These indoor plants may be from different species, but they’ve all got the same name: Survivor. Whether you need something to brighten up your work desk or dorm room – but also can last a week or two without water – these fresh, colorful plants deliver on every front. They’re perfect for beginners or professionals alike. Not to mention they’re stupidly pretty.
Specially named for its hooded white blooms resembling “white flags of surrender”, the Peace Lily isn’t a lily at all, but a Spathiphyllum. They’re known for their incredible air-purifying abilities and were even endorsed by NASA! It helps cleanse the air in your room while also being a resilient, low-maintenance plant. They’re forgiving whether you water them too much or not enough. A quick soak will perk up these blooms if they’ve been neglected for too long. Best placed in indirect sunlight or dark quarters, use them to brighten up an unloved corner of your room.
This fluffy, hardy plant is impossible to kill. That’s not a challenge, though you’ll be glad to know maintenance for them is easy. Humidity is a must, so if you’re in a humid area, then this plant is perfect for you. If not, give it a quick mist daily. If it dries out, place it outside for the outdoor temperatures to revive it. Its frilly, feathery fronds will perk up any dull spot in your room. Plus, when an asparagus fern is happily nourished, tiny white flowers and even berries may appear!
These dark, lovely beauties enjoy filtered light, lukewarm water, and special soil mixes. Its showy blooms appear several times annually to give any part of your room a bright, elegant display. The African Violet has a few quirks, which makes it ideal for attentive caretakers. It favors light, porous soil with higher quality aeration. These soil varieties can be found at most home and garden stores. They also prefer water in tepid temperatures to be applied directly to the base – drops on their precious petals may cause damage spots. It’s a small price to pay for a gorgeous flower nook.
With adorable pancake-shaped leaves, the Chinese money plant (or Pilea) smacks of color against any concrete block wall. If it’s nice and chilly, they may even bloom tiny white flowers! Indirect light, rotating it weekly to prevent it from leaning, and wiping the dust from the large leaves makes up most of the maintenance for this cutie. The best part about this plant is what an amazing gift it makes for friends. Pilea plants are notoriously hard to find in stores. Just snip a sprout from the base and give the offshoot to one of your plant-loving friends in a cute pot for replanting!
Don’t be thrown off by the name – when people talk about orchids, this is usually the type they are referring to. These gorgeous flowers are especially rewarding to maintain because of their near constantly blooming petals. The delicate leaves wilt instantly in direct sunlight, so shade is preferable. Commercial orchid potting soil is made especially for this plant because it naturally grows on trees or host plants. It can get by on being watered only once a week which makes it perfect for beginners. Fun fact: it is also called the “moth orchid”.
“Flaming Katy” is easy to find and even easier to take care of. As a succulent, its specialty is to retain water, which makes it very forgiving if you forget to give it a soak. They can go without water for as long as two weeks, if not longer. Another succulent trait is how well they handle dry air, like the kind indoors. Normal home temperatures are excellent for this plant. They don’t like hot window sills, but if you’ve got a lot of light exposure in your room – don’t worry! These babies love bright, natural light. With enough light, the flower buds will burst open with color.
Tillandsia is a little different from other plants. And by little, I mean a lot. The first thing you may notice about air plants is that they have no soil. Just like their namesake, they don’t grow in soil, but in air. Their roots anchor them into place and keep them “grounded” to whatever vase or glass orb they rest in. This space-age plant boasts cool, spindly, tentacle-like leaves and even changes color throughout the seasons! On top of that, their needs are few: indirect sunlight and a good rinse under the faucet occasionally. No fertilizer needed here!
Talk about drama! These vibrant, zingy “prayer plants” catch your eye instantly. With striped leaves and deep purple foliage, most people grow them for their sheer beauty alone but are surprised to find out how easy they are to take care of. Its ability to revive and come back to life reigns supreme – even if they’ve been neglected for a long time. Low light, humidity, and good spritz from the bottom up are all it demands. Humidity levels are especially important to this plant. The Calathea thrives on humidity, so if you’re in an area where it naturally gets humid often, this is the plant for you. If not, you can always get a humidifier and reap the benefits along with your plant!
Remember that time you burnt yourself in the kitchen and had to rush all the way to the bathroom for the first aid? Well, this plant makes that experience a distant memory. When you have this life-saving medicinal plant on standby next to your kitchen window, you have first aid literally growing in your home. Aloe not only offers health benefits, but its cool, spiky leaves can give any room the edge its looking for. Just be sure not to leave it in direct sunlight and to water it sparsely. Don’t feel guilty – Aloe’s thick leaves are packed with water and can easily rot if overwatered.
These rosy blooms can survive a drought or two, thanks to their large, bushy leaves. The varieties with darker leaves tolerate heat and sunspots better than other types, but this doesn’t mean the begonia will wither away at a touch of light. Indirect sunlight treats this plant perfectly. They require little water (overwatering is a big no-no here), rarely attract disease or insects, and most important of all, they’re GORGEOUS! Begonia blooms come in pink, red, white, and even yellow, and their rose floret shape is romantic and alluring enough to make you sigh.
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