Plants you need inside your house
There are so many plants to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones are right for you. Whether you’re deciding based on how much care they need, size, or appearance, this list has a huge variety of indoor house plants and their benefits.
Pothos
Why you want it: First of all, this indoor plant has an air-purifying quality that can absorb and strip toxins like formaldehyde from materials in the home, such as carpet. How neat is that? It has trailing stems and works well in a hanging basket or as a climbing plant. Just train it onto a trellis or an object that will support it.
How to care for it: This indoor house plant can produce stems that trail 8 feet or longer, so just cut them back when they get too long and your plant will continue to look full and healthy. It can thrive in an array of lighting conditions, but low light may diminish the leaves’ variegation. Allow soil to dry somewhat between watering. Pothos does well in an array of normal room temperatures.
Aloe
Why you want it: This succulent with long pointed leaves has medicinal properties like soothing burns. The plant can grow up to three feet high for big impact indoors, or smaller varieties like the popular Aloe Vera work great in small, sunny indoor spaces.
How to care for it: Aloe likes room temperatures around 70 degrees and a lot of sunlight. As you might expect for a succulent, this indoor house plant prefers dry soil, so avoid frequent watering for the best result.
Spider Plant
Why you want it: These unusual-looking indoor plants add visual interest to a room, and they haven’t fallen out of fashion after years of popularity in the home. Spider plants come in a number of varieties, and work well as hanging plants. They sprout long tendrils which will produce small white flowers, and sprout new spider plants.
How to care for it: Spider plants do well with evenly moist soil and bright or medium lighting conditions. Room temperatures of 60 to 75 degrees keep them thriving. When the plant starts producing smaller ones, you can cut them off and repot them.
English Ivy
Why you want it: There’s a real timeless elegance to ivy, and the trailing tendrils look lovely and aren’t too difficult to tidy up. Plus, it’s super easy to start a new plant for yourself or a friend by cutting a section of the stem. Instant hostess gift! (OK, not completely instant. It takes about two weeks or so.)
How to care for it: English Ivy likes moist soil and cooler room temperature conditions, ranging from the mid-50s to about 70.
Jade Plant
Why you want it: For those who love the look of a succulent — not to mention, the ease of care — a jade plant offers thick, lush leaves and visually interesting branches. It grows slowly and has the potential to live for two decades — at least! It also looks great in a pretty pot when paired with other succulent varieties.
How to care for it: Jade plant does not require a lot of water, so keep soil somewhat dry. It prefers bright light and ordinary room temperatures.
Rubber Tree
Why you want it: This easy-to-grow indoor house plant will grow into an 8-foot-tall tree for a major pop of greenery in a room, and looks lovely either as a centerpiece to your room or to soften the corners. If you prefer a smaller plant, just prune any long stems to keep it as a shrub.
How to care for it: Allow the surface of the rubber tree’s soil to dry out in between watering. It thrives in lighting conditions from medium to bright, and a range of room temperatures between about 60 and 80.
Diffenbachia
Why you want it: The leaves of this pretty indoor plant can grow up to a foot long, and provide a tropical-looking accent to home decor. The whole plant can grow six feet high for a cheery focal point to the room.
How to care for it: Diffenbachia thrives in normal room temperature, not colder than the mid-60s. Keep the soil evenly moist, and provide medium or low lighting conditions for the best result.
Peace Lily
Why you want it: The Peace Lily is one of the most popular indoor plants due to its curving white blooms and dark leaves – not to mention how easy it is to grow. It can really brighten up a dark room, and looks lovely on a sideboard or desk.
How to care for it: This house plant favors low humidity and also low light, making it great for rooms with few windows. It prefers moist soil throughout the pot and tolerates standard temperatures ranging to about 85 degrees.
Snake Plant
Why you want it: It doesn’t get much easier than this indoor house plant— sometimes also known as mother-in-law’s tongue! It has variegated leaves that grow upright, and in some varieties the leaves have yellow or white edges. The small white flowers bloom rarely, but even without them the plant is a firm favourite.
How to care for it: This indoor plant grows well in a whole range of lighting conditions. The air should be somewhat dry, as should the soil. Any normal room temperature should suit it just fine.
Ficus
Why you want it: This indoor tree has shiny leaves to add cheer to any indoor space. Its stems can be braided for a tidy topiary effect we love. This easygoing tree effortlessly adds cheer to any indoor space. It works well as a feature in a slightly smaller room, or can act as a centerpiece in in a living room or office.
How to care for it: This tree likes full sun, or at least bright filtered light. Most varieties (there are about 800!) prefer several days of dry soil in between thorough watering. Room temperatures between 65 to 75 degrees work best.
Heart-Leaf Philodendron
Why you want it: This is a trailing indoor house plant that loves to make its way down from mantles or bookshelves. Its perky, dark green leaves come to a heart shape where they meet the stems, giving the plant its name. You’ll be sure to love it!
How to care for it: This may be the quintessentially easy indoor plant. It thrives in a range of lighting conditions, from low to sunny, preferring indirect light. It does well anywhere close to standard room temperature. Let the surface of the soil dry between watering; it should not be constantly wet.
Peperomia
Why you want it: There is a whole array of small indoor house plants with textured, shiny, often colorful leaves that fit into the category. Some popular and attractive indoor varieties include watermelon, red-edge and ripple Peperomias.
How to care for it: Peperomias favor indoor temperatures from about 60 to 75 degrees and medium or low lighting conditions. The surface of the soil should dry out between watering.
Shamrock Plant
Why you want it: This jaunty indoor house plant has bright green leaves that look like its namesake, plus sweet white flowers on tall stems. It’s not often that an easy to care for plant flowers regularly, so this is a good choice if you want more than green!
How to care for it: This house plant loves bright but indirect or filtered light. Allow the soil to dry out a bit between watering thoroughly about once per week.
Fiddle-Leaf Fig
Why you want it: This lovely indoor tree has large, dark-green leaves that seem to form the vague outline of a fiddle or violin — that’s how it gets its name. It’s actually a species of ficus, but we thought it deserved its own mention.
How to care for it: This indoor plant likes room temperatures between about 65 and 75 degrees, and exposure to bright to medium light. The surface of the soil should dry out slightly between watering. If it starts to look a bit pale, try moving it to somewhere less bright.
Areca Palm
Why you want it: This pretty indoor house palm is a great choice if you’re dreaming of tropical climates— or just trying to conjure the look in your home decor. It can grow to about 7 feet for a dramatic touch in a room, but a smaller pot will keep it contained if you’d prefer a more reserved look.
How to care for it: The areca palm does well in indirect light. Keep the soil somewhat dry, only watering on alternate weeks or so.
Orchids
Why you want it: Orchids have a bad reputation as being finicky and difficult to grow, but really, the opposite is true – they’re quite happy to be left alone for a while. Aside from being easy to take care of, orchids rid the air of xylene—a pollutant found in many glues and paints—so they make wonderful and useful housewarming gifts. There are so many varieties and colours that it’s easy to find one to suit you.
How to care for it: The soil should be left to dry between watering, and don’t need that much. They do quite well in the sunshine, but different varieties may need different care.
Ferns
Why you want it: Ferns are one of the few plants that have survived since Prehistoric times! They add visual interest to a room, and come in a large range of sizes from succulent size to shrub size. They also help to rid the air of pollutants, and are a staple in many homes.
How to care for it: Water regularly and generously, and don’t let the soil dry out completely between watering. They do better in humid rooms, such as kitchens or bathrooms.
