16 Low-Maintenance Indoor Plants You Don't Need A Green Thumb To Grow

Houseplants should be easy to care for. This isn't a matter of your limited time or ability, but the fact that any potted indoor plant without the right disposition will have a tough time in the unnatural temperature, light, airflow, and humidity of the average home. As a result, many common houseplants are good for beginners. If you don't think you have a knack for plant care, try these agreeable and tolerant options.

There are a handful of aspects that make an indoor plant easy to care for. They shouldn't be overly fussy about water (which they have no natural source of) or light (usually limited inside a home). Or, if they are fussy, it's ideal that they prefer little light and less water... just in case. They will thrive in the stable temperature and humidity levels common to modern homes. They are houseplants that are sure to impress. And, ideally, they won't be subject to issues that might be caused by inexperienced growers, like underwatering or overfertilization. Some are, alas, toxic to pets, though we've noted a few that are non-toxic and pet-friendly.

The ZZ plant, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, is proof that, forced into a corner, we'll apparently use the initials rather than the scientific name of a plant. The ZZ plant comes in a few varieties, from the dark "raven" to variegated cultivars. Common to all are oval leaves on tall stems. They want a medium of indirect light, but do okay in low light as well. Typical potting soil and indoor temperature and humidity levels are fine, and because their rhizomes hold lots of moisture, you can water them once a month.

Pothos (Epipremnum), particularly golden pothos, is one of the most common indoor plants. The heart-shaped leaves of this arum grow on vines in bright indirect light, and it will fare well in low-light circumstances as well. Opinions differ, but it's generally okay to let soil dry out completely between waterings. Use a well-drained potting soil and water less frequently in fall and winter. It might purify your air if you have thousands of them.

This might cause some consternation, but we're listing snake plants and Dracaena separately. These spiky household favorites look similar because they're all related, but there were plenty of Dracaena species around before Sansevieria trifasciata got reclassified as Dracaena trifasciata. Both are easy to care for: Most former Sansevieria species need only a little water (let the top couple of inches of soil dry out before watering), while D. sayuri needs less (so the soil dry out completely) and requires a bit more bright indirect light than other Sansevieria exiles.

There's a bit more variety in the whole Dracaena genus than in the former snake plant species, from D. sanderiana (lucky bamboo) to D. marginata (dragon tree) to D. fragrans (corn plant), and there are escapees from other genera there, too, like Pleomele reflexa (song of India). For the most part, these easy growers appreciate loose soil that retains a little moisture and are partial to rainwater or filtered water. They are often quite palm-like when mature. And, like the former Sansevieria species that are not in the Dracaena genus, they are toxic to pets.

From the Dracaena confusion, we move to something simple and prehistoric ... the large, hardy bird's nest ferns. Nowhere near as finicky as their other fern cousins, the bird's nest ferns — there are dozens of cultivars, mostly distinguished by their frond characteristics — like slightly moist soil and should be watered when the top inch or so of their potting soil is dry. They prefer bright filtered light, but are low-light-tolerant. Keep them out of full sun, though, which can turn the edges of a bird's nest fern brown.

There's almost no chance you haven't seen spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) in someone's home at some point, unless you were raised by Acromantulas. A fountain of supposedly spider-like striped leaves explode from your pot, and some will form flowers at their tips, which can root and become new spider plants. They might lose this stripey variegation and not produce new plants in low light, so give them bright, indirect light. Let the soil dry between waterings — some say completely, while others say just on the surface, but you're safe splitting the difference.

The term "philodendron" might be little vague, given that there are around 621 species. They're not all a walk in the park, but there are a number of easy-to-care-for cultivars like Philodendron fuzzy petiole, fun bun, painted lady, super atom, and moonlight. Most like bright, indirect light (depending on the variety's leaf color). And most benefit from letting the top few inches of soil dry out between waterings. Philodendrons may be known by their flaunting of a faintly obscene spadix, which turns out to be a stem covered with an inflorescence of minuscule flowers.

You know what aloe is, but you might not know how easy it is to grow. This succulent has medicinal properties, and while it's available in beverages, note that some of the chemicals in aloe latex are known to cause severe digestive problems and possibly cancer ... and aloe is toxic to pets. The only catch is that aloe cultivars typically need a fair amount of light; they can generally make do with partial shade but perform best in full sun. Let a good cactus potting soil dry out completely between waterings.

The cool-looking Haworthia "zebra" (they look sort of like little, stripey aloes) is a little succulent that doesn't require a green — or even a zebra-striped — thumb. Like many succulents, Haworthia is find in partial shade or full sun. And it's not going to run your well dry, since it only requires water about once a month. It thrives indoors because it doesn't much care for cold. Use it will a well-drained potting mix, perhaps one formulated specifically for succulents or cacti. They're slow-growing, but can live around 50 years.

Peperomia is a rainforest plant that can easily be mistaken for a succulent because of its thick leaves and small stature. It can store water in its stems and leaves, so it's not that much of a mistake, and this characteristic also makes it drought-friendly. Otherwise, water it when the top inch or three is dry. If you can, give it bright, indirect light, but protect its leaves from full sun. But Peperomia will do well in low-light environments as well.

Perusing a catalog of spiderwort (Tradescantia) cultivars is like staring at purple paint chips for so long you can no longer distinguish them from each other. The 85 lovely species of Tradescantia (this week, anyway) are often characterized (and named) by the degree to which their variegation includes blue and purple coloration. Pink, white, and red can be found, too. Give them bright, indirect light and water when the top inch or so of soil is dry. They should be growing in a soilless potting mix.

Umbrella trees (Schefflera arboricola) are like some midcentury chairs: Until you actually own one yourself, they might make you feel like you're in a dentist's waiting room. But they grow on you... and keep growing, reaching as much as four feet tall when grown indoors.Soak its potting soil after it dries out completely, or slightly more frequently. Position it in bright, indirect light or low light, or whatever. What can you do with a dentist's office, anyway?

Jade (Crassula) plantsare inherently interesting-looking little succulents. There might be 1,400 varieties of jade out there, and Crassula inevitably includes a cultivar called a "money plant"... as does seemingly every other genus of houseplant. Jade has a tree-like form, which both makes it a common candidate for beginner bonsai, and also makes it a bonsai without your even doing the beginner stuff. Give jades bright, indirect light and allow the soil to dry between waterings. Keep them away from pets and anyone who owns bonsai pruning tools.

A person of a certain age might think of Hoyas as the Georgetown basketball team from the 1980s, but these days the term "Hoya" is recognizable as a genus of vining houseplants with interesting color varieties and cool flowers. They're sometimes called wax plants because of the feel of their foliage. They like (you guessed it) bright, indirect light and should be watered (you guessed it) when their soil is dry. Hoyas store water, so can cope with a missed watering now and then.

The name "cast iron plant" sounds a tad harsh and utilitarian, but it might improve your opinion of Aspidistra elatior to know that it's a staple in the Japanese flower-arranging art ikebana. It can make do with almost any level of light, and likes a slightly acidic, well-drained potting soil that dries out between waterings. While it enjoys a good misting every few days, be careful not to let the cast iron plant's soil get water-logged, which can cause root rot and a number of foliage issues.

Ivy is like "that guy." You know the one... nice to look at, but you don't want him anywhere near your home. This reputation, deserved by some guys, isn't deserved by nearly as many ivies. Take, for example, the neon or Algerian ivy, which comes in varieties that show off how handsome the plant can be. It's not likely to move in and take over like some rakish English Ivy, and besides, it's constrained by a pot when grown indoors. You know the drill: Bright, indirect light, soil dry between waterings.