Houseplants that will thrive in any home
Looking after plants can seem difficult and daunting, but it really doesn’t have to be! There are quite a few plants out there that don’t really care about humidity level, or exactly how much sunlight they get each day. We have curated a list of our top 10 plants that will survive and thrive in any home.
So whether you’ve killed all your plants before, or just don’t have in your busy life to tend to a fussy houseplant, this list is the one for you!
Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum wallisii
There’s a reason that Peace Lilies are so popular, and it’s not just because of their incredible white flowers. They are super low maintenance plants that can adapt and thrive in pretty much every home. They can tolerate all light levels which is super rare for houseplants.
Our favourite thing about the Peace Lily is that it really helps us plant parents out by drooping its leaves when it really needs water. This can help you spot underwatering before it’s really a problem. Within minutes of watering, the leaves will perk up – it’s pretty cool! And if we haven’t sold you on the Peace Lily yet, then you should probably know that they are also one of the best plants at purifying the air and removing chemicals from your home!
Find out more in our Peace Lily care guide.
Snake Plant
Sansevieria Trifasciata
The bold and striking leaves of the Snake Plant make it stand out wherever you put it! Not only are they slow-growing, but they transcend upwards so are great for small spaces or that corner you never know what to do with. They have some of the sturdiest leaves or any houseplant, and their sharp leaf tips have given the plant the nickname of mother-in-laws-tongue!
When it comes to care, Snake Plant are super easy to look after, they can adapt to a range of light levels (are great low light plants), prefer dry soil and don’t need much attention in the way of misting or repotting etc. So if you want a low maintenance, sturdy houseplant, then the Snake Plant is your perfect match!
Find out more in our Snake Plant care guide.
Dragon Tree
Dracaena draco
The Dragon Tree was actually our first ever houseplant and ignited our initial love for caring for indoor plants many years ago. Native to Madagascar, it’s a timeless plant that brings elegance and style to every room. They are also super easy to care for and are great at purifying the air which makes them the perfect entry-level houseplant.
You’ll have a hard time trying to kill a Dragon Tree as they are pretty drought-tolerant and forgiving when it comes to light, temperature levels and humidity so it’ll adapt well to every home.
Although they can reach up to 6 metres in their natural outdoor habitat, they’ll only ever get to about 1.5/2 metres when grown indoors (and even this will take years and years) so you don’t need to worry about it getting too big to handle.
Find out more in our Dragon Tree care guide.
English Ivy
Hedera helix
Although they are most commonly known as outdoor plants, you can very successfully grow an English Ivy indoors as long as you give it enough light. We are obsessed with the white variegated English Ivy but if not given enough sunshine, the new leaves will lose all of that variegation.
Included in the NASA Clean Air Study, the English Ivy is great at removing toxins from the air so we recommend having this around your home. They are also believed to sometimes be able to improve allergy symptoms so as well as looking lush, they have great benefits for us too. They are also super fast-growing plants so you want to place them on a high shelf making sure they have enough space to cascade downwards.
Find out more in our English Ivy care guide.
Lucky Bamboo
Dracaena sanderiana
Believed to bring good luck, the Lucky Bamboo is the ideal houseplant for those wanting to bring a little bit of greenery indoors, but who just don’t have the time or skill to give it much attention. The Lucky Bamboo thrives off being neglected and as long as they have some natural sunlight, they’ll happily live for a very long time in every home! You can choose to grow them in either well-draining soil or a vase filled with water. The latter is great for forgetful waterers as there’s no risk of them drying out!
You can continue the gorgeous swirls on your Lucky Bamboo plants by simply rotating them every once in a while. The plant naturally grows towards the sunlight so you can use this to create the twists.
Find out more in our Lucky Bamboo care guide.
ZZ Plant
Zamioculcas zamiifolia
Also known as the Zanzibar Gem, the ZZ Plant is a great low-maintenance minimalist houseplant. Loved for their dark green glossy oval leaves, we recommend this one for those without a fantastic track record of keeping plants alive, but also for anyone looking for something smart and stylish to spruce up their home. They are very adaptable and will deal well with some bright but indirect light, as well as shady dark corners of your home.
The ZZ Plant is quite slow-growing so you won’t see new stems popping out all of the time. It’s important to note that they grow bulb-like roots called rhizomes so will need quite a large pot to really thrive and grow. This also means they are drought tolerant as they store water in their rhizomes.
Find out more in our ZZ Plant care guide.
Inch Plant
Tradescantia zebrina
Also known as the Inch Plant, we haven’t yet come across a faster-growing or easier to propagate houseplant. Native to the tropics of Mexico and South America, these plants offer something different with their purple and silvery leaves that transcend out of the pot.
Growing these indoors helps keep their growth more contained whilst still giving that wilderness feel which we love. Caring for these plants is also super easy as all they need is ample light and moderate water. They are quite forgiving though so won’t give up straight away if something’s a little off.
These plants are great for hanging planters or when placed on shelving so you can really make the most of those incredible vines. They can be mildly toxic though so you’ll want to keep them away from pets.
Find out more in our Inch Plant care guide.
Chinese Evergreen
Aglaonema
If you find that you are often killing your houseplants and you can’t seem to figure out why, then the Chinese Evergreen is the one for you. Native to South-East Asia, they are so hardy that they’ll grow and thrive in basically any home so it’s the perfect beginner plant.
Chinese Evergreens have incredible leaves, full of splashes of white, silver or pink depending on the particular variety. They are quite slow growing though (as most hardy plants are), so don’t expect a lot of new growth every year.
Find out more in our Chinese Evergreen care guide.
Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum
Spider Plants are the perfect plant for a houseplant beginner as they are super easy to care for, grow pretty quickly, and produce an abundance of spider babies which can be propagated in seconds.
The best thing about Spider Plants is that you would really have to try to kill them as they adapt to and survive in most environments and don’t mind being a little neglected. They even show you when they need more water by going quite light green. But after a little bit of water, they spring back to full health in minutes.
As your plant matures, you’ll start to see it sprouting little spiderettes which you can choose to remove from the plant to create new Spider Plants. They really are the gift that keeps on giving.
Find out more in our Spider Plant care guide.
Yucca
Yucca elephantipes
A staple of many homes, the Yucca is one of the most popular houseplants and you’ll often see them around offices, shops and restaurants too! They’re super easy to care for so are perfect for all plant parents. They were very popular in the ’70s so are a great way to get a little bit of vintage style in your home.
As they mature, Yucca plants can grow about 2 metres in height so make it the perfect feature plant for your space. They are very slow-growing though so if you don’t have as much space, a smaller plant won’t outgrow the room very quickly.
They are very low maintenance and can adapt to most light levels, temperature and humidity levels but unfortunately, they are toxic to keep that in mind if you have pets or small children.
Find out more in our Yucca care guide.