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15 Popular Houseplants You Should Grow

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popular plants for the home

By Matt Gibson

Wondering about the most popular house plants and thinking of adding a few to your home? Indoor plants don’t just beautify your home and/or workspace, they also make you feel good, bringing life and energy to wherever they are placed. Indoor plants are therapeutic and far less expensive than a therapist. They make your home or workspace to feel more inviting and relaxing.

Houseplants might not seem like they are doing much other than occupying space on your windowsill or sitting atop your filing cabinet or desk, but they are actually quite busy. They quietly chip in by stimulating your mind, boosting your mood, purifying and humidifying the air around you, increasing productivity, concentration, and creativity, reducing stress and fatigue, and much more.

Houseplants can bring a dull, drab, dismal space to life with ease, and most are very inexpensive and easy to care for. Though there are countless plants that can be grown indoors, some species suit the task better than others.

The following 15 houseplants are some of the most popular in the United States. You’ll probably recognize many of them, and we hope you’ll get some great ideas. We also include some tips on how to grow and care for them easily, and answer many commonly asked questions about houseplants that you will doubtlessly find helpful as you start your indoor container garden decoration adventure. So, let’s meet your new neighbors.

Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo became a popular fixture in offices and homes in recent years, as companies started to twist and shape its stems into fun shapes, like hearts, braids, grids, and swirls. It’s a whole lot of fun to get your lucky bamboo untwisted, so that you can create the designs yourself when the branches get long enough to manipulate. Lucky bamboo plants live forever in vases as long as their water is kept fresh. They don’t need a lot of light, so low, indirect light environments are perfect for them. Freshen up their water once per week and have fun twisting the stems whichever way you please. For more soil-free indoor plant options, look into air plants.

Snake Plant

Sansevieria trifasciata is as close as you can get to a maintenance-free houseplant. Snake plants can literally be neglected for months and still look great. Snake plant can tolerate just about any moisture, soil, and light conditions thrown its way. There are variegated varieties available as well as the standard deep-green standby. Low light to bright light environments all seem to suit them, and you can forget to water them and they will be just fine until you get around to doing so. Snake plants are basically indestructible as long as they are not overwatered, which can lead to root rot. 

majesty palm plant

Majesty Palm

If you’re looking to add a tropical vibe to your home or workspace, there is no better indoor plant option than the majesty palm. This small tree boasts long, feathery fronds and is perfect for filling empty corners. Alternatively, you could place several majesty palms in a row as a room divider or living screen. Majesty palms need bright indirect light and consistently moist soil. They prefer a humid environment, so a light misting once or twice per week will help keep them happy in their new home. 

Peace Lily

Fake peace lilies are super common, which is kind of silly, as the real deal is super easy to cultivate indoors. Though peace lilies do need regular watering, there is not much else to worry about in terms of care or maintenance, and unlike many other houseplants, peace lily is not prone to root rot, so if you are guilty of overwatering your plants, Spathiphyllum is very forgiving. Low to medium indirect lighting suits them fine. Long, white, beautiful calla-like flowers and deep green foliage make peace lily a go-to indoor plant for any room.

Croton

Adding croton plants to a living indoor plant collection makes the whole setup feel more authentic. Croton’s multicolored foliage makes any room feel more like an indoor rainforest. Deep green leaves are dramatically shaded with splashes of orange, purple, red, and gold. Bright indirect light locations are essential to get the most dramatic colors possible and keep the plant healthy. Different varieties come with different leaf shapes, which range from narrow, grass-like strips, to thick, paddle-like foliage. All varieties pack a punch of color though, some with stripes and others with splotches.

Bromeliad houseplant

Bromeliad

Bromeliad hails from the bromeliaceae family like the pineapple plant, but is cultivated for ornamental purposes instead of culinary. The original plant has a very long shelf life, but also prolifically produces pups or side shoots that can replace the original, add more bromeliad to your indoor plant collection, or be gifted to a friend at your convenience. Bromeliad thrives in temperatures around 70 degrees, making them perfect for indoor growth. They enjoy filtered light and good soil aeration. Orchid potting mix is perfect for them, and when watering, their stiff leaves can hold a few ounces of water like a glass or mug. Read our in depth article on bromeliad care.

Philodendron

The giant, heart-shaped leaves of philodendron are very recognizable and cozy. The low-care philodendron is just as comfortable indoors as it is on the patio, as it is adaptable to any light condition. Hundreds of species are available with a wide variety of leaf types. The philodendron is a low-care plant, but be careful not to overwater it. Give your philo a drink only once per week. It’s climbing stems can be allowed to trail over shelving units or attach themselves to trellis or poles, so its decorative versatility is another upside worth investing in. Read our in depth article about caring for philodendron.

Chinese Money Plant

Pilea peperomioides is a versatile houseplant that looks great in window sills or cascading out of hanging baskets. Their coin-like circular leaves shoot up in abundance with minimal indirect light and average soil conditions. Also known as pancake plant, the money plant prefers a shady location and weekly watering. Replant offshoots that grow from the base of the stem and you’ll be rolling in money.

Fiddle Leaf Fig

Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings of Ficus lyrata and place in a south or east facing window as natural, but indirect light is essential for the photosynthesis of fiddle leaf’s large violin-shaped leaves to occur. Water generously during the summer and slow it down during the winter. If your fiddle leaf fig tree grows too tall, just prune it back to the desired height. Mature trees can grow up to 15 feet tall and five feet wide, but you can keep it happy at any size you like. Fiddle leaf will tolerate low light environments but it may lose some of its lower leaves. Perfect for indoor growing as it thrives in 65-75 degrees F temperatures.

