Filling your home with plants is one of the best ways to decorate, and surrounding yourself with greenery can have positive effects on your health, including clearing the air and helping you sleep. While not all of us are blessed with green thumbs, successfully growing houseplants is something that literally anyone can do, as long as you choose the right ones. If you have a busy schedule that means you can't always water your plants regularly, or you're just forgetful, picking plants that require little water or attention might be your best bet. Luckily, there are plenty of plants out there that fit these criteria, with lots of options for sizes and types of foliage to make all of your plant parenting dreams come true.
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Snake plants require very little attention and can survive in areas with low light. They also need very little water, and you should let them dry out completely between watering. Basically, if you forget about it, it will still thrive.
Like many succulents, aloe vera plants can last a long time between watering, and you can typically water your aloe vera plant once every three weeks. Just make sure that, when you do water it, you water it deeply. As for sun, aloe can grow in indirect sunlight or even artificial light.
If you take good care of a spider plant, the payoff is huge: they produce little plant babies, which you can propagate and turn into even more plants. Spider plants need pretty regular waterings to prevent the leaves from browning (about once a week), but they thrive in a range of light conditions. You can put them next to a window, but they'll also do well with small amounts of sunlight.
Jade plants are considered lucky in some cultures, and luckily for you, they're pretty simple to grow. When your jade plant's soil is dry to the touch on the top, you'll know it needs to be watered, and keep it in an area where it gets full sun. Jade plants also benefit from fertilizing every six months.
Cacti are super easy to care for because they store water in their spires, which means you only need to water them about once every month or two. Keep your fairy castle cactus in full sunlight, and rotate it every few months so it doesn't grow toward the light.
ZZ plants are sensitive to overwatering, and it's better to water them too little than too much. Let the soil dry out completely between watering, and keep it out of direct sunlight. With proper care, ZZ plants can produce stems that grow up to three feet tall.
Pothos can add a tropical touch to your home and are one of the easiest plants to care for. They can survive even when you forget to water them and are best placed in areas of low light. The low light encourages the vines to grow longer, resulting in a more dramatic-looking plant.
Put a monstera deliciosa in your living room, and it will automatically become the focal point. These striking plants can take up a lot of space, so it will need room to grow, but it will thrive in indirect sunlight and only needs to be watered about once a week. You can tell if a monstera has the right growing conditions if the leaves have plenty of splits on them.
Another set-it-and-forget-it plant, the money tree can go weeks between watering. Money trees do best in a humid environment, but they can tolerate low levels of humidity. They can also handle areas of indirect sunlight but should be kept away from drafty areas.
When you think of houseplants, a pine tree is probably the last thing that comes to mind. But Norfolk pines can be one of the easiest plants to take care of and add a cozy vibe to your space. Put a Norfolk pine in an area with a few hours of direct sunlight, and water it when the soil feels dry. Despite its appearance, Norfolk pines are tropical plants, so keep them away from drafts, and mist them occasionally.
Peace lilies produce beautiful white flowers almost nonstop with the right care. Peace lilies like areas with indirect light and prefer to be watered regularly so the soil stays moist. You'll want to wipe the leaves every so often to keep them free of dust, so your plant can breathe and look its best.
What could be easier to care for than a plant without soil? Air plants require very little attention and prefer indirect sunlight so they don't dry out too quickly. Soak your air plants once a week for about 30 minutes, and that's it — your beautiful, otherworldly air plants will be ready to display almost anywhere.
The variegated leaves of the dieffenbachia make them one of the prettiest plants you can have in your home, and they're also one of the easiest to grow. You only need to water your dieffenbachia when the top two inches of the soil are dry, and it will tell you that it needs watering when the leaves begin to droop. They'll grow more quickly in areas with bright light, but they're happy enough in indirect light.
