Indoor gardening is going strong, and thanks to social media gardeners around the world can share their plants. A great looking garden takes a lot of work, and is something to be proud of. They not only look great, but are good for the environment and can actually help clean the air in your home. With that in mind, it’s no wonder so many people are starting indoor gardens.
As the choices of which plant to take care of are seemingly endless, it can be difficult to decide what to grow. In this article, we’ll break down 9 cute plants that will look fantastic in your home, and go over some brief care tips on how you can start growing them today.
Essential Supplies
Soil: Most plants on this list need well draining potting soil. For a few (like the Jade plant), look to use cacti soil as it is even more well draining.
Containers: Our #1 choice for indoor containers is clay pots. These help prevent over watering by being naturally absorbent, and are very cheap.
Fertilizer: Most indoor plants need to be fertilized occasionally during their growing season. Look to use a diluted fertilizer or a slow-release capsule.
Gloves: To keep from making too much of a mess, highly recommended!
1. Jade Plant
Jade plants are succulent houseplants that are resilient and easy to grow indoors. This plant is capable of living quite long if taken care of, and they can adapt well in warm and dry conditions such as our homes. During the growing season (spring, summer) it requires a bit of care to water properly. While the jade plant enjoys a fair amount of water, you should wait until the soil is dry to do so.
How to plant Jade plants?
- Choose a sturdy and wide pot with moderate depth. This plant can grow top-heavy and fall over.
- Look for soil that dries quickly as these plants can easily get root rot caused by fungal diseases. It is usually the result of excessive moisture. You can use an all-purpose potting mix with additional perlite to improve drainage. Alternatively, using a premade succulent (cacti potting) mix is also good.
- After planting the plant, avoid watering it right away. Waiting for several days to a week allows the roots to settle and recover from any damage.
2. Spider plant
These plants produce rosette, long, thin, arched leaves that are green with a mix of white in the center. It is easy to grow and is usually placed in a hanging basket. During summer it may produce white flowers on long stems as well as “pups” that resemble a spider.
How to plant Spider plants?
- Use a loose potting soil and well-draining pot. Spider plants like moisture but don’t like to be too dry or too moist.
- Keep it away from direct sunlight. Their leaves can burn which causes brown tips and spots. Favor indirect light for this plant.
- Spider plants grow quickly so look to re-pot about once per year.
Caring
- Water it occasionally during the initial growth and once it is fully developed (within one year). Check the top inch of soil and water when dry.
- During the spring months, always keep the soil moist to encourage growth. Do not let it dry too much. In the winter, you can water it less.
- Maintain an average room temperature and humidity. This plant does great in the average home.
3. Elephant Ear Plant or Colocasia
Elephant ear is a tropical plant often grown for its beauty. It has large heart-shaped leaves borne on leaf stalks that can grow upwards of 3 feet tall. Its colors may be anywhere from green, purplish-black, or even pink.
How to plant Elephant Ear?
- Choose a well-draining, peat-rich medium soil.
- Since this is a large plant, use a large container to plant it.
- Place it with moderate indirect sunlight. It can tolerate direct sunlight but it tends to get sunburn.
- It requires high humidity, you can use a humidifier in the area you want to put the Colocasia.
- Add a few rocks or pebbles between the pot and the saucer. Doing this will increase the humidity around the indoor plant and prevent the roots from getting in contact with water which can cause root rot.
Caring:
- While humidity should be high, the average indoor temperature of homes is perfectly fine.
- Look to feed every 2-3 weeks with fertilizer during its growing season.
- During winter, you can discontinue fertilization and avoid watering as frequently to allow it to dry fully.
4. Cyclamen
It is a flowering plant with a sweet scent and small blooms on long stems that stretch up above the foliage. It dies down to its roots in the summer dormancy period and quickly regrows during fall. Its flowers range from pink, purple, red, and white and have heart-shaped leaves that are often green with silver marbling. It is very popular during winter because you can see it blooming on shelves at grocery or gardening stores.
How to plant Cyclamen?
- This plant grows in a cool and humidified environment. Make sure that the temperature during the day is less than 70 degrees fahrenheit and drops about 5-10 degrees at night.
- Water the plant regularly, but be careful not to overwater. The pot should have excellent drainage with a potting medium that drains well. Only water when the top inch of the soil is dry to the touch.
- Fertilize the plant once every one to two months with a water-soluble fertilizer mixed at half strength.
Care after blooming:
- After the blooming cycle, it will go on a dormant stage where the plants will appear to be dying as the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Stop watering it once you see those signs. Allow the plant to rest. Place it in a cool and somewhat dark area. You can remove the dead plants and let them sit for about two months.
For reblooming:
- Once the dormant period is done, you can start watering the plant. Make sure to completely soak the soil.
- Check for the cyclamen tuber, make sure that it does not outgrow the plant.
- If it seems to be crowded you can move the plant to a larger container.
