hanging pot!
Some variations of this plant are:
Chlorophytum laxum ‘Zebra Grass’: This variation is green leaves with white edges
Chlorophytum comosum ‘Bonnie’ : Bonnie is a sassy one, with leaves that curl and twist
Chlorophytum comosum ‘Hawaiian’: With leaves that turn color as it matures, this plant always have different shades of green
3. Aloe
LIGHT: Bright light
WATER: Let dry completely before watering, low water needs
As a succulent, the aloe needs very minimal care. Funny story, I wanted to grow this plant in the beginning because I love having Aloe Vera in bubble teas, so I thought I could grow some to eat 😂 , however, not only is this little plant a delicious addition to dessert, it’s also great for treating sunburns.
Requiring minimal water (i.e. once every 2 weeks-ish in the summer and every 4 weeks in the winter) the aloe is also a very expressive plant that will tell you when it’s being overwatered by wilting and shriveling its leaves. I’ve lost 2 of my aloe’s leaves due to overwatering but it’s recovering nicely & just put out a new leaf!
There are so many varieties of this cute plant! Some of my favourite variations are:
Aloe Vera: The one that I have, and the most well-known variety. It has spikey green leaves and known for its soothing gel
Aloe Bright Star: A cute dwarf species, that literally looks like a cute small star
Aloe Sunrise: With orange-red spots, this aloe will sure brighten up your day
Aloe Polyphylla: Also known as the spiral aloe, this beautiful plant spirals like a seashell
4. Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)
LIGHT: Bright indirect light, but can live in any lighting condition
WATER: Let the top 2 inches of soil dry out before watering thoroughly
Such an amazing plant family, and such a fast grower! No need to fertilize, and just water once a week or so. A great air purifier and a beautiful cascading plant, this is a great centerpiece for any setting. In fact, this vining plant looks beautiful climbing or trailing along a table or bookshelf too! This beautiful plant family also has so many variations, so your collection will never look boring!
Tip: browning on leaves is due to overwatering, so ease on the water if you see brown spots!
Some of my favourite pothos varieties are:
Marble Queen Pothos: With white, yellow and creamy variegation along with green speckles, this is definitely my favourite!
Pearl & Jade Pothos: Featuring green leaves, speckled with creamy variegations and with white edges, this is definitely on my wishlist!
Satin Pothos: Dark green leaves adorned with silver dots, very similar to the silver philodendron
Neon Pothos: I mean does anything else need to be said? The bright lime green leaves on this one can brighten up anyone’s day
Golden Pothos: Like the Marble Queen but with a more yellow/gold mix
Jade Pothos: Dark green heartshaped leaves
5. Philodendron
LIGHT: Bright indirect light, but can live in any lighting condition
WATER: Let the top 2 inches of soil dry out before watering thoroughly
A very close relative to the pothos, the philodendron is even hardier and easier to grow! In fact, it’s so easy that you can simply grow them in water! Seriously, just get a cutting and change the water every 2 weeks or so. The vining heart-shaped leaves are definitely a classic, and with such a simple plant, it’s hard to fall in love at first sight!
This family also has a ton of species that look completely different from each other:
Philodendron Brasil: A patented cultivar that has dark green leaves with a lime green variegation, often in the middle of the leaf but with bright light can sometimes be the entire leaf!
Philodendron Pink Princess: If you’re obsessed with pink plants like I am, this one is a must-have! With near-black leaves that have beautiful pink splashes, it’s definitely princess-worthy.
Philodendron Prince of Orange: Large shrubby species, its new leaves emerge with orange to a rusty color
Philodendron Micans: This plant has a fun velvety texture and rust-colored under leaves. Sure to be an attention-grabber!
