Don’t be shy! Indoor plants bring in great energy to the home and some even have air purifying qualities. But where do you start in picking a plant you can actually keep alive?
Below I have compiled a list of the best and easiest to care for houseplants that are pretty hard to kill. I know this from experience! I have also included some little Feng Shui nuggets for you to know which plants also can help your home’s Feng Shui.
Want to learn more about Feng Shui and why it matters? Check out my Beginners Guide to Feng Shui.
And don’t worry, these aren’t discreet, super secret, hard to find plants either.. You can find most of these easily at your local hardware store!
1. Bamboo
I started with Bamboo because not only is it cheap, easy to find, and hard to kill, but it is also AMAZING Feng Sui. Ever hear the term ‘Lucky Bamboo”? There’s a reason! Bamboo is believed to attract abundance, prosperity and better health. Just NEVER keep in groupings of 4 (I’ll explain in another post). Just trust me on this one.
Care: To care for Bamboo, you can plant in a simple Vase that is at least 2 inches wider than the plant and use stones and pebbles to keep the stalk upright in the vase. Water with distilled or clean water and be sure to cut any yellow leaves immediately. Replace the water twice a month and your lucky bamboo will do great!
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe is another great, hardy plant and one I recommend for every household. If anyone gets a cut or burn, you just remove a leaf and cut the tip off and squeeze out the soothing gel to use! Aloe also propagates very easily and quickly, meaning you can divide 1 single plant into multiple Aloe to put around your home and plant in your yard! We have 1 in our yard that grows into a monster every year, and every year we pull it out and replant just 1 sprig and that 1 sprig becomes a monster again by the next year. Then you can take all the sprigs and replant elsewhere, or gift to the neighbors!
Care: Because Aloe is typically a desert dwelling plant, the soil does NOT have to remain moist. In fact, it is recommended to allow the soil to dry completely and only water every 2-3 weeks.
3. Philodendron
There are many options in the Philodendron family that make great house plants. I have found the vining philodendrons to be great for beginners because they are fast-growing and you can tell pretty quickly by the state of the leaves if it is not liking its place and amount of sunlight. I moved mine a few times before it started thriving and growing long tails like crazy.
Care: Place in an area with indirect sunlight but is still bright, meaning the sun does not touch the leaves but it is not in the shade. If the leaves start turning yellow its getting too much light, if the stems are long and leaves are sparse its not getting enough sun. Allow the top inch to dry before re-watering. If the leaves get droopy you might not be watering enough. I have found these do great in self-watering pots.
4. Jade
Jade is a succulent plant, perfect for beginner gardeners. These are also great for bringing in luck and can produce pretty blooms in the winter time.
Care: Jades like a few hours of direct sunlight each day, so be sure to place near a window that gets at least 4 hours of sun. Keep the soil moist in the spring and summer, but in the winter let the top soil dry out a little before re-watering, about once a month. You will also want to clean off any dust buildup from the leaves using a damp cloth every once in a while.
5. Spider Plant
This is an extremely easy to grow plant that also produces lots of offshoots or “pups” that can be plucked off and re-potted to make more! These plants are also great for reducing indoor pollutants.
Care: Keep in bright indirect sunlight (direct sunlight can burn the leaves). In the first year, only water occasionally until it is fully developed. Then you can switch to a more moderate watering schedule, keeping soil moist to encourage more growth in spring and summer.
6. Common Ivy
There are many types of Ivy (English, Irish, Japanese, etc..) however the most common is the English variety. Ivy are not difficult plants to care for as long as you pay attention and give it what it needs in terms of lighting.
Care: Most Ivies need bright light, but will do okay in medium light as well. You will notice them becoming “leggy” or sick looking if they are not getting enough light. Let the topsoil dry out before re-watering and ensure it has good drainage.
7. Rubber Tree
The Rubber plant is another great, beautiful option for purifying the air in your home. It has actually been proved to remove formaldehyde!
Care: These do great in bright, indirect light but try not to move it once its thriving. Keep soil moist and be sure to wipe off the leaves with a damp cloth often in summer and reduce to 1-2 times a month in winter.
Don’t forget to fertilize!
There’s one more thing I need to mention that applies to most indoor house plants, and that’s fertilization. I’ll admit, I totally overlooked this the first few years I had indoor house plants. And I’m pretty sure they only survived because of the awesome slow-release pieces of fertilizer that come in the potting soil. But its REALLY important to get longevity out of your plants.
I recommend getting a liquid formula that you can simply add to your watering can about every other time you water. I know the little sticks that you can just shove into the soil and forget about seem highly convenient, but they do not distribute the nutrients evenly nor can you control the release.
Let’s turn those brown thumbs to green!
There’s only one way to get experience and that’s to start DOING! So get out there, find 1-2 plants that speak to you from this list, purchase some pretty pots and get your green thumb to working!
xoxo, Christi
