Finding the right houseplants for an apartment can be hard, especially if you’re a beginner gardener. Every plant requires a different level of care, and keeping it all straight can be dizzying. Luckily, there are plenty of beginner-friendly plants that can thrive in various levels of sunlight, so you can scatter greenery around your home without taking on a full-time job as a plant parent. Here are the five best houseplants for every nook and cranny of your apartment.
For Dimly Lit Spaces: Peace Lily
Peace lilies are one of the only flowering plants that survive in dim lighting. Peace lilies are perennial plants that flower in the spring and sometimes in the fall, but you can enjoy its lush foliage all year.
Peace lilies also serve a purpose: A NASA study found that they are one of the most effective houseplants at improving air quality. In 24 hours, peace lilies removed 79.5% of benzene and 23.0% of trichloroethylene (TCE), two major air pollutants.
Care
Peace lilies thrive in shady areas, making them a great addition to the darker corners of your apartment. They still need sunlight, so pay attention to your plant’s leaves to monitor its lighting needs: yellowing leaves mean it needs more light, and brown leaves mean it needs less.
As for water and soil needs, the peace lily is wonderfully low maintenance. It thrives in any potting soil intended for houseplants and only needs watering about once a week or when the leaves start to droop.
For Spaces Near a Window: Jade Plant
In Asian cultures, jade plants are commonly viewed as a symbol of prosperity. With their coin-shaped leaves and low maintenance requirements, jade plants are the perfect good luck charm. Jade plants’ love for sunlight makes them perfect for your windowsill. Because they’re a type of succulent, they can withstand direct sunlight and don’t require water every day.
Care
Place your jade plant in a succulent potting mix and find a spot with plenty of sun. While jade plants require lots of sunlight, their leaves are susceptible to burn. Keep an eye on your plant and move it during hot parts of the day, if necessary.
Succulents can easily be overwatered, so allow the soil to dry out before watering the plant until water drains out of the bottom of the pot. Water your jade plant more sparingly in the winter when it’s not growing.
Jade plants, like other succulents, hold water in their leaves. This can result in the plant becoming top-heavy and bending. To prevent your jade plant from breaking, prune the leaves at the top to encourage it to grow out instead of up. Jade plants can be pruned year-round, but spring and summer are ideal for regrowth.
For Spaces with Indirect Sunlight: Cast Iron Plant
Cast iron plants, scientifically known as aspidistra elatior, live up to their name by thriving in full shade and being hard to kill. With full, glossy green leaves, a cast iron plant can liven up the dark areas of your apartment with minimal maintenance requirements. Cast iron plants are also nontoxic, making them a great choice if you have curious pets.
Care
Cast iron plants grow best in indirect and low light and can adapt to any soil that drains easily. To water your cast iron plant, wait until the soil is completely dry, and then slowly add water until excess begins to drain out of the bottom. During the spring and summer when the plant is growing, use a gentle liquid fertilizer to make sure your plant gets the nutrients it needs. Prune by gently pulling off any dry or yellowing leaves to allow your plant to focus its resources on growth.
For Spaces with Artificial Lighting: Pothos Plant
While plants prefer sunlight, some can thrive under artificial lighting. Pothos plants, commonly called Devil’s Ivy, are beloved for their resilience and ability to grow in various conditions. Because they can adapt to almost any lighting, pothos plants are perfect for sprucing up windowless rooms with fluorescent lights.
Care
Pothos plants aren’t picky about anything. Plant them in standard houseplant potting mix and water when the soil dries out every week or two. Pothos plants will droop when they need water, but they’ll perk back up when they get a drink.
For Outdoor Areas: Trailing Begonias
Want to jazz up your patio or balcony with a pop of color? Look no further than trailing begonias! Trailing begonias can grow in varying sunlight, making them perfect for patios that may or may not face direct sunlight. Plant them in a hanging basket on your patio or balcony for an elegant touch.
Care
Trailing begonias prefer a little shade, so hanging them from the roof of your balcony or patio provides the perfect level of sunlight. Begonias do best when their soil is moist—not soggy—so check the soil every few days. In the summer, your begonias will need more water because of their exposure to the hot sun. Feed your begonias with fertilizer every couple of weeks in the summer for the best results.
Houseplants are an easy way to brighten up your apartment, but it can be hard to figure out where to start if you’re a beginner gardener. Before you adopt a new plant, make sure that you know where in your apartment it will thrive, how much to water it, and whether it’s toxic to your pets. By strategically placing your plants around your apartment, you can make your place feel more like home and become the plant parent you’ve always wanted to be.
