If you’ve never had one before, keeping a plant alive in your home can seem daunting. But nothing infuses indoor spaces with life and energy quite like lush foliage—it’s every interior designer’s favourite way to brighten up neglected corners. And since it looks like we’re going to be spending a lot of our time indoors in the coming months, it’s refreshing to be able to bring a little bit of the outside in.
7 Plants That Can Beautify Your Home Space
The good news is that besides the foolproof succulents and cacti, there are several other varieties that can be surprisingly low-maintenance!
To get the first-time plant parents and forgetful gardeners started, here are 7 indestructible plants that need nothing from you except the occasional watering (and cooing).
Money Plant
The money plant (Epipremnum aureum) is also known as the Devil’s Ivy because it is impossible to kill. A money plant’s will to live, even in a year as bizarre as 2020, is commendable. It will stretch out, circle around, climb over and cascade down anywhere you put it, even through days when you’ve been careless about its upkeep.
Its heart-shaped leaves come in deep shiny greens, variegated shades, and even a neon, which is one of the easiest and most effective ways of instantly brightening a space. Water only when the top inch of its soil is dry to the touch. Or…skip the soil entirely and grow it just in a glass jar, in water—the money plant thrives in hydroponic culture. This one’s a no-brainer and if you don’t have one yet, it’s a great option for your first! (Note: this one’s toxic for cats and dogs, so keep them away).
Snake Plant
Dracaena trifasciata or the Sansevieria trifasciata are the synonymous and complicated names for what is more popularly known as the Snake Plant. In other parts of the world, it’s got other deadly colloquial names like Saint George's Sword (Portugal and Brazil), Mother-in-Law's Tongue (Russia), and Tiger’s Tail (China and Japan).
But just like money plants, unfortunately, which have nothing to do with money, this one fortunately has nothing to do with snakes or swords. Besides the snakeskin patterns on its leaves of course. A low maintenance plant that’s perfect for first-time plant parents, the snake plant can survive low light conditions and grows vertically, so it never gets too messy (though it can grow up to 6-ft high).
Careful if you have dogs and/or cats in the house, however, because chewing on this plant can cause upset stomachs for your four-legged friends.
Spider Plant
Another easy-to-grow, almost-impossible-to-kill indoor baby, the Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) does not care for direct sunlight; in fact, they get a sunburn (brown tips on the leaves) if too much direct light gets in the way. Fed and watered right, the leafy plant can stir up drama in even the quietest corner, and it makes this list for being one of the most adaptable plants on it.
A good way to ensure you don’t over/underwater the spider plant is to wait for the soil to dry out between watering days (4-5 days), though it will forgive you without consequence for messing up most of the time.
Areca Palm
A bolder statement than the others on this list, and perhaps one of the most popular choices in Indian homes because it adds instant tropical flair and asks for very little in return. The Areca Palm does just fine in low light conditions, though if you have a spot near a window that receives sunlight, it’ll be happiest there.
And while it needs watering every few days (the soil should remain slightly moist in the summer months), it can withstand the occasional drought. Its feathery fronds respond well to fertiliser in the summer, which also prevents yellowing leaves.
Lucky Bamboo
Believed to bring good luck to whichever space the lucky bamboo graces, there’s another reason you see so many homes featuring the Lucky Bamboo—it’s ridiculously easy to maintain. It doesn’t even need soil! Dunk the stems in a broad-base glass vase with clear water…and just make sure that doesn’t run out. If tall stems are too much for your space, you can also start small with the potted variety, which are now also increasingly available in upmarket grocery stores.
Cast-Iron Plant
The broad upright leaves of this hardy plant lend a jewel tone green to your interiors all year round. Another hardy option that can stand neglect without complaining too much about it, the cast-iron plant thrives in low light, needs only occasional watering and grows slowly enough for you to not have to worry about repotting. More good news: insects have almost no interest in cast-iron plants, and they’re rarely ever struck by disease. Waterlogged soil leads to root-rot, so water this one only when the top inch of the soil is dry to the touch.
Peace Lily
The elegance of a Spathiphyllum is hard to resist. You’d think the lush green foliage through the year would be enough to liven up any room of the house, but the real magic happens when the Peace Lily is in bloom. Its pure white hooded “flowers” (leaf bracts) bloom through the year, standing tall through the plant’s thick leaves on graceful stems. It’s a great indoor plant because it does just fine in indirect light and, like most of the other plants on this list, requires watering only when the top soil feels dry.
To find out more interior design tips and practices or to get your home designed, get in touch with Hipcouch. Simply book a design consultation with us over a video call.