Adding a little greenery to your home is a great way to spruce it up and make it look a bit more lively. A simple plant here and there can do wonders for the looks! However, not everyone has the time or desire to take care of a large garden, but they may still want the benefits plants bring. To that end, we’ve compiled a short list of 5 low maintenance houseplants that will be great for any room. We’e picked out some of the more striking, bold, and vibrant plants, so that you can get that beautiful look plants bring without needing to care for a whole garden. Add a few of these plants around your house and your guests will take notice!
Peace Lily
One of my personal favorites, the peace lily is a beautiful addition to any home. It’s brightly color leaves make a great statement, and are a bold contrast for a dark room.
Peace lilies are also extremely easy to take care of. They enjoy lower light conditions, and only required a bit of water each week. This makes them perfect for a shady bedroom, and other places in your home that don’t get enough light for other plants.
Take note, if the leaves begin to darken or turn brown your plant is probably getting too much light. A common problem for first time growers, simply move it to a shadier location and the bright white will come back.
Cacti And Succulents
Another great option if you have a sunny spot is the various types of cacti and succulents. Both of these are excellent choices, and many come in bright and exotic colors, perfect for your home.
These types of plants are also very low maintenance and drought tolerant. If you’re a forgetful gardener, then these are the perfect plant as they can go for quite a long time without being watered. Give them a bright, sunny spot and they’ll be perfectly happy!
Many of these types of plants prefer long periods between waterings, but then being drenched during the occasional watering. This helps mimic their natural environment of the desert where waterings are few and far between.
For more on succulents, check out our beginners guide to growing succulents!
Birds Of Paradise (Strelitzia)
Another beautiful plant is the birds of paradise. This plant can grow to be several feet tall, and can make an impressive display in any home.
It requires a bit more care than the first two plants, usually needing water a few times a week. You want to keep the soil moist, but not drenched. It also requires a good deal of light, so don’t leave this one in a dark bedroom. Without light, it won’t bloom properly, which is one the best parts of this plant. With proper care, it will produce bright orange colored flowers. Coupled with its size, this is a striking display that is well worth the effort.
This plant thrives in temperatures over 60° fahrenheit, meaning it can double as an outdoor plant. During the summer, or in warmer climates, moving it outside is perfectly fine and it will thrive with proper lighting and water. Do take care however to move it inside when the temperature begins to drop and monitor regularly for pests.
Moth Orchid
Don’t be scared off by the orchid in the name of this one, moth orchids are some of the easiest to grow and great for first time growers. While many orchids are known for being difficult to get right, moth orchids are not, and with their striking colors make an excellent addition to any home.
The care instructions are quite easy. Allow the planting medium to dry out completely between waterings, and give them bright, indirect sunlight. There’s not much else to it to get these beauties to grow. They come in multiple colors, so there’s likely one that fits your home’s style.
An interesting note about orchids is that they are often potted in bark instead of soil. This makes it more likely to overwater than underwater, so be careful in your habits. Your orchid can likely handle a bit of a drought, but will quickly die due to root rot if overwatered. Â
Snake Plants
Lastly, we have the snake plants. Snake plants are a hardy, difficult to kill houseplant that has striking lines. This makes them one of the most popular houseplants and a great addition for any home.
Snake plants do best when left alone. Generally, give them indirect sunlight; but they can survive and thrive in a variety of lighting conditions. This gives them great versatility to be used in almost any room in the house. For watering, let the soil dry out between waterings. You’re much more likely to overwater than underwater, so be careful how much and how often you water. Snake plants thrive when nearly neglected, so don’’‘t feel like you have to check on it everyday. This makes it great for the set and forget type gardener.
One thing to keep in mind is that snake plant leaves are poisonous to both cats and dogs. While it won’t kill them, it can get them extremely sick and lead to vomiting and diarrhea. If you have either animal, take care to keep them away from plant to avoid any unwanted messes.
Brighten Up Your Home
Hopefully one of these plants has piqued your interest and will soon be making its way into your home. Plants are a wonderful way to brighten up your home, and we’re sure the above 5 plants will be an easy way to get started. Plants also provide several health benefits, such as purifying the air, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a couple in your home!
