You have most likely landed on this page because you’re interested in starting your own indoor plant collection. Indoor plants are a great way to add some greenery and add a natural vibe to your living areas. Whether that be in your living room or your bedroom or even your bathroom adding, indoor plants and houseplants are a great way of adding warmth and comfort to your home. I have been on my journey of turning my home into somewhat of an indoor jungle for a couple of years now but when you’re starting out it’s hard to know what are the best plants to grow indoors?
Of course, the best indoor plants is somewhat subjective, but over the couple of years that I have been heavily invested in adding indoor plants to my home, this list has either been the easiest to grow, care or are just spectacular to add to your home. These are the best plants to grow indoors:
- Monstera Deliciosa – The Swiss Cheese Plant
- Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
- Devils Ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
- Philodendron Xanadu
- Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica)
- Succulents (Burro’s tail, Jade Plant, Aloe Vera, Roseum, etc)
- Pin-stripe calathea (Calathea ornata ‘Sanderii’)
- Bar Room Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
Monstera Deliciosa
This plant, in my opinion, has both the coolest name and it leaves shapes just are miraculous. It is by far my favourite indoor plant. Just like me this plant is tropical and is native to tropical forests in southern Mexico.
The plant gets its name Monstera, which translates to monstrous and in some cases can grow up to 9 metres tall. That’s of course if you are growing it outside, indoors they can get rather large but is highly dependent on the size of the pot it grows in.
The leaves grow large and vibrant and make it the perfect plant to fill a corner with life.
Peace Lily
These plants will do exceptionally well in low light areas. Our apartment only gets a certain amount of light per day so we find this plant to be perfect for those nooks that do not receive a lot of light.
This is also another tropical plant, but the reason it thrives in low light is that it used to grow at the bed of tropical forests. It has around 40 different species and they grow in many different sizes and produce different flowers depending on the light they receive.
Peace Lilys are super easy to maintain plants and are recommended for those who new to caring for plants as they are hardy and tough to kills.
Devils Ivy
Another great plant for the beginners as the Devils Ivy is almost impossible to kill. It is also a tropical plant and also thrives in the dark, which makes it a great indoor plant for beginners.
This plant is an evergreen vine growing. If you let it go it can grow up to 400 metres long. This makes it a great plant to hang from high places and let it grow and thrive.
Philodendron Xanadu
While this plant comes in close to 500 different species there are many common ones which are used as indoor plants such as the araceae family. I have one of these in my dining room and its large stems and leaves do bring a nature vibe to the room.
Philodrendron prefer bright areas, but no direct sunslight. If they receive direct sunlight the leaves will tend to turn yellow in colour. Too little light will also have the same effect.
Rubber Plant
If you are after a tree-like plant, well the rubber plant is the one for you. More a tree than a plant in its natural habitat outside it can grow to be 30 metres in height. Obviously, this is not the case for the indoor varieties which grow too much more manageable heights anywhere to 3 metres in height.
This again is another very easy to care for the plant and will grow in low light areas. This plant is also very sensitive to over water. It is also very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature.
Succulents
Yes, succulents come in many types across many families. Of all the plants on this list, they are almost impossible to kill. Due to there thick flesh, they typically retain water in them and are drought resistant, making them the perfect plant for the beginner who doesn’t have the time to maintain them.
They come in all different shapes and sizes and grouped together make for beautiful centrepieces on tables and are also perfect for lining your window seals.
Pin-stripe calathea
Native to tropical areas of South America and also seen in areas such as Thailand, these plants are known for their amazing pattered large leave. The leaves themselves grow at the end of very long steps and can grow to around 2 feet tall inside.
This plant does not flower but its stunning leaves do a great job of adding vibrancy to any room. To add to this vibrancy the underside of the leaves also has a reddish purple colour.
Bar Room Plant
Native to the islands in southern Japan, the bar room plant is a perennial forest plant that grows to around 2 feet tall. This is also a very hard plant and will withstand low humidity, temperature fluctuations and irregular watering.
It makes the perfect plant for the beginner and someone who doesn’t have the time to micromanage their indoor plants.
How to care for your indoor plants?
When you are starting on your journey of adding, living and caring for indoor plants, to some it can be a rather daunting task. Nobody gets into this hobby with the goal of killing of these plants. The first thing you should realise is that a plants home is the most important part of the plants life. What I mean by that is the container you keep it in and the soil that you use is it’s entire world.
Remember unlike outdoor gardens, these plants only have a certain amount of room to send their roots through and all the nutrients then need, have to be available to them in their little plant homes. It is essential that you do not skimp on potting soil, only use a premium potting mix if you are wanting to have a good relationship and long lasting plant.
Your indoor plants will prefer a warm climate and typically moist conditions. But obviously, in today’s modern homes we have the ability to maintain a temperature that is right for both ourselves and the plants we have in our homes. Misting your plants will provide them with the humidity they require as sometimes these modern appliances can remove the humidity from the air.
How much do I need to water my plant?
It seems weird but most indoor plants only need a little bit of love and sometimes too much love can actually kill the plant. Please be sure not to over water the plant as the soil can become oversaturated with water and plants roots become suffocated and cannot get the right amount of oxygen and soil nutrients that they need. The soil that your plants are in should be allowed to actually become slightly dry, simply press your finger into the potting mix. You should find that some of the soil will stick to your skin and the potting mix itself should feel dry.
Do I need to clean my plants?
Like the many ornaments and trinkets you have around your home, your plants, especially the ones with big leaves like the Monstera, will gather dust and require some cleaning. The reason why is that this dust can create a layer which can block the ports and now allow the plant to be able to transpire. Simply make it part of your cleaning ritual take a moist cloth and simply wipe the plant’s leaves.
What do I feed my plant?
Well, the obvious one as mentioned earlier if you need to give it the right amount of water. If you want to have a healthy plant be sure to use slow-release fertilizers as they are the easiest way to feed your houseplants. To do this simple scatter the fertilizer over the top surface of the soil and the tiny prills will over time, release the nutrients over a 3 to 4 month period. After that period simply repeat the process. Probably helps to keep a diary or set calendar reminders on your phone, so as not to forget.
Can plants grow without sunlight?
Unfortunately, typically the answer to this is no. Some can survive with minimal light but in most cases, plants will need some light to continue thriving. How much light is really dependent on the type of plant, to be honest and would recommend that you look further into the plants that you have decided to place in your home.
As an example, the Peace Lily needs minimal sun and can be placed in dark corners. Although if you are wanting it to bloom its beautiful white flowers it will need more sun to allow it to bloom. So please do your due diligence on where you place your plants so it get the optimum amount of sunlight required.
Tip: A plants position away from the window will determine the amount of sunlight that it gets. Every metre that a plant is placed away from the window the amount of sunlight that it gets will reduce by 15 per cent.
Tip 2: Placing plants direct next to windows is also something you need to be careful of as glass can typically intensify the rays of the sun and in turn creating burn on the leaves. This is easy to spot as you will notice some browning on the edges of the leaves.
