Find Your Perfect Houseplant, Based on Your Home and Lifestyle

When you're looking for houseplants, think beyond what will fit in a sunny windowsill. Finding the best houseplants for your home and lifestyle is about matching the amount of light you have, and how much care you can provide, to the right plant. “Light is everything,” says Renee Byrne, head of Floral Procurement at LVLY, an Australian online flower and gift delivery service. "Even low-maintenance plants need the right environment to survive."

The best houseplants for beginners, busy or forgetful gardeners might be easy-to-grow snake or cast iron plants, while needier ferns and Alocasias are fine if you have more time or experience. Want houseplants that enliven your living room or dress up a dining area? Use our gallery to find the perfect choices.

Keep in mind that many houseplants can tolerate varying light levels. Plants that grow slowly or look leggy and stretched out may need more light. Scorched or brown, crispy foliage can mean too much light. Our list of plants for low, medium and bright light is a guideline; so, if your plants don't thrive in one place, try another spot and see how they perform. Just be aware: some plants dislike being moved and will drop their leaves in protest. Ficus, we're talking to you.

Low Light Houseplants

Plants can't survive in total darkness, but some of the best houseplants (especially the best houseplants for beginners) tolerate low light. Low light comes from north-facing windows. It's also found in interior areas like hallways, and in areas more than 10 feet away from windows. You can usually read without straining your eyes in low light.

ZZ Plant - Low Light, Easy

Easy-to-grow ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamifolia) thrives in low to medium light. Native to dry grasslands and forests, it's drought tolerant and doesn't need high humidity; let it dry out between waterings. It's a good choice for indoor gardeners who have too much to do or forget to water. Avoid direct light, which can burn its leaves. Most ZZ plants mature at 2 to 4 feet high and wide.

Snake Plant - Low Light, Easy

Commonly called snake plant for its snake-like leaf patterns, Sansevieria (Dracaena trifasciata) is also known as mother-in-law's tongue. Because it's drought-tolerant, it can take some neglect, so it's another one of the best houseplants for beginners or busy gardeners. It takes low light but can adapt to medium or bright, indirect light. Thanks to its vertical growth habit, it fits nicely into corners and tight spaces.

Pothos - Low Light, Easy

Different varieties of pothos (Epipremnum aureum) need different amounts of light, so read their tags before you buy. For a space with low or artificial light, try a solid green pothos like 'Jade' or 'Neon.' Variegated pothos are also easy to grow and one of the best houseplants for beginners, but their colors fade in low light, and they do better in medium to bright, indirect light. Train pothos vines on a moss-covered pole or let them trail from a hanging basket or pot.

Cast Iron Plant - Low Light, Easy

As you'd guess from its name, cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) is about as tough as cast iron. It thrives in low light, but it's also happy in moderate or natural light; just don't expose it to direct light. Cast iron houseplants have long leaves and mature at 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet across. These nearly indestructible beauties rarely bloom indoors, but if they do, the small flowers open at the base of the plants and are hard to see. Avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot.

Chinese Evergreen - Low Light, Easy

The biggest problem you might have with a Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) is choosing your favorite. Look for these low-maintenance houseplants in shades of green, silver, pink and red; some have leaves with stripes, veins or splotches. Because they're tropicals, they're sensitive to cold, so enjoy them away from vents and drafts. Otherwise, they're among the best houseplants for beginners or anyone else. They dislike bright light but can take low to medium, indirect light. Water when the top inch or two of soil feels dry.

Corn Plant - Low Light, Easy

Also known as mass cane, corn plant (Dracaena fragrans) is a handsome tropical with thick stems and foliage that looks like the strappy leaves on corn stalks. It can tolerate some neglect, and while it likes bright, indirect light, it tolerates low light or artificial light, making it one of the best houseplants for beginners or experienced gardeners. Water your plant when the top inch of soil feels dry. Corn plants aren't picky about indoor temperatures but appreciate occasional misting or a humid room if the air in your home is dry. At maturity, they can reach 6 feet high with leaves that measure up to 2 feet long.

Parlor Palm - Low Light, Easy

Also called Neanthe bella palm, the parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) has fine-textured foliage and is another of the best houseplants for beginners. Because it likes to stay on the dry side, be careful not to overwater. In its native habitat, it's an understory plant, so it adapts well to low light areas. Parlor palms grow slowly but can reach 2 to 6 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide.

