We all know someone who is notorious for killing plants, or maybe it’s you. It can seem almost impossible to keep plants alive, but I can assure you it can be done. I am an extremely “planty” person and the green thumb of my friend group. I learned a lot from my mom who passed down her passion and knowledge for plants to me. Below I will list out easy care plants, where to buy plants in the West Chester area (including prices), and some tips to help keep the plants in your space healthy and happy.
Spider Plants
Spider plants or ‘chlorophytum comosum’ help purify indoor air and absorb chemicals such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Spider plants are also known to emit oxygen which helps you breathe more easily and naturally when you sleep or throughout the day. Spider plants are easy to care for as they tolerate inconsistent waterings and prefer medium to low light. You can tell when this plant is happy because they will create mini plants or “babies” at the bottom of their leaves. If you want to propagate this type of plant you can simply cut off those “babies” and place it in water so the roots can grow long and mature. Depending on size and type, these plants range from $6-$100.
Pothos
Pothos or ‘epipremmum aureum Pothos’ are arguably one of the most common and easiest plants to grow indoors. Pothos thrive when watered inconsistently and in medium to low light. Similar to spider plants, pothos purify the air by removing toxins such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. My personal favorite thing about pothos they come in multitudes of colors. This plant is easy to propagate – just cut the stem below a node and place it in water. Once the roots are long and established, you can take it out of the water and plant it in soil. Depending on type and size, these plants range from $5-$60.
Snake Plants
Snake plants or ‘dracaena trifasciata’ are nearly impossible to kill. They thrive on neglect and any amount of light. Snake plants are said to filter air and remove toxins – while also providing a mental health boost. Be sure to not overwater as it may get root rot! Depending on type and size, these plants range from $10-$80.
Chinese Money Plants
Chinese money plants or ‘pilea peperomioides’ are very hardy and make for an excellent first plant. They purify indoor air and just like the other plants in our list, they remove toxins such as Carbon Monoxide, Formaldehyde, and others! Money plants are believed to bring lots of benefits such as positivity and clarity in its environment. This could potentially lower stress and anxiety levels. On a belief level, money plants add positivity to the home environment. It is said that these plants have the ability to mend strained relationships and family dynamics. The Chinese money plant mainly takes care of itself. They require minimal attention and need to be watered weekly/bi-weekly depending on what season of the year it is and prefers bright light. Depending on size and type, these plants range from $8-$40.
Next Steps
Those are just a few of the many easy care plants. While planting may be a goal of yours, it takes time to learn how to truly care for plants correctly. Since most of these plants are in the budget-friendly range, you can cycle through different types of plants in order to learn how to care for them effectively. There are even local plant shops in West Chester that can answer any lingering questions. One plant shop in walking distance from West Chester University is The Green House. I recommend this small owned business as they are new to the area and they create their own pots! While starting your plant journey can be difficult, caring for plants can be learned and become easy. You might even start collecting them until you have no more space (like me)!