6 Low-Maintenance Plants Perfect for Indoor Decor
Do you ever find yourself bringing beautiful, vibrant plants to your home and in just a few short months you’re wondering what happened to them? They’ve lost their luster and are literally holding on for dear life.
I just described me and most of the plants that enter my home; that is until I discovered some are easier to maintain than others. I love greenery and what it does for the home and I’m so glad there are options for those of us who are not in the green thumb club. There is hope for us after all. Read on for 6 great low maintenance options
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You don’t have to cover your hands in dirt to grow a green thumb. You can get by with just a green pinky when you grow your plants and flowers inside. Plants are perfect for indoor decor, and they’ll help you breathe easier. Plants clean the indoor air by absorbing toxins, producing oxygen, and adding humidity to help fight colds. Studies show their aromatherapeutic properties also reduce stress. Best of all, introducing greenery, potted plants, and yellow and white flowers can make any home vibrant and attractive. Have trouble keeping potted plants alive? You may be choosing the wrong ones. Here are six low-maintenance plants that are perfect for your indoor decor.
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Black-Eyed Susan
You’ve seen this popular, yellow, daisy-like flower with the black center growing across Cincinnati in late summer. The black-eyed Susan grows well indoors and enjoys indirect sunlight near a window. Make sure to give them ample room. They’ll grow from 1-3 feet tall from seeds. You can also buy them from the nursery as vines and plant them in hanging baskets. They only need water once or twice a week and a little bit of balanced flower fertilizer to keep them robust. Fun fact: The plant gets its name from a British poem that originates around the time the first settlers arrived in North America on the Mayflower.
2. Aloe Vera
Cut your hand while cooking? This plant is your cure. Rub the juice from the leaves of an aloe vera plant on your wound to relieve the pain. Known as a succulent, aloe vera is one of the most widely used plants for medicinal purposes. Aloe vera loves dry conditions, so you won’t have to water it often. Like a cactus, aloe vera can’t tolerate standing water, so be sure to use soil mixed with perlite or sand, and plant it inside a terra cotta pot with plenty of drainage holes. Keep it near a window but not directly in the sun’s rays.
3. Spider Plant
It sounds like a scary plant, but it doesn’t get its name from the pest. The plant is famous for its spiderettes, or shoots which dangle from the main plant. The spiderettes occasionally produce white flowers that complement the colors of any room. They appreciate water and need a pot with well-drained soil as well as indirect sunlight. Avoid overwatering, or you’ll get root rot. Spider plants enjoy a cool location in the house – a room set at 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Philodendron
One of the most forgiving and hardy indoor plants is the philodendron. Native to tropical rainforests, they adapt quickly to the temperature and humidity level of any home. Set your philodendron plant in indirect sunlight near a window, but do not let the sunlight burn its leaves. Philodendrons need a balanced liquid foliage houseplant fertilizer once a month in the summer and about every two months in the winter. Sporting several shades of green leaves, philodendron will bring a bit of glamour on top of a chest of drawers or a bathroom cabinet.
5. Dracaena Lisa
Worried about plants that grow so fast they turn your house into a jungle over the weekend? That won’t happen with the Dracaena Lisa. This low maintenance ornamental house plant shoots upward to nearly 6 feet tall — but at a snail’s pace. Its height provides a nice floor shade in the house and brings depth and color to any den or living room. It survives on minimal light and watering.
6. Jade Plant
Searching for that Zen feeling at home? Bring home a jade plant, also known as the money plant because the leaves resemble Asian jade coins. Place it in a ceramic pot and watch its thick stalks sprout into a shrub with green leaves, and eventually, a 5-foot-tall tree. This succulent is so low maintenance you should only water it after the soil completely dries out. It’s considered to bring wealth and good luck and will enhance a contemporary-designed room.
It’s no wonder home designers recommend indoor plants. They are good for your health while adding color and charm to your home. And if you are unsure about your green thumb, simply look for low-maintenance plants. Soon you’ll be seeing green and feeling closer to nature without leaving your living room.
Cynthia Shackleton is an Ohio native and freelance writer who enjoys gardening and making summer RV trips along Lake Michigan with her motorcyclist husband and two fur babies.
I think I’ll be on the lookout for a jade plant for my office. What about you? Were you inspired to enhance your home or office with a little added greenery?
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