Peace Lily - Low Light, Easy

There's a reason you see so many peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.) in homes and offices; unlike many flowering tropicals, they're undemanding and don't mind low light. They'll usually grow faster, however, and are more likely to bloom, in bright, indirect light. (Technically speaking, their "blooms" are spathes, leaf-like structures that surround the true blooms, which look like spikes with tiny flowers.) Peace lilies are some of the best houseplants to grow, reaching up to 4 feet tall and wide.

Medium Light Houseplants

Houseplants for medium light need about 4 to 6 hours each day of bright, indirect light. Some also tolerate low light, artificial light or grow lights. Generally speaking, medium light comes from east-facing windows, shaded north-facing windows or west-facing windows with sheer curtains. Plants also get medium light when they're placed a few feet away from a west-facing window, so they're not exposed to hot afternoon light.

Peperomia - Medium Light, Easy

In nature, peperomias (Peperomia spp.) are understory plants, so they prefer medium to bright, indirect light. They'll tolerate low light or artificial light, too. Just avoid direct sunlight, which will burn their foliage. Peperomias should be watered when their soil feels dry, so they're some of the best houseplants for beginners or anyone who doesn't have much time to take care of them. These small beauties can grow 6 to 12 inches tall and wide; some varieties will trail.

Lemon Button Fern - Medium Light, Easy

Found growing underneath taller plants in nature, easy-to-grow lemon button ferns (Nephrolepis cordifolia) are related to Boston ferns and like medium, indirect light. Maturing at just 12 inches tall and wide, they're ideal for terrariums or small spaces. Plant them in well-draining soil and keep them constantly moist; don’t let them dry out. Lemon button ferns can withstand a little neglect and tolerate low light. They can also take average home temperatures and humidity levels, but if their fronds become crispy or brown, increase the humidity by misting them, running a humidifier, or keeping them in a more humid area. Wilting or yellowing leaves usually mean the plant is getting too much light.

Dieffenbachia - Medium Light, Easy

Commonly called dumb cane, Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia spp.) tolerates a variety of light conditions, from medium to bright, indirect light. It also adapts to average home temperatures, but keep it away from cold drafts. Wait until the top inch or two of soil feels dry before you water and give this rainforest native high humidity. They'll do well in humid bathrooms and kitchens, but can also thrive when they’re misted or grown atop a tray of pebbles and water. If your cane plant gets leggy, that’s an indication it needs more light. Most indoor Dieffenbachias grow 3 to 6 feet tall and spread 1 to 3 feet.

Rex Begonia - Medium Light, Moderately Easy

Rex begonias can be a bit challenging to grow because they require certain conditions: medium to bright, indirect light; lots of humidity; consistently moist soil; and temperatures that don't fluctuate. Although some bloom indoors, their flowers aren’t usually showy and the plants are grown primarily for their leaves, which are available in shades of green, silver, purple, pink, maroon and lavender. These slow-growing plants mature around 8 to 12 inches tall and wide. Avoid overwatering, which can cause root rot, but don't underwater, either, which can cause them to wither and die. Most rex begonias grown indoors reach 8 to 18 inches tall and wide.

Norfolk Island Pine - Medium Light, Moderately Easy

You often see Norfolk Island pines used as small Christmas trees, decorated with lightweight ornaments and miniature lights, but they're also wonderful year-round houseplants. They're moderately easy to grow as long as they have indoor temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees F. and medium to bright, indirect light. They can tolerate low light conditions, too, but grow more slowly. Water often enough to keep the soil consistently moist, never soggy. If the plant’s needles turn yellow or brown or fall off, it may be getting too much light (those can also be signs of too much or too little water, so adjust the care you're giving it and see what happens). These aren’t true pines, and because they're native the South Pacific area, they don’t need a lot of extra humidity. Expect them to reach 6 to 10 feet tall indoors.