Pothos

Any of the beautifully-colored varieties of pothos vine will look great in your indoor space. Golden pothos has streaks and spots of yellow on a mid-green canvas, while Marble Queen pothos blends the two colors together like a marble countertop. Neon pothos draws the eye with its bright luminous foliage, while Jade pothos is perfect for low light environments. Only water every seven to 10 days to avoid root rot. Pothos will tolerate low light environments but will grow faster and show more variegated leaf designs in medium to full indirect light exposure locations. Read our in depth article on taking care of pothos.

Ponytail Palm

The mexican native Beaucarnea recurvata loves sunbathing in a bright window, and will make the room you place it in seem just like a tropical beach. The slow growing tropical tree looks a bit like a bonsai and is incredibly easy to grow. Because it stores water, it can go a long time in between waterings without losing steam. Keep your palm in a container just a few inches wider than the base of its trunk to keep it from growing too tall. Technically a succulent, the ponytail palm enjoys bright light and a wide range of temperatures.

popular houseplant aloe

Aloe Vera

Whether you perch it on your desk, on a bedside table, or in a windowsill, aloe vera will thrive. Aloe barbadensis prefers bright indirect light and dry sandy soil. Healthy plants will produce pups that you can easily propagate and turn into small, cool-looking, spiky-leaved gifts. The gel produced by the leaves can be used to treat burns, scrapes, cuts, and small abrasions. Do not overwater aloe vera by giving it a drink too frequently. Once every two weeks, give it a deep soak. Read our guide to growing aloe vera or learn about its benefits.

Asparagus Fern

Despite the name, Asparagus setaceus is not a fern. It will adapt to bright or dark locations, as long as it is provided with moist soil. Water when the top one inch of soil feels dry to the touch. If the leaves start to yellow, it is getting too much direct sunlight. Though it is both an indoor and outdoor plant, we put it on this list because it is easy to care for, it can handle a lot of abuse, and it looks really neat.

Chlorophytum comosum popular houseplant

Spider Plant

Chlorophytum comosum needs well lit locations to thrive. It produces lots of little offshoots that can be easily propagated. If you have one spider plant, prepare to have quite a few more, or to be spider plant Santa Claus, as it will continuously reproduce. Spider plant’s arching leaves make it a great fit for hanging baskets or pedestals. It needs weekly watering in order to stay healthy. 

Dragon Tree

Dracaena Marginata is an exotic, but easy-to-grow beauty that will adapt to low, medium, or high light environments, though high lighting will bring out the brightest color tints in the leaves, which are tinged purple or pink depending on the variety. Dracaena’s bamboo-like stems are topped with thin, pointed leaves. Water when the top inch of soil appears dry. Fertilize with a simple houseplant fertilizer once or twice per year.

Common Questions and Answers About Popular Houseplants

Do indoor plants need a drainage hole?

Yes, all plants benefit greatly from having containers that drain well. In fact, many plants simply won’t grow well for you unless they’re provided with drainage. You can learn more about why plants need drainage and how to add holes to your containers if they don’t have them at our article on the topic: Do You Need Holes In Your Plant Pots?

Do you need to put stones in plant pots?

You’ll hear people say that adding gravel or stones to the bottom of plant pots can substitute for drainage holes in a container, but in practice this doesn’t work very well. The plant’s roots can easily reach the bottom of the pot, where the water is still pooled with nowhere to go. For best results, use containers that provide drainage. However, succulents and cacti benefit from some sand and gravel in the soil they’re growing in.

How much water do houseplants need? How often should I water my houseplants?

All plants have different needs, so it’s really best to do your research and learn about each one of your plants to find out what schedule and amount works best when it comes to watering. But there is a general rule of thumb you can follow when you aren’t sure what to do. For most plants, you can’t go too wrong by letting the soil dry out between waterings, then watering until you see moisture begin to drip from the drainage holes in your containers. To check whether the soil is still dry, just stick a finger in each day or two. If soil clings to your skin, it’s still wet.

Should I mist my houseplants?

Summertime indoor conditions are fine for most houseplants, but in the winter, our homes aren’t as humid as many indoor plants prefer. Cacti and succulents don’t need a lot of humidity, and plants in the kitchen or bathroom are likely humid enough to be happy. Other plants, though, will likely appreciate being misted every day or two or having a humidifier nearby. Only mist in the morning, and target both sides of leaves. Misting also helps reduce the likelihood of mite infestation. Don’t go overboard and let the soil under your plants get soggy, though, as that can increase the possibility of root rot.

What are the easiest indoor plants to grow?

There are plenty of options for easy-to-grow houseplants that don’t require a lot of maintenance from the gardener. Choose from the list below for hands-off houseplants that look great without asking for a lot of time or energy when it comes to their care.

Which houseplants are dangerous for children or pets?

It’s easy to fall in love with houseplants, but remember that they aren’t all safe for young children or pets who may ingest them. This list is by no means all-inclusive, but here are some of the most common dangerous houseplants. For a more comprehensive reference, you can check the Poison Control Center’s illustrated list of poisonous and non-poisonous plants for children or consult the ASPCA’s Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List for pets.

Want to learn more about popular houseplants?

Apartment Therapy covers 5 Reasons You’re Killing Your Indoor Plants

Better Homes & Gardens covers Easiest Houseplants You Can Grow

Costa Farms covers Popular Houseplants

The Farmers’ Almanac covers 30 Common Houseplants That Are Toxic to Pets

Gertens covers Ideal Conditions for Healthy Houseplants

Good Housekeeping covers Hard to Kill Plants

Midwest Living covers 20 Super-Easy Houseplants

philodendron aloe with text overlay fifteen popular houseplants easy to grow

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