“You can’t go wrong when designing with plants.” This is what almost every designer says and actually I’ve said it many times myself, in different articles and in my Instagram tips but some clients don’t agree, they say: “Yes, you can definitely go wrong with plants if you don’t know how to take care of them!”
While everybody recognizes that plants are really pretty as décor pieces, there are also many studies proving they can also purify the air, reduce the stress and help lower the noise. But the fact is many people simply give up on the idea of having some greenery in their places fearing they won’t be able to keep the plants.
This is why I decided to write this article to share with you great news: There are many options out there that require very low care and can be practically ignored for quite some time.
Here goes my selection of best plants to have indoor with very low maintenance required.
1.- ZZ plant
From the “Gardenista” to every single nursery I’ve been, I can see a consensus: ZZ plant is considered the easiest houseplant to grow indoors because it tolerates neglect, needs very little watering and accepts low-light conditions. Besides being also very easy to maintain, its waxy appearance with smooth leaves can reflect the light and brighten the rooms. A very good choice.
2.- Ponytail Palms
With its long, hair-like leaves that grow from the top of the trunk in a perfect proportion, this plant’s name could not be more perfect: it does look like a ponytail. Besides being really cute, ponytails have the ability to store lots of water, making them really low maintenance. Actually, you can get away with watering it just once a month. Can’t get better right?
3.- Rubber Plants
With its large and deep green leaves, no wonder rubber plants have been one of the most popular in-house plants. They can be enjoyed in different sizes: keeping them in small pots will refrain their growth otherwise they can achieve impressive heights within a few years, fulfilling one entire corner of your house.
Experts say that they have a high drought tolerance and only during summer they need a bit more water. So, when in doubt, just leave them alone. In other words, it can’t get easier than that.
4.- Parlor palm
This is another plant that can fill in an entire area and decorate beautifully spaces like the corridor at the entrance or underneath the stairs.
This rainforest native single-trunk palm became a hit in the US as an indoor palm plant since it can adapt to relatively low light, lower temperature and needs little watering.
5.- Moth orchid
Each orchid has a unique look, making it one of the most special flowering plants for decoration. With its elegant and almost unreal colors and perfection, they are perfect for dressing any table, console or cabinet top.
Besides its beauty, this family of plants does not need the sunlight to bloom and over-moistening its soil can kill them. Usually, water is required only every 10 days but it is good to test the surface for dryness to make sure that it is time to water them again.
6.- Spider Plant
In spite of the name, this plant is not frightening at all. Usually found with a perfect white or yellow stripe in the middle of its numerous leaves, spider plants are actually delicate and very pretty. They need very little maintenance and can actually help to clean up the air in your home due to their purification properties. We can’t ask for more, can we?
7.- Snake Plants
Go figure: another weird name for another beautiful plant that can live very well indoors even when you almost forget about them. Their sword-like leaves can grow from 8” to 30” inches (20cm to 75cm) and their dark green color can come together with some white and yellow striping. They are known to make any list of the most tolerant of all decorative plants to survive unsuitable growing conditions. I particularly love them.
8.- Peace Lily
Peace Lily is surely another very forgiving flowering plant to those who do not have much time to care about plants: it requires very little attention, asking only for minor watering.
The dark green leaves together with the elegant white flowers make this plant one of the most delicate yet sturdy and beautiful additions to any room.
9.- Sword fern
The ferns have been part of decoration compositions for a very long time and the sword fern particularly is one of the most versatile shade plants available out there. Since in nature this is a species that grows under the trees, they are perfect for any indoor space with low or no sunlight. Being also one of the best options for vertical gardens in wall-mounted planters, all you need to do to maintain this plant is to test the top layer of soil for dryness and always keep it moist.
10.- Succulents
When you think about bringing life to small spaces in your home, succulents are hard to beat option. With its thick and fleshy leaves, this variety of plants has the ability to store water for long periods of time and its soil needs to stay dry. You can even soak them while watering but you definitely need to wait for it to dry completely (which can take many weeks) before watering it again. Just make sure to place them anywhere with sunlight.
If that was not enough to convince you, succulents are also an excellent source to help clean the air and remove toxins in your home.
Since I can’t stress enough all of the advantages of having plants in your home, I really hope these tips will encourage you to add as many greenery to your place as you can. Besides all these options, you can consult any representative in good nurseries that will surely recommend the best option for your space depending on the amount of light and the time you can spend caring for your plants every day. I wish you will become an amateur gardener and feel the good changes it will bring to hour home and your life!
If you do need decoration guidance for plants in specific spaces, and you need some advice and are willing to invest in a consultation, just follow Design Consultation Service.
