It turns out that houseplants are more than just eye-candy. Houseplants increase oxygen levels in a space, making it a little easier for you to breathe fresh, clean air. Plants help maintain the humidity in a room, since so much of the water they drink up is released back into the air. Studies have suggested that houseplants help keep you focused, speed up recovery from illness, and decrease your chances of getting sick.
Convinced yet? It’s easy to decide to add a few houseplants to the mix, but keeping them alive is a little tougher. Here are 6 plants that even the least experienced gardeners can keep alive.
Desert Cacti
Beginners, start here. These prickly plants come in interesting shapes and sizes, so they’ll add a nice decorative element to a room. If you can keep it alive, your cactus might even produce a few blooms!
Cacti maintenance is as fool-proof as it gets—they can survive in the desert, after all. Put them somewhere where they will receive a lot of sun (think desert conditions!) and won’t get too cold. Cacti tend to grow in the spring and summer, so give them lots of water during warmer months. In the winter, you’ll only need to give your plant water if it starts to shrivel up.
Lemongrass
Not convinced that houseplants are for you? You’ll love lemongrass. First, you don’t even need to plant it: just buy a stalk with its base intact and place it in a cup with a few inches of water. The stalk will produce new shoots for you, which you can trim and use in the kitchen. On top of it all, lemongrass smells nice and fresh—it truly is the triple threat of indoor vegetation.
Spider Plant
Spider plants are another popular, easy option. Typically green and white striped, spider plants will add a refreshing touch to a room. Mature spider plants will produce small white flowers.
Spider plants prefer sunlight, but can survive just find in semi-shady areas. They require regular watering throughout the summer months, but you can cut back significantly come winter. Keep them out of drafty areas.
Moth Orchid
Orchids are beautiful and delicate—and like many beautiful and delicate things, they demand your attention. Enter the moth orchid: a rare, low-maintenance orchid.
Moth orchids come in a rainbow of colors: vibrant pinks, pure whites, bright yellows, and even multi-colored variations. No matter the room, there’s a moth orchid variety that will fit right in.
Officially called “phalaenopsis” orchids, these plants prefer areas with low light. Water your orchird about once a week while it’s growing (do so in the morning, so that the water doesn’t sit on the plant, causing it to rot). Cut back your watering to every other week while it’s flowering in the late winter and early spring months.
Pothos
Known for their air purifying attributes, pothos are green, leafy plants that can grow—and grow and grow and grow. Also known as “Devil’s Ivy”, you can prune your pothos to keep it on the full, compact size—or just see how long you can grow it.
You don’t need much light to grow pothos, which is why it’s a popular plant choice for encloses spaces like shopping malls and offices. These plants grow best when the soil is permitted to dry out completely before waterings, so forgetting to water it is actually a good thing!
Mint
Mint is an invasive herb, meaning it will grow quickly and easily—perfect for those born without green thumbs. Pick up some peppermint seeds and scatter just a few in a small pot of soil—you won’t need many, or else they’ll be fighting each other for nutrients. Peppermint won’t require much sunlight, and you only need to water it once a week or so. Water with a light hand: you don’t want the plant to be sitting in leftover water.
Not only is it fun to look at, but peppermint produces that refreshing, unmistakable fragrance and can be used in almost any kind of dish, from meats to desserts.
