If you’re new to indoor plants or you aren’t blessed with a green thumb, we’ve curated a list of the best low-maintenance indoor plants to add to your space.
Being a plant parent isn’t as easy as it seems, and starting out on an indoor plant journey can be quite overwhelming, from planning the right plant to bring home to learning how to care for them. The fact that some plants are much harder to care for and require a lot of attention only adds to the stress. If you want to amp up your indoor space with plants but are new to green parenting, this curated list of low-maintenance indoor plants are the best ones to start with.
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9 low-maintenance indoor plants
Snake plant
There’s a good reason why we’ve started this list with the snake plant: it’s one of the most low-maintenance indoor plants out there. Whether you bask them in the sun for days, leave them in a dark room or forget to water them for long stretches, these hardy plants will still thrive. In fact, snake plants love to get dry between watering sessions, and they grow the best in dry conditions — perfect for those who can’t keep up with complicated watering instructions. Stock up on a bunch of snake plants, and be rest assured that they’ll keep growing at their own pace with little to no care.
Spider plant
These plants retain water quite well, so they won’t complain even if you forget to water them for a few days. They grow fast in a bright and sunny space, but they can handle darker conditions pretty well. The spider plant is also air-purifying, having been proven to be effective in removing harmful chemicals from the air, such as carbon monoxide, xylene, formaldehyde, and toluene.
Tradescantia Zebrina or Wandering Jew
These are gorgeous plants and will add colour to any indoor space. Tradescantia Zebrina plants grow pretty fast, so they will mature in no time. They are also extremely easy to care for and are perfect for beginner plant parents. To keep this plant happy, simply place it in bright but indirect light, and water only when the top inch of soil dries out. Just make sure you watch out for yellow leaves, which could mean you’re overwatering them and need to cut down.
Chinese evergreen
The Chinese Evergreen is extremely hardy, and a great option if you’re looking for the most low maintenance of indoor plants. Also known as the Silver Bay Aglaonema, these plants have a unique ‘painted’ look and require almost no effort to keep alive. It does not need a lot of watering, so you can wait till the soil completely dries out between each session. It needs a little light though, so make sure not to keep it in a dark, dingy space for too long.
Red Aglaonema
Brighten up your living space with the Red Aglaonema and its beautiful red-tinted leaves. This low-maintenance indoor plant is tolerant of any environment that you keep it in, whether it’s low light or blindingly bright light. The plant thrives even if you don’t have a big enough pot, or if you’re going out of town for a couple of weeks. The only requirement? Don’t overwater it.
Succulents
If you have no time to spare to even water your plants, buy succulents. They can survive in extreme conditions, including not being watered for weeks. In fact, the most you should water these plants is twice a month. They’re usually much smaller in size too, so you can pot them in cute little planters and keep them in any corner of your house.
Monstera
Known and loved for their tropical look, your home can instantly look like a tropical resort with this statement-making, but low maintenance indoor plant. They’ll really thrive too and can grow to be extremely abundant, depending on the size of the pot they are growing in. Apart from their ornamental value, they are also known for air purification, dehumidifying, feng shui, reducing stress, and improving the looks of any environment it’s in.
Wax plant
Apart from being low maintenance, non-toxic, and air purifying, the wax plant is one plant that does not require repotting very often, and is extremely easy to propagate from cuttings. Like money plants, this is a trailing plant, and features thick, waxy leaves. You just need to place it in a bright spot for it to grow well.
Jade plant
A type of succulent, the jade plant is plump and glossy, and lends a calming effect to any room immediately. They need bright, indirect sunlight to thrive, but they’ll do okay even if you keep them away from sunlight most days. The best part, however, is that you do not need to water them regularly; they’re able to retain water on their own. Under optimum conditions, jade plants grow fast and propagate easily from cuttings.
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Singapore.
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Written by
Sreetama Basu
Digital Writer - Entertainment, Food & Drinks
A journalism student who studied the subject only to meet SRK in person, she settled for the best way to meet him. Covering Entertainment throughout her career, and now Food, Health and Lifestyle as well, Sreetama is also a self-proclaimed plant mom. In love with all things slow and quiet, she can often be found hunting for quiet corners with a glass of wine in hand. Other loves include little, inconsequential things, like neatly tucked-in bedsheets and big, significant things, like whole cheesecakes. She dreams of being a baker and writing about food someday.