5 Houseplants That Thrive Indoors

Turn your home into a lush oasis with these indoor-loving houseplants. Image: Kit Republic

Move over, succulents. Today’s houseplants are going lush. That’s right: Indoor potted plants are finally getting their day in the sun. Succulents and cacti eased us back into the idea of tending to some pots on our windowsills. Today, some of the trendiest decorators (think Jungalow) lean heavily into houseplants as key design elements.

If you want to try out this new fad, you’re in luck: This home decor trend is one of the most affordable to incorporate. A visit to your local nursery or home improvement store gives you an idea of just how many options you have. The only limit is your imagination and the amount of natural light in your home or apartment. If you want to get started with houseplants that are known to like indoor living, these are all excellent choices.

Viney pothos thrives in almost any environment. Image: Carrera By Design

1. Pothos

Most plants are limited by their pot size. Not so with this showy grower. Pothos is known for its snaky vines, which you can either keep trimmed or let grow to give your space a truly verdant vibe. People love pothos because it’s fairly flexible. It thrives in a variety of light conditions, including low-light environments. If you notice the leaves turning pale, that’s a sign your pothos is getting too much sun.

Pothos is also good if you often forget to water your plants. The pothos plant does best when its soil is allowed to completely dry between watering. (Although note that wilting, browning leaves are a cry for more moisture.)

Get cleaner air at home with snake plants. Image: Margot Hartford Photography

2. Snake plant

This plant also goes by the name “mother-in-law’s tongue,” but we’ll call it by its friendlier moniker. The snake plant is as hardy as it is visually interesting. Its variegated spears like indirect light and, again, prefer dry soil in between waterings.

Not only is this a very forgiving plant, but it’s also a giver. The NASA Clean Air Study found that snake plants filter out benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene. That’s a sophisticated way of saying that it gives you cleaner, purer air inside your home.

Give your home a tropical feel with split-leaf philodendron. Image: Design Junction

3. Split-leaf philodendron

If you’re looking for a tropical vibe, the large, glossy, heart-shaped leaves of the split-leaf philodendron will serve you well. They also grow quickly, rewarding plant owners who keep them alive with regular shoots of new leaves. These houseplants want bright, indirect light. If you see brown marks on them, it could be a sign that the leaf has been burned by exposure to direct sunlight.

Because the split-leaf philodendron comes from a tropical climate, it’s important to keep its soil relatively moist. Many owners find that watering once a week is perfect If the leaves take on a yellow hue, scale back. Fortunately, this philodendron is fairly forgiving; occasional overwatering or missed watering won’t have any long-term ramifications.

Soil-free (and fuss-free) air plants are trending. Image: Blackband Design

4. Air plants

Do you love succulents because of their no-fuss maintenance? Did you know there’s a plant that’s even easier? Air plants require very, very little from their owners and are one of the most trending houseplants in 2018. Their upswing in the design world is largely thanks to the visual interest they lend to a space, due to the fact that they don’t need soil.

Yes, you read that right. Air plants grow soil-free. All they need is a supply of air, as their name suggests. If you do bring these fascinating plants into your home, water them once a week. A quick rinse in the sink or thorough spritzing with a spray bottle will suffice.

Make your bathroom humidity work for you by adding some moisture-loving ferns. Image: KCreative Interiors

5. Ferns

There’s a huge range of fern varieties, but all of them love humidity. If you want to add a pop of green to your bathroom, turn to these feathery houseplants. A hanging basket in your shower is a perfect way to help ferns capitalize on your bathroom’s humidity and give them access to a natural light source.

Decorating with houseplants

Whether you’re an expert grower or just growing out of your black thumb, these forgiving plants can help you add a sense of vibrancy to your home or apartment. Now that you’ve got your indoor garden thriving, it’s time to have some fun with the decor. Here are a few houseplant decorating ideas to get you started. Happy growing!

Which of these houseplants do you want most for your home? Let us know in the comments!

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