Boston Fern, Medium Light, Moderately Easy

When kept in a cool spot with medium light, a Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) needs 2 to 6 hours of light each day. Direct sun will burn the fronds, so if yours is in an exposure with hot, intense light, protect it with a sheer curtain or move it several feet away. While these pretty ferns like consistently moist soil and the high humidity usually found in kitchens and bathrooms, waterlogged soil can damage or kill them. Stunted growth is often a sign that your plant is not getting enough light, while yellow, brown, crispy or faded fronds can signal it's getting too much. Avoid drafts and cold spots for these moderately easy-to-grow houseplants.

Alocasia, Medium Light, Challenging

Beautiful Alocasias (Alocasia spp.), with their arrow or heart-shaped leaves, can be a bit hard to grow successfully. They’re fussy rainforest natives, fond of higher humidity than most homes offer, and require 6 to 8 hours of medium to bright indirect light each day. If they become leggy or their growth slows down, you may need to add a grow light. They also need consistently moist soil. When Alocasias are unhappy, their leaves turn yellow or crispy. When conditions are right, the plants can reach 2 to 10 feet tall and wide. It can be tricky to water them properly; too much, and their roots may rot. Keep them consistently moist and water less when they go dormant after the growing season. They grow best where the temperatures don’t fluctuate much and stay above 60 degrees.

Ctenanthe - Medium Light, Challenging

Handsome Ctenanthes (Ctenanthe) are in the same family as prayer plants, and like them, they fold their leaves at night like praying hands and unfold them in the morning. You may hear them called "never never plants." They can be hard to grow, demanding lots of humidity, and need medium to bright, indirect light. Keep them consistently moist and wait until the top one or two inches of the soil feels dry before you water. For best results, use room temperature distilled or filtered water, or tap water that’s been left out overnight so chlorine can dissipate and minerals can settle to the bottom. Expect them to grow 1 to 4 feet high, depending on the variety; leaf colors can be shades of gray and green. Underneath, the leaves are lovely purples or burgundies. Avoid direct midday sun, which can burn them, and keep the temperature about 60 to 85 degrees F. Increase the humidity by misting them, using a humidifier or growing them in a humid room.

Bright, Indirect Light Houseplants

Bright, indirect light is the strong, filtered light that comes from east-facing windows or west-facing windows with sheer curtains. It also refers to the amount of light plants get when they're kept a few feet away from west-facing windows.

Spider Plant - Bright, Indirect Light, Easy

Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are some of the most popular, easiest and best houseplants for beginners, and almost everyone else loves them, too. They produce "baby spiders," or plantlets, on their long, arching stems; when the babies have at least five leaves, you can remove them and root them in water or soil for more plants. Drooping, pale or fading leaves on variegated spider plants can be a sign that they need more light--just not direct light. Water them when the soil feels dry and expect them to reach 2 or 3 feet tall and wide.

Bird's Nest Fern - Bright, Indirect Light, Easy

Low-maintenance bird's nest ferns (Asplenium nidus) are also some of the best houseplants for beginners. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, but don't pour water into the center of the plant where the new leaves emerge. These plants like bright, indirect light and plenty of humidity, and because they grow slowly, they don't need to be repotted often. They don't need much fertilizer, either, and are happy in warm homes that range from 68 to 86 degrees F. Grow them in well-draining soil and keep it consistently moist, but never soggy. They'll top out at roughly 2 feet tall and equally wide.

Monstera - Bright, Indirect Light, Easy

Sometimes called Swiss cheese plant or split-leaf philodendron, Monstera (Monstera) is an easy-to-grow tropical. It shoots up fast, at a foot or two each year, and sends out big, glossy leaves that look as if they’ve been split. Give yours a peat-based potting soil that drains easily and place it in medium to bright, indirect light. Monsteras are vining plants that can reach 3 to 15 feet tall and spread 3 to 8 feet; in nature, they climb trees, so they'll need a trellis or other support. Keep them in a warm spot and wait until the soil feels dry to the touch before watering. As a rule of thumb, the less light your plant gets, the fewer and smaller leaves it will have. Not seeing many splits in the foliage? Try giving it more light.

