Are you looking for alternate ways to decorate your space (let’s be honest, we’ve had enough with the fairy lights)? Look no further than these best indoor plants for your home and office! These low maintenance plants are great for gardening beginners or those who don’t have time to care for delicate plants. Indoor plants are beautiful and can instantly create a homely and inviting vibe to your space!
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Best indoor plants for the busy green thumb
1. Swiss Cheese plant
It’s easy to see how this plant got its name. The Swiss Cheese plant (available on Plant & Plant) is called as such due to the holes that develop as the plant ages, resembling the likes of Swiss cheese! Also known as Monstera Adansonii, this best indoor plant is notoriously easy to care for. Simply provide it a stake for it to climb and it’ll grow to expansive heights in a matter of months. It will also need ample indirect sunlight and water every five days to keep the soil moist.
While the Swiss Cheese plant can definitely add character into your home or office, it is toxic to small animals including dogs and cats. Thus, it’s better to keep the plant out of reach for your pets. Learn how to pet-proof your house with easy home decor tips.
2. Pothos plant
Are you a self-proclaimed black thumb (opposite of a green thumb)? Your hopes of owning a mini indoor garden aren’t dashed just yet. Introducing the Pothos plant (available on Plant & Plant), one of the best indoor plants that are hardy and effortless to care for! The Pothos plant thrives on low light and neglect. It’s no big deal if you forget to water your Pothos plant from time to time. In addition, Pothos make for a good air purifying plant as it eliminates carbon monoxide, benzene and even nasty odours from your surroundings!
Did we also mention that Pothos helps to soothe eye irritation? Yes, you read that right. Gently hold the plant’s vine to extend a piece of leaf (do not cut it from the plant) over your eyelid. Hold it there for about three minutes and you’ll find your eyes refreshed and less irritated!
3. ZZ plant
ZZ plant, also known as Zamioculcas zamifolia, is one of the best indoor plants for homes and offices. Its waxy leaves reflect light to produce a high shine effect, complimenting any room interior. In addition, it’s one of the most popular air purifying plants to improve your air quality at home.
Don’t really have a green thumb? This is the perfect plant for you! The ZZ plant (available on OHH MY PLANTS) can grow to a relatively large size of about 120cm in height and width. This low-maintenance plant is one of the best indoor plants for homes and offices as it doesn’t require direct sunlight and is tolerant to dimly lit environments (although this will affect its growth rate). Ideally, it should be kept in a room with natural bright light. However, you can place it in an air-conditioned environment, provided it’s not in the direction of constant cold air. The ZZ plant should be watered thoroughly and allowed to dry out before the next watering session. This means