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Did you know that taking care of plants can improve your mental health? A little bit of plant care can go a long way toward lowering anxiety and depression, on top of reinforcing your own self-care.
Of course, plants that are difficult to manage will only stress you out more; it’s best to get some easy plants first. There are several house plants that can help you hone your green thumb.
If you’re interested in learning the basics of plant care, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn about some great low-maintenance plants that even an amateur horticulturist can take care of.
1. Marble Queen Pothos
Marble queen pothos–sometimes known as Devil’s Ivy–is a beautiful trailing vine plant with variegated leaves. Marble queen pothos is hardy and resilient, and its leaves add a striking pop of color to space.
These vines don’t require much in terms of light; you should find somewhere that’s well-lit, but not in direct sunlight. Pothos plants enjoy areas with low light and high humidity.
As is the case with many vines, marble queen pothos will keep growing and growing, reaching lengths over ten feet; most of your maintenance will involve pruning it down to a manageable size.
You can use it as a hanging plant or attach it to a trellis.
2. Cast Iron Plant
You can tell this is an easy plant just by looking at the name–it’s called a cast iron plant because of how tough it is! It doesn’t need a lot of light, nor does it require much water.
In fact, you only need to water it about twice a month.
It’s a slow-growing plant, but it looks stunning, with long, broad leaves. Depending on the specific type of cast iron plant, these leaves might have variegated stripes or star-like speckles.
As a bonus, the cast iron plant isn’t toxic to cats or dogs, so it’s a great choice for pet owners.
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3. Snake Plant
Snake plants are another house plant that features broad, sword-like leaves, Unlike a cast iron plant, though, snake plant leaves stick straight up into the air. They’re a bit thicker, too.
The long, sharp leaves have also earned this plant the nickname Mother-in-Law’s Tongue.
They require a bit more watering than a cast iron plant, but they’re still low-maintenance indoor plants. You should also be careful about over-watering; it can cause them to rot.
They should avoid direct sunlight but can adapt to most other lighting conditions. Variegated versions of this plant require a bit more light than their less colorful cousins.
4. Silver Torch Cactus
Cactus plants have a reputation for being hard to kill, and the silver torch cactus is no exception. There’s only one thing this plant needs to thrive: sun, and lots of it.
Six hours of direct sunlight each day will help this plant thrive. Extra sunlight can speed up the plant’s growth but isn’t necessary otherwise.
As for watering, these cacti can get by on a single watering about once a month. Be sure to water away from the center of the plant.
If you can find a good spot with lots of suns, this is a great plant for beginners; there’s very little plant care involved.
5. Peace Lily
Peace lilies are slightly more advanced than some of the other house plants on this list. They need medium light–not direct sunlight, but not too shady, either.
They also need regular watering, though you need to be careful not to over-water them.
With all that in mind, they might not sound like low-maintenance plants. There’s one key feature that makes them good for beginners, though: the leaves.
Peace lily leaves react to their condition, clueing you in about what you need to do. They get floppy if you water them too much; if you don’t water them enough, they curl up and start to brown.
6. Money Plant
This is a cute little plant with distinctive round leaves. It works well in low or medium-light, but keep it out of direct sunlight. Other than that, all you need to worry about is watering it once a week.
Check to make sure the soil is dry before watering–if it’s not, wait a bit longer to water it.
Another nice thing about this plant is that it’s easy to propagate. Offshoots will sprout from the plant’s stem, which you can pot and turn into brand-new money plants.
7. Prayer Plant
If you’re looking for a plant that’s easy to take care of but brings a lot of personality to the room, look no further than the prayer plant. These plants have eye-catching leaves in a variety of colors.
They don’t require very much light, but they love humidity. Avoid getting their roots damp, though.
Finding the right environment for the plant is more difficult than actually caring for it. Many people elect to put prayer-plants in their bathroom since a hot shower can provide the damp air these plants crave.
One caveat: these plants sometimes attract insects, so keep an eye on them to make sure they aren’t accumulating pests.
8. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is succulent, which means it doesn’t need a lot of water. It does need quite a bit of light, though–get it into direct sunlight for about four hours a day.
Beyond its sunlight requirements, there’s not much to raising this plant.
Low maintenance isn’t the only benefit of aloe vera–it’s also useful for treating minor cuts and light burns thanks to its soothing sap. Aloe vera sap makes a good skin moisturizer, too.
Be careful when clipping the plant for sap, though. Never take more than a third of the plant–leave most of the leaves alone.
Fill Your Home with Easy Plants
No matter your aesthetic, there are easy plants available that will beautify your home. From leafy cast iron plants to prickly silver torch cacti, there are low-maintenance plants for everybody.
Once you’ve mastered caring for your indoor plants, you might want to try growing some things outside. If that’s the case, visit our gardening blog for tips and tricks to grow your dream garden!
