Houseplants liven up any space, bringing a natural flavor to dorms, bedrooms, kitchens, or even bathrooms. They’re so versatile- any space with a window is free real estate for plants. My room is full of them: Calatheas, prayer plants, and so many more.
There are countless beautiful plants out there that can change a space for the better, but some of them can be difficult to care for and end up dying in a month or two. If you’re a new plant owner looking for aesthetically pleasing plants to liven up your dorm or apartment, it’s better to start off with the easier-to-care-for plants.
With that being said, here are the top 5 easiest houseplants to care for, at least in my experience!
1. Snake Plant
Slithering into first place as one of the easiest plants to care for is the snake plant. Only have a little light? It’s okay, the snake plant won’t mind. Too much light? The snake plant will take it like a champ. If you forget to water a snake plant, it will forgive you and bounce back better than ever once it finally gets watered. A snake plant is strong and will take anything that gets thrown at it. If you’re looking for a plant that can take inconsistent water schedules and too little to too much sun, the snake plant is for you. Fun fact, the snake plant is a succulent, but I’ve found it to be less finicky than other succulents, so I’ve separated this plant from the succulent category, which you can read more about at number 5.
But, as it is a succulent, it’s important to not overwater it- too much water can kill it.
2. Pothos
Pothos all have the same relative leaf shape, but don’t let that fool you, my friend. They come in many different colors and names- neon pothos, marble queen pothos, and golden pothos, to name a few. The pigmentation of the leaves can really appeal to the newbie plant owner looking to add a splash of color to a space. Similar to the snake plant, pothos plants are resilient when it comes to light and will survive in low to high light conditions. However, the less light the plant gets, the smaller the new fronds will be. Be sure to adjust how much water you give your pothos depending on the sun it gets, as it tends to like moist soil. If it is in a sunny area, it would need to be watered more frequently than if it were in a shadier area.
3. Parlor Palm
When you think of California, you probably think of palm trees, warm Summer nights, and the beach. While you can’t bring the beach inside, one thing you can bring indoors are parlor palms! Unlike the tall palm trees you see lining the Sunset Strip, parlor palms stay relatively small and don’t need direct sunlight. In fact, they can tolerate low-light conditions that normal palm trees can’t handle. Similar to the previously pothos plant, how much water the parlor palm needs depends on the plant’s lighting conditions. Regardless of the light the plant receives, be sure to allow the soil to dry between waterings- they don’t like their dirt constantly wet.
4. Red Marantas
My first plant was a red maranta. It’s one of my favorite plants, with fronds that have red “veins” branching out from the middle of the leaves. I especially loved the way the plant moved- yes, red marantas move- with the sun. The leaves would stand up straight during the night then relax and lay flat during the day. If you’re looking for a plant that will keep you entertained while also bringing color and life into your dorm or bedroom, the red maranta is for you.
While I’ve had no problems with water my red maranta, which I let dry out between waterings, I’ve found that light can really affect the way the red maranta is health-wise. I recently had to move my plants from my windowsill, and my red maranta, that was once a really happy plant, seemed to decline rapidly after being placed around seven feet away from the window. I recommend keeping a red maranta in a relatively sunny space, but with no direct light as the leaves can easily burn. They’re really cute, and when they’re happy, they even produce flowers.
5. Succulents
I may or may not be biased against succulents. They’re definitely cute (bearpaw succulents exist!), but in my experience, they do better on windowsills or close to windows. Watering succulents can be difficult– some succulents need more water than others– and in my experience, it’s a matter of trial and error.
I intentionally put this at the bottom of the list because while it is the stereotypical “easy” houseplant and many varieties can be pretty inexpensive, it is one of the hardest ones for me, personally, to keep.
As I seemingly kill every succulent that I touch, I have a few succulents left- an Echeveria, a string of bananas, and a small assortment I bought from a local home improvement store. They’re hanging in there– for now.
If you want to get a succulent, I suggest making sure the soil is well-dried out when you buy it. I’ve made that mistake way too many times; sometimes the stores overwater the succulents, resulting in you bringing a dying succulent home. Succulents need water, but maybe once every two to three weeks. Likewise, the further away a succulent is from light, the less water you would give it.
Houseplants may seem somewhat time consuming, but in the end, the beauty they bring to a space makes the dedication all worthwhile.
Now go out and buy some plants!