13 Best Houseplants for Beginners

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So you want to buy your first houseplant? Or maybe you splurged on a couple plants because you saw them and just had to have them, but you have no idea what they are or how to take care of them. 

Well friends, you’ve come to the right place, because five years ago, that was me too. I had just finished university, and was so excited to move out of my parents house and into my own place that I actually moved to the other side of the country…

I grew up in Sunny Northeast Ohio, oh, did you not think Ohio was sunny? Well, you’d be right, we did have warm, sunny summers, but that was about it.

I think the snow is very pretty, and me and my brother loved playing in it as kids, but I do not miss the negative windchill and two feet of snow, although that is not as common these days.

So I made the impulsive decision to move to Portland, Oregon! Little did I know that it rains half the year and is typically gloomy from November through May. But those Oregon summers are amazing and the mountain views and waterfall hikes are far worth it!! I love Portland, even though I did make the decision to move back to Ohio to be closer to family.

I say all this just to say that just because you don’t live in sunny Southern California or Spain, you can most definitely still have indoor plants! Don’t let those gloomy days get you down!

Your plants may not grow as much during the gloomy winter months with shorter days and less light, but with the plants that I have listed below, they will be just fine!

I’m sitting here typing this post on a cold, gloomy February day surrounded by plants that are thriving. So no, you don’t need to have a green thumb to keep a few houseplants alive!

Now, if you’re here because you’ve already had a few plants of your own and they… didn’t survive, well don’t worry, we’ve all been there. I’ve killed my fair share of plants, it’s definitely a bummer, but don’t let that put you off to plants!

Maybe you picked a stubborn plant without realizing, or even if you had an “easy” plant, maybe you just didn’t know the proper steps to care for it. I’ve learned how to take care of many plants over the years… but to be honest with you, there are still some plants that I won’t even go near because I know that if I bring home certain plants, I’m just setting myself up for stress and disappointment. 

Some plants really do need specific conditions that we may not be able to provide for them, especially living in places that have long, gloomy winters. But that’s okay! Because there are plenty of plants that do not need constant sun, and some actually prefer less sun!

I currently have about 20 plants in my apartment, some small, some big, that are thriving on minimal sun. Many of these plants are very easy to care for and have been added to the list. So let's jump into it! I’ve listed the top 13 plants I think are the easiest for beginners, then some more tips at the bottom of the post.

• Pothos

Honestly, it just doesn’t get better than a Pothos. They’re just so low maintenance and easy to care for. 

There are several varieties of pothos, my favorite being the Marble Queen Pothos and Neon Pothos. They’re both absolutely stunning, I love the variegation of the Marble Queen, and the way they both trail is so pretty! And the fact that they’re super easy to take care of just makes them so much better. 

They both grow super quick compared to some other plants. In the summer months I had to trim some of my marble queen off because it was getting too long! And the best part is that you can stick those trimmings back into water to eventually plant into a new pot!

Another great thing about the Pothos is that they tell you when they’re thirsty! When the leaves start to droop, that's when you know they need a good watering! At this point the soil is pretty dry so I make sure I give them a good drench.

There are more variations of Pothos as well, but these are my favorite. You could also go for the Jade, Cebu Blue, or Golden Pothos, but I’ve found that these ones don’t grow quite as fast, although they can seem to handle lower light spots better, but maybe that’s why they don’t grow as fast.

• Zz

Zz!! Possibly one of the EASIEST plants you could ever have. I mean these plants are nearly impossible to kill!!! These plants are extremely low maintenance; you'll almost feel like you’re not doing enough! 

Zz’s don’t need much light or water, I typically only have to water mine once every two weeks. While they don’t need to be in a bright spot, I wouldn’t recommend putting them in your bathroom with no window, they still need some light.

• Monstera

She is beauty, she is grace. Man does this plant just continue to amaze me daily with their fenestrated (split) leaves. I currently have a smaller Monstera and a medium sized one, but when I see a Monstera at the nursery with leaves nearly 3 feet wide my jaw nearly drops.

And boy are these things hardy. They may not be the fastest growing plant but they will stick with you through thick and thin! And when they do produce a new leaf it’s just that more rewarding! I even have one of these growing just in water!

• Heartleaf Philodendron

I really don’t have a plant that is my favorite, because there are just too many amazing plants to just choose one. But the Philodendron Brasil (a variety of the Heartleaf Philodendron) never ceases to blow me away as well.

Like I said before, I am a sucker for a variegated leaf. She is a hardy gal that can withstand some dry soil and she just keeps on growing. Even during the winter I can currently see 6 new leaves about to uncurl!!

The Philodendron Micans is also one of my favorites! I just love those dark, shiny, suede-like looking leaves! And even when a leaf is dying (oops) it turns this beautiful red-orange color that I almost wish it would stay forever!