- Once the leaves start growing, resume the normal plant care
5. Inch plant
These plants are valued because of their vigorous growth and colorful foliage that can be striped with green, purple, silver, and white. It has trailing vines flowing from the base and is an easy plant to take care of. It can survive in bright, indirect light and warm temperatures, making it perfect for indoor growing. It has two common species, the T. fluminensis that has green or variegated leaves, and the T. zebrina that is usually purple with silver striped foliage.
How to plant Inch?
Planting:
- Plant it using an all-purpose potting mix in a pot or in a hanging basket
- Keep it in an area where there’s a medium to bright light. Keep it out from direct sunlight but also areas that don’t get enough light.
- Keep it at room temperature between 55 F to 75 F.
Caring:
- Allow the soil to dry between waterings. Inch plant don’t like to be too wet or too dry.
- During its resting period (winter months) cut back on watering. It may go upwards of 2-3 weeks between - watering during this time.
- Fertilizer twice a month during spring and summer but discontinue during fall and winter
6. Peace Lily
These are tropical, evergreen plants that can survive on the forest floor where they receive sunlight and consistent moisture. Don’t let that fool you, peace lilies are some of the easiest plants to take care of. They can grow in very low light conditions, and don’t require a lot of water or other care. In fact, peace lilies will begin to “droop” when thirsty, making it very easy to tell when to water.
Be careful of taking care of this because it is mildly poisonous. Keep it out from children and pets because it contains calcium oxalate which can cause stomach and respiratory irritation if ingested in huge amounts.
How to plant a lily plant?
- Grow it in a well-draining, all-purpose potting soil
- Re pot it every year. It will allow the plant to be refreshed with new soil and get the nutrients it needs. This is a big cause for a lot of failed lilies.
- Peace Lily can grow too large for its pot. Remove it and divide it into smaller plants if needed.
Caring:
- Always keep the soil moist but avoid over-watering. The plant will droop when thirsty.
- These plants are sensitive to some chemicals found in tap water (fluoride) which can cause browning of leaf tips. If possible, use filtered water.
- Fertilize occasionally with a water soluble and diluted solution.
- Keep them away from any drafty windows or areas with large temperature swings.
7. Ponytail Palm
Despite its name, this plant doesn’t look like a palm, it is actually more related to desert plants. It consists of a large, domed “stump” which is reduced into a thinner stem. As the plant ages, on top of the stem, one or more rosettes of long, green, and leathery leaves develop.
How to plant Ponytail Palm?
- Grow it using fast-draining soil like a succulent potting mix. If you have potting soil, sand, and perlite, you can create your desert soil by simply mixing 1 part soil + 1part sand + 1part perlite.
- Use a pot that has holes at the bottom so it can easily drain excess water. This plant doesn’t like to be moist for a long period of time.
- If possible, you can use a clay pot because it can absorb more water and can dry out the soil quickly.
Caring:
- Place the plant in an area with bright but in-direct sunlight.
- Water normally from spring to fall; allowing the topsoil to dry completely before watering again. During winter, water it occasionally.
- Use cacti or succulent fertilizer during the spring and summer.
- Avoid putting the plant in cold areas at night during the winter because it can be easily damaged by freezing temperatures.
8. Pothos
This plant is perfect for someone who always forgets to water their plants. They are quite good at going for long periods of being under-watered, and are difficult to kill. These pointed, heart-shaped green leaves grow into a variety of colors, and are native to the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. They can do well in bright and indirect light and can be grown in dry soil or vases of water. They will thrive in nutrient soil but they can also survive in poor nutrient soil.
How to plant Pothos?
- If your pothos is highly variegated, place it in bright and indirect light so it won’t lose its variegation.
- You can grow it in a jar full of water or in soil that can be watered occasionally
- A pothos strived in water will not do well if you will put it in the soil as well as the plant strived in the soil will not do well in water. Once you choose a growth method you should stick with it.
- Fertilize the soil once every three months with a diluted, water based fertilizer.
9. Hyacinth
This plant usually blooms in mid-spring. Its fragrance is so intoxicating that it has been known as “nature’s perfume”. It is usually a pale blue or purple flower, however other colors appear like lilacs, pink, white, cobalt blue, and many more. Every hyacinth bulb can produce one flower stalk that is 8 to 10 inches tall.
Where to Plant Hyacinth?
- For you to have the largest blooms and the straightest stem, plant it in an area that gets full sun.
- Grow it in a loosened, moderately fertilized soil that can easily drain. Make sure to use a container that has proper drainage.
Caring:
- Avoid over watering the plant, make sure the top inch of the soil is dry before watering.
- Keep away from any areas that get too cold or too warm. Extreme temperatures can harm the plant. ‘
Best Cute Plants
Picking the best cute plants is difficult, there are simply so many out there to choose from. We’ve chosen the ones that we think hit the mark, but let us know if we missed your favorite. The great thing about gardening is there really is no right way to do it. So get out there, experiment, have fun, and start growing your very own garden.
