The Best Houseplants

Buying Guide for Houseplants

Why buy houseplants?

They’re a great way to add some greenery to your home, brighten up your living space, or enhance the overall appearance of a room. They may also help improve indoor air quality and reduce certain pollutants, like carbon monoxide. Many people enjoy or find motivation in having something at home to take care of, especially useful if you don’t want a pet, aren’t allowed to have one, or are allergic to animals. Plant care can be therapeutic or a relaxing hobby for many people, and not everyone has a yard or space for an outdoor garden. Some studies have even found that keeping houseplants in your home or office can help to improve your mood and reduce stress levels or soothe anxiety. The plants you choose and how you display them can also enhance a room’s decor and style or showcase your personality.

What should you look for in houseplants?

• Type: The sky’s the limit regarding the kinds of available houseplants. Tropical and other warm-weather plants that can’t survive the frost are very common since they’re the only way people who live in colder or seasonal areas can enjoy these plants in person, but they’re far from the only options. Small trees and bushes, cacti and succulents, palms and ferns, trailing and climbing plants, foliage and flowering plants, bonsais and bulbs—the list is nearly endless. Consider if you want typical lush, green houseplants or something more colorful. Even with pure greenery, there are many shades and hues of green. Plants like crotons, coleus, and begonias have leaves in shades of red, pink, yellow, and orange. Certain houseplants can also be spotted or striped.
• Size: Even the best houseplants won’t do you any good if they don’t fit properly in your living space. Some are better as freestanding plants, while others are meant to sit on a windowsill, shelf, or table. For instance, a fig tree that’s several feet tall isn’t a great choice for a desk plant. And a small plant like a succulent or an African violet will look odd, resting directly on the floor. Consider which rooms you plan to display your plants in, what kind of planters you want to use, and how much space is available.

What are some tips for taking care of houseplants?

It’s also worth considering how much maintenance a plant will require. Different plants have different soil, sunlight, water, and repotting requirements; some are much more finicky and hard to care for than others. Plants like cacti, succulents, snake plants, pothos, and jade plants, to name a few, are known for their hardiness and low maintenance care. Others like bonsais, crotons, carnivorous plants, and some varieties of orchids are much harder to maintain. Be sure to do your research on any plant you want to buy and be sure you can fulfill its needs—a plant that needs a lot of sunlight to live won’t be a good choice if your apartment doesn’t get a lot of natural light or a variety that needs daily watering probably shouldn’t be owned by anyone who travels for work a lot, for instance.

Our Picks for the Best Houseplants

Pros: This aloe plant offers some variety in size and pot designs. You can buy a 4-, 7-, or 10-inch tall aloe vera with four different pot choices, and the grower’s pot also gives you an alternative quantity option, two aloes instead of an individual plant. Whichever size you get, you won’t have to provide your pot or planter if you don’t want it (though this plant can be repotted if desired), and it comes with two other benefits. This aloe will help filter some pollutants out of your indoor air, and the spikey leaves provide a hands-on source of aloe vera gel for dry skin and sunburn relief.

Cons: Aloe plants require bright and direct sunlight to grow and thrive. They may become weak, leggy, or even die without adequate sunlight. Therefore, if you want your aloe vera plant to be healthy, you must find a location with ample sunlight. However, this limits the number of places to place or display your aloe vera plant since it can’t tolerate low light conditions.

Bottom Line: Whether you want to keep one on hand for access to its soothing gel or simply because you like its look, this lovely little spotted aloe vera plant is an excellent choice for homes and offices.

 

Pros: If you want something a little larger, this fiddle leaf fig tree is well worth a look. This plant has full, lush-looking leaves that will bring deep, tropical greenery to your home. Fiddle leaf fig trees are known for being one of the best houseplants for air filtration; this product is no exception. It’s also pretty easy to care for, doesn’t require direct sunlight, and only needs watering once a week. It comes in an attractive, metallic rose gold pot, and you have three different height options.

Cons: This fig tree is a pricey option compared to many other houseplants. There’s also a good chance it’ll outgrow the pot it comes in and must be repotted into a bigger one.

Bottom Line: If purifying indoor air is one of your main aims in owning a houseplant, a fiddle leaf fig tree like this is one of the best choices. Even if air filtration isn’t your primary concern, the lush, multileafed greenery of this fig tree is hard to beat.

 

Pros: You won’t have to go out and spend extra money on new pots or planters for these succulents; each plant arrives already planted inside its own sized flowerpot. (Feel free to move them into a larger vase or glass terrarium if desired.) Soil is included, so you don’t have to provide your own or worry about fertilizing them. The plants and pots are nice and small, only about two inches wide apiece, so they won’t take up excess room and will fit into tight spaces. While this is listed as a set of five succulents, you should receive six with your purchase; the company sends an extra just in case one gets damaged during shipping. So you may wind up with a bonus plant for no additional cost.

Cons: The selection is random based on what the company has on hand, so you’ll never know which species of succulents you’ll be receiving, especially since they often rotate their selection. If you’re after a specific type of succulent, you’ll want to look for another option.

Bottom Line: Succulents are among the most low-maintenance houseplants you can buy; these assorted, colorful ones are no exception. These classic little succulents will brighten up your living space, office, or wherever you display them.

 

Pros: Snake plants are considered a staple houseplant; if you bring this one into your home, you’ll understand why. It’s a nice size, small enough to serve as a table or shelf decoration but large enough to work as a freestanding plant. It’s pretty affordable, especially for a household plant of its size. Its twisting green-striped and yellow marble-like vertical leaves bring a colorful vibrancy to any indoor environment, especially if it blossoms with white flowers. It’s quite a hardy plant to boot, able to withstand droughts and low light; it can even adapt to environments with low light and cooler temperatures. (They shouldn’t be kept in a room below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Cons: Snake plants are toxic if ingested, so if you have a dog or cat that likes to nibble on plant leaves or a young baby or toddler who seems to get into everything, you’ll want to steer clear of this plant just to be safe.

Bottom Line: Snake plants are another classic houseplant that is great for air filtration and looks good. They’re known for being virtually indestructible, making this product an excellent choice for people less experienced with plant care.

 

Pros: Buying houseplants can bring many benefits to your home, both aesthetically and environmentally. And with this set, you receive several plants at once for one very reasonable price. Each plant comes in its planter or pot, so you won’t have to spend extra money buying your plant pots. There are three sets to choose from; you can buy a pack of three, four, or six, depending on your available space and how many houseplants you want. These plants are not only visually pleasing but the four-pack is made up of plants specifically known for their ability to help purify the air.

Cons: Some customers have received plants different from what was pictured or expected. Other buyers received plants without identification or care instructions, making it difficult to care for them properly.

Bottom Line: Many people who want to add flowers or greenery to their living space don’t want to stop at just one houseplant. If you’re a planter lover or are after multiple plants for your home, you can’t go wrong with this set, especially from a monetary standpoint.

Final Thoughts

With so many varieties of houseplants on the market, you shouldn’t have trouble finding at least one sitting for your home or office. Whether you want a fig tree or snake plant to rest beside your bookshelf, there are several options to suit your living space.