• Peace Lily

She sure is a cutie! You might be surprised to hear that I do have a Variegated Peace Lily. I’m telling you that variegation always gets me! This is of course another easy plant to care for that doesn’t need much light, but I have found it likes the soil to stay a bit moist.

This is another one that will tell you when it’s thirsty. I’ve seen some very droopy peace lily leaves in my day. But don’t fret, just give it a good drench and it’ll be perked back up by the next day!

I’ve had this one in a pretty low-lit area and it did fine, but I will say that this is definitely a very very slow grower. Mine is on the smaller side, and I’ve had it for about 6 months now and I think it’s only produced about 2 more leaves so just keep that in mind!

• Rubber Plant

You may have heard of the Rubber Plant, or by its other name, Ficus Elastica, which is just the scientific name. There are several varieties of this plant, but I’ve only owned the Ficus Burgundy, which has dark leaves, and the Ficus Tineke which is another variegated plant with pretty white and pinks hues 🙂

I have found both of these plants to be very easy to care for. The Burgundy seems to do well with a bit more sun, while the Tineke doesn’t seem to need as much. Although the Burgundy does grow a bit quicker than the Tineke.

• Chinese Evergreen

Also known as Aglaonema, these are very low maintenance, can withstand low-light conditions and little water. These do not like to be overwatered so I always make sure not to drench them and to double check the soil before watering again. I typically water once every two weeks.

There are several varieties here as well, some of my favorites are the Crete, Lady Valentine, Siam Aurora, and Prestige which boast beautiful strides of pink! Emerald Beauty and Golden Madonna are great too!

• Snake Plant

While these may not be my favorite plants solely based on appearance, they are a great starter plant! Like a Zz or Chinese Evergreen, they don’t require watering often, and don’t need much sun, they are very hardy. These come in different varieties as well, so go and pick your favorite!

• Parlor Palm

The Parlor Palm and other Palm tree varieties are fairly easy to take care of. As long as they get bright indirect sun and you keep their soil moist they’ll be happy.

I love these plants because they just feel very tropical even when you live in the midwest. Some other varieties to try are: Cat Palm, Bamboo Palm, or Kentia palm.

• Lucky Bamboo

This was one of the first plants I owned that was extremely easy to care for, and it wasn’t even in soil. I bought this little guy planted in a tiny clear container filled with some rocks and water. I don’t think it grew much in the time that I had it before I moved across the country, but I was amazed at how it survived.

Sometimes I would look over at this plant and realize that the container was empty of water, but that plant never threw a fuss. Though it is recommended to move this plant to soil after a year or two for better survival.

While Lucky Bamboo is said to actually be lucky, it’s technically not a variety of bamboo, it’s actually part of the Dracaena family.

• Dracaena

Although Lucky Bamboo may be a Dracaena, we’re dedicating a separate slot to Dracaena as well, because they can look very different from each other.

Some great types are: Dracaena Fragrans, Dragon Tree, or Dracaena Reflexa. I’ve found these very easy to care for, they tend to prefer their soil to stay moist, and be in bright, indirect sunlight.

• Spider Plant

I’ll admit, this is another one that is not my favorite, purely based on appearance, but hey, taste changes and maybe I’ll fall in love with these in a few years, who knows.

These suckers are easy to care for and tend to grow pretty quickly. One thing I do love about them is that they produce little “babies”. They’re like little mini versies of the Spider Plant that trail down, and it’s very cute. And these little guys can then be propagated, if desired! 

• Succulents

Now, there are many, many different succulents out there. And you may have heard some story from your co-worker that they left their succulent sitting in their cubicle with no sun and only watered it once every month.

Don’t believe this story, or do, it doesn’t really matter because maybe it did happen or maybe it didn’t, how are we to know? Lol I actually have heard this story and other variations of it. While I’ve gone 2-3 weeks without watering a succulent before, I wouldn’t recommend making your plant go more than 4 weeks without any hydration.

As far as sunlight goes, these plants typically prefer bright indirect, or direct sunlight. But, the more sun it gets, the more water it typically will want. I’ve had succulents that I have watered every single week, and I've had some that maybe sometimes I do go 3 weeks without watering in the winter when the plant is getting less sun.

One of the nice things about succulents is that most plant nurseries offer these babies up in teeny tiny little pots for only a few bucks, so it’s not a bad initial investment. If you’re looking to buy a succulent, the Jade plant is a good starter.

• Calathea

Okay, okay, if you’ve heard anything about Calatheas, it’s probably that they are a pain in the butt! BUT, hear me out, there is one that is just too stunning to look at to pass up.

The Pinstripe Calathea has dark green leaves with gorgeous pink stripes. While other calatheas may be finicky, this one prefers bright indirect sunlight, and moist soil, just be sure not to overwater.

If you’ve bought your first plant and still have no idea what to do, visit my post about tips and tricks for keeping your plants alive!