Aloe Vera - Bright, Indirect Light, Easy

Many succulents are among the best houseplants for beginners to grow, and they're ideal if you're busy or just forget to take care of them. Happy in bright light, they don’t require much care other than an occasional watering—and they’re forgiving, if you neglect to water now and then. Most need a succulent or cactus mix that drains easily and should be grown in a container with drainage holes; succulents that store water in their thick, fleshy leaves don’t need a lot of moisture. Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) and hens and chicks (Echeveria elegans) are all good choices. Christmas cactus (Schlumbergerax buckley) is another low-maintenance succulent, but it needs 12 to 14 hours of total darkness every day, and a cool location, to form buds that will later open into colorful blooms.

Fittonia - Bright, Indirect Light, Moderately Easy

Also known as nerve plants for the veins on their leaves that look like tiny human nerves, Fittonias (Fittonia albivenis) can be finicky, so they’re not a great choice for gardeners without much time. They need high humidity and grow 3 to 6 inches tall, with a spread of 12 to 18 inches, which makes them ideal for terrariums or small containers. Give them bright, indirect light or fluorescent light and keep the soil moist, but not soggy. If they get floppy, they probably need water, and while they’ll usually recover with a good drink, repeatedly forgetting to water stresses and weakens them. They do best in humid, warm rooms like steamy bathrooms, but you can also mist them, run a humidifier or place them on a tray of pebbles and water—but don’t let the pot touch the water. Roots that stay wet can rot.

African Violet - Bright, Indirect Light, Moderately Easy

If you’re lucky, you might have an African violet (Saintpaulia) passed down from a grandparent. If not, you’re sure to find one from today’s many varieties. Look for a miniature or a giant that grows over 16 inches across; options include ruffled, single or doubled blooms in shades of white, purple-blue, pink and lavender. African violets can be a bit picky unless you meet their requirements for 6 to 12 hours of daily artificial or natural light (no direct light, which can burn or fade the foliage.) Plant them in an African violet potting mix and water when the soil is dry. Watering from the bottom is best; that is, put the pot in a tray of water and let it absorb water for about 20 minutes. While these popular, flowering houseplants grow well in average home temperatures, they like high humidity and should be kept out of drafts from vents, doors and windows.

Ficus - Bright, Indirect Light, Moderately Easy

Are Ficus fussy? They can be, often dropping their leaves when you bring them home for the first time. Bright, indirect light is key to keeping them healthy, along with protecting them from sudden temperature changes and drafts. They like temperatures around 70 to 85 degrees; less than 60 degrees, even indoors, can stress them. Wait until the top inch or two of soil dries out before you water and raise the humidity with a humidifier or by misting your plant. Avoid moving your Ficus, or acclimate it gradually if you must put it in a new location, because it will drop its leaves again. Ficus benjamina, also called weeping fig, needs a well-draining potting mix and matures indoors at 3 to 10 feet tall. Depending on the variety, Ficus leaves can be dark green, pink, cream, olive-green or creamy yellow.

Bird of Paradise - Bright, Indirect Light, Moderately Easy

Gardeners who want a lush, tropical look and can provide the right growing conditions should try bird of paradise (Strelitzia spp.) as a houseplant. These striking plants need room to spread out; two species commonly grown indoors are S. reginea, which can reach 4 to 6 feet tall and 2 or 4 feet wide, and the Giant White Bird of Paradise (S. nicolai), which grows about 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Bird of paradise plants grow fast but take 5 or 6 years to start blooming. Adaptable to almost any light conditions, they must have at least 6 to 8 hours of bright, indirect sunlight a day to produce flowers. They also need well-draining potting mix and a warm spot with high humidity, so mist them often or run a humidifier. Water every 1 or 2 weeks, or when the top couple of inches of soil feels dry.

Calathea - Bright, Indirect Light, Challenging

Like African violets, Calatheas (Calathea spp.) need certain conditions to grow, and some gardeners consider them difficult. They need bright, indirect light and high humidity with soil that stays moist, but never soggy. Tap water containing minerals or chemicals like chlorine can make their leaves turn brown and crispy, so save rainwater for them or use filtered or distilled water. They don't do well if they're neglected and can be stressed by overwatering and underwatering. Don’t be alarmed if they drop some leaves at first; they’re sensitive to temperature changes and need a spot that stays around 65 to 80 degrees F. Lovely ‘White Fusion’ and other variegated Calatheas can be tricky to grow. Some, like C. concinna ‘Freddie,’ are better options for beginning indoor gardeners.