Gardening is a very rewarding, fulfilling, and healthy activity. Studies have found that two hours of gardening a week can help promote good health and enhance your well-being. It can also provide you with a taste of nature right in the comforts of your home.
You don’t even need a huge garden or a backyard. Simply having an area inside your house, near a window, a balcony or a space in your room can be enough to enjoy the benefits gardening can bring.
So what are the best indoor plants to keep at home?
Below is a list of plants that even those who are new to gardening can grow. These are plants that are strong yet beautiful and won’t require much to maintain. These types of plants can also be perfect if you live in condominium or in spaces where direct access to a garden or yard is impossible.
Peperomia
Peperomia belongs to the pepper family (Piperaceae) and has over 1,000 species. Since there is a wide variety of peperomia, some of them make for useful decorative plants because of their structure and aesthetics.
Each variety has its own special trait, however, this plant species is also known as excellent in purifying the air as reported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Peperomia is very versatile. It also comes in many sizes and colors, from green, purple, to pink which increases their decorative value.
Pothos
One of the easiest plants to grow, Pothos or Epipremnum aureum is an evergreen plant with heart-shaped leaves with yellowish tints. They can be grown as indoor hanging plants or could be grown outdoors where they can reach magnificent heights as they can crawl tall trees for support.
Not a lot of work goes into growing this plant and the best part is that they also help purify the air of carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene to name a few. Keeping this plant in your home will help eliminate bad odors.
A little tip, placing this plant on your work desk will help comfort your eyes and ease irritation from long days of looking at the computer screen.
Agloenema Philippine Evergreen
Another indoor plant that thrives in low-light conditions, the Philippine evergreen or Agloenema commutatum is a bright plant that can be used as a centerpiece for a room or a decoration.
The leaves of an Agloenema are elongated with parallel sides and can grow up to 11 inches (ca. 28 cm) in length and about 3 inches (ca. 8 cm) wide.
They can bear fruits and produce tiny flowers during the summer months, but they grow in hidden areas like between the leaves, this is why they don’t have much use.
While these plants don’t require much attention, they do need to be kept in a warm place. They can’t be kept in temperatures that are below 15ºC or 60ºF.
Note that this plant is toxic to cats and dogs so if you’re keeping any, make sure that your pets stay away from the area where the plant is located.
Spider Plant
The spider plant or chlorophytum comosum is another plant that won’t require much attention but is an excellent decorative piece because of its unique aesthetic.
Like its name, the spider plant is a plant that has spider-like characteristics with its long leaves, like the spider limbs, dangling down from the mother plants. Seeing many leaves dangling down together makes it look like spiders on a web.
In spring, spider plants can also produce flowers which then develop into spiderettes. These spiderettes can then be replanted or rooted in water or soil.
Plant care is easy when it comes to spider plants. Provide them with well-drained soil and indirect sunlight and you’ll see them live a long life.
Aloe
The aloe vera plant or Aloe barbadensis miller belongs to the succulent plant species which means that they’re plants with parts that are fleshy and usually retain fluids or water.
We all know that aloe vera is good for the skin, but it also works as a low-maintenance decorative piece that you can put anywhere in your house as long as there’s indirect sunlight.
Although aloe vera leaves can be used on the skin, it’s important to note that you or your pets should never ingest it as it can cause indigestion or nausea.
Caring for it is pretty easy. You just need to water your aloe plant 2 or 3 times a week during the summer months and less during the winter months. Also, don’t put your aloe plant in areas where it will be exposed to direct sunlight as being a succulent plant, the sun could dry it out or turn its leaves yellow.
Level-Up Your Home with These Low Maintenance Indoor Plants
Gardening is one of those activities that you should give a try at least once in your life. It’s an entertaining and healthy hobby that brings many positives to your life.
There are several types of houseplants that you can grow, the list above are just ones that are hard to kill so you don’t have to worry so much about daily maintenance. Though they won’t need much attention, they still need TLC once in a while so don’t forget to water or trim them once in a while.