Philodendron Heartleaf: Your basic green heart-shaped trailing plant
6. Wax Plant (Hoya)
LIGHT: Thrives in bright indirect light, but can live in any lighting condition
WATER: Let the soil dry completely before watering thoroughly
I first stumbled upon this beautiful family of plants because I was looking for a vining plant that was also non-toxic to my furbaby. These exotic plants are so easy to grow, they practically thrive on neglect. They won’t fuss if you forget to water them, the waxy leaves store water just for times like that! Like many of the plants here, Hoyas are prone to being overwatered. As a vining plant, they’ll look great climbing a moss totem pole or cascading down a hanging basket!
Some of my favourite varieties from this family:
Hoya Krimson Queen: Often confused with the Krimson Princess, this one has dark green leaves with white edges. When in bright indirect light, it can also produce fully white leaves. Also known as the Hoya Carnosa Tricolor, its new leaves can also emerge pink!
Hoya Krimson Princess: The exact reverse of the Queen, the Krimson Princess has green edges with creamy white centers. Also called the Rubra Tricolor, its leaves can also be pink in the center!
Hoya Compacta: Aka the Hindu Rope, this vining plant has curled and contorted leaves that resemble a braided rope!
Hoya Obovata: With circular waxy leaves, this one is cute as a button
Hoya Pubicalyx Splash: A fairly rare find, this one has narrow long leaves with white speckles that look like paint splashes!
7. String of Hearts (Ceropegia Woodii)
LIGHT: Thrives in bright indirect light, but can live in any lighting condition
WATER: Let the top 2 inches dry before watering
Like the name suggests, this vining plant has little heart shaped leaves stringed together, how romantic is that! Also called the rosary vine, this plant is one of the fastest growing plants in my collection, no fertilizing required.
Although beautiful by itself, the variegated version is just as beautiful:
Ceropegia Woodii Variegata: I’m obsessed with variegated plants, and this is definitely at the top of my list! The pink variegations on a beautiful plant like this are simply irresistible!
8. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides)
LIGHT: Thrives in bright indirect light, but can live in any lighting condition
WATER: Let the top 2 inches dry before watering
Who can resist this loppy little plant with flat round leaves? Another great friendship plant, this plant grows super fast and when it matures, it sprouts up little baby plants all around its base, which you can detatch and prop into soil for a brand new plant! This is also my fastest growing plant: it sprout up 5 leaves in a matter of a week!
Many plants in the pilea family are also easy to care for:
Pilea Glauca Aquamarine: with small green leaves that look silvery-blue, this cute plant looks great as a ground cover or in a hanging basket
Aluminum Plant: With metallic silver patterns adorning its leaves, this is also an easy beginner plant to grow indoors
Pilea Moon Valley: This plant has got some CRAZY texture! With a reddish-brown center and lime green leaves, this little plant definitely has some personality!
9. Cactus
LIGHT: Thrives in bright light
WATER: Let the soil dry before watering
Need a plant that you don’t have to worry about watering? Cacti are your answer. Known for living in the desert or drylands where there may not be rain for weeks, these little plants barely need any attention.
Plus there are so many varieties to choose from! My favourites are:
Optunia: Also called the prickly pear, these little plants have round little extensions that can look like bunny ears
Fairy Castle Cactus: Literally looking like a fairytale castle, this plant has green stems with white spikes on its spine.
Moon Cactus: With colorful crowns on top of its green stems, these are sure to brighten up your space
10. ZZ Plant
LIGHT: Any lighting condition
WATER: Let the top 2 inches dry before watering
Perhaps one of the most tolerant plants, it’ll survive basically any condition you throw at it. Another expressive plant, this plant will drop leaves to conserve moisture in case you forget to water it! So simply give it some water if you see some leaves drop and it’ll bounce right back. I’m still on the hunt for one of these to add to my collection!
Some great varieties from this family are:
ZZ Raven: these leaves start off green and turn almost black when matured!
Zamicro ZZ: this cute little plant is a dwarf version of your usual ZZ
Note that if you have a fur baby at home too like me, some of these plants are toxic! If you’re looking for beautiful plants that’ll play nice with your pets, I’ve also written a blog post about some beautiful pet-safe plants here. Happy plant parenting!