Whether you’re the type of person who thinks they can kill a cactus, or if you have a natural green thumb, there's guaranteed to be something on this list for you.
WebMD.com, with help from the Indiana Medical History Museum, has published findings that outline a few benefits of keeping indoor plants:
They act as Phytoremidriation agents — purifying the air inside the room
Certain plants can work towards allergy relief — plants tend to reduce mold and spores in rooms
According to this paper, published by the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, plants reduce stress to a significant degree
The National Library of Medicine also published findings stating that having real plants in a room provides a big productivity boost to workers in the area
The NCBI says that having plants in the workplace helps buffer work stress and anxiety.
With so many benefits to offer, it's no surprise that an increasing number of people are looking at home horticulture to liven up their living and workspaces, and we’re glad to see that you're among them.
Pro tip: A Google search for “office plant services near me” will only trigger unwanted ads in your browser; therefore, it is much more prudent to search the classified ads (online) for “plant nurseries”.
The Best Indoor Plants
These must-have indoor plants are low-maintenance, easy to source, and perfect for even those who don't have a clue about the basics of horticulture.
Dracaena Colorama
Size: 24” - 36”
Also Known As: Madagascar Dragon Tree
Native To: Africa, Southern Asia
Description: This startling-looking plant makes for a good conversation piece, with its spiky leaves highlighted with a tinge that can range from magenta to maroon.
Most Dracaena plants (of which there are more than 100 in number) are excellent at phytoremediation
Special Details: Although the Colorama prefers bright, filtered sunlight, it can tolerate lower light conditions as well — good for shady office areas.
Plant Care Details:
| Sunlight Requirements | Moderate levels of bright, indirect sunlight |
| Soil PH Level | 6.0 - 6.5 |
| Temperature | Ideally above 65°F, never below 60°F |
| Fertilizer | Yes, spring and summer only |
Autumn Philodendron
Size: 18” - 36”
Native To: Central America
Description: When grown, these plants have lush foliage and are super easy to grow and care for.
New leaves on the plant will be coppery red and will mature over time to a beautiful mossy green.
Unique Details: It is a rather hardy plant, and like most other philodendrons, can live upwards of ten years — perfect for those of you who want a more permanent association with their flora.
Plant Care Details:
| Sunlight Requirements | Moderate levels of indirect sunlight |
| Soil PH Level | 6.4 - 7.3 |
| Temperature | Ideally within 50°F -80°F |
| Fertilizer | Yes, monthly, year-round |
Birds Nest Fern
Size: 24” - 36”
Also Known As: Asplenium Nidus, Crows’ Nest Fern
Native To: Southeast Asia
Description: The Birds nest fern gets its name from the interesting arrangement of its fronds: when looked at from the top down, the plant looks like a birds nest with eggs inside it.
The plant is epiphytic in nature, meaning that they don't need soil to grow and can thrive by living off other surfaces.
This is why so many people choose to make them wall-hanging plants.
Unique Details: Just like the dracaena, these are excellent at purifying the air.
Special attention needs to be given when fertilizing birds' nest plants because overfertilization causes their leaves to yellow
Plant care details:
| Sunlight Requirements | Medium levels of filtered sunlight |
| Soil PH Level | Slightly Acidic, 5.0 - 5.5 |
| Temperature | 55°F - 80°F, never below 50°F |
| Fertilizer | Yes, monthly |
Moonlight Philodendron
Size: 20” - 24”
Also Known As: Lime Philodendron
Native To: Central and South America
Description: If they managed to grow large enough, we’d see these plants from space, owing to their neon-colored lime-green leaves.
The philodendron moonlight will add a nice pop of color to nude and pastel rooms and are extremely easy to propagate through softwood cuttings.
Special Details: because the leaves of the moonlight philodendron contain calcium oxalate (CaC2O4), they are toxic to cats and dogs.
Plant Care Details:
| Sunlight Requirements | Moderate levels of bright, indirect sunlight |
| Soil PH Level | 5.0 - 7.0 |
| Temperature | 65°F - 80°F, never below 55°F |
| Fertilizer | Yes, monthly |
Golden Ivy Pothos
Size: 4 - 6 feet trailing
Also Known As: Hunter’s Rove
Native To: Southeast Asia
Description: Popularly known as a money plant, even beginner home gardeners will find this ivy easy to control.
It looks just as good as its cousin, the English Ivy, but is significantly easier to maintain and prune.
Unique Details: One of the few plants in the world that can filter out even toxins from the air, the golden ivy is good at removing formaldehyde and radon from its surroundings.
Works well in small spaces.
Plant Care Details:
| Sunlight Requirements | Low levels of bright sunlight |
| Soil PH Level | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Temperature | Thrives between 70°F - 90°F |
| Fertilizer | Yes, every two weeks |
Hoya Ivy Plant
Size: 3-12 feet trailing
Also Known As: Wax Plant, Waxed Ivy
Native To: The Indian Peninsula
Description: Hoya is a pretty versatile ivy plant that thrives both indoors and outdoors if cared for properly.
It is a dark mossy shade of green, and is a popular addition to trees in the garden, on terraces, and along balcony railings.
Special Details: Although the Colorama prefers bright, filtered sunlight, it can tolerate lower light conditions as well — good for shady office areas.
Plant Care Details:
| Sunlight Requirements | Moderate levels of bright, indirect sunlight |
| Soil PH Level | 6.1 - 7.3 |
| Temperature | never below 50°F |
| Fertilizer | Yes, twice per month, spring and summer |
Watermelon Peperomia
Size: 10” - 12”
Also Known As: Watermelon Begonia, Peperomia Argyreia
Native To: Northern South America
Description: This unique flowering plant bears leaves that look like a watermelon: they are light green with dark forest-green stripes running down them, from where the plant draws its name.
They are perfect for beginners as they don't require extensive tending and can easily be propagated through leaf cuttings.
Special Details: Just like most other peperomia plants, these are great at removing formaldehyde from the air and are a source of many essential oils.
Plant Care Details:
| Sunlight Requirements | Medium, indirect sunlight |
| Soil PH Level | 6.0 - 6.5 |
| Temperature | Ideally above 65°F, never below 60°F |
| Fertilizer, | Yes, spring and summer only |
Endnotes
Important: We've mentioned for a few items on this list that they can be propagated through leaf cuttings.
If you decide to try it out for yourself, only cut offshoots of the plant, and don't take cuttings from the main trunk, as small plants find it harder to recover from xylem damage than bigger ones.
If you want to check out other plant varieties that are small and easy to care for, it’d be lovely if you took a peek at our blog.
There, you'll be able to sort numerous plants based on their size, looks, and even light requirements, in addition to accessing basic information about their care, background, and suitability.
That said, this list of must-have indoor plants is perfect for all levels of experience and is sure to liven up any space that they are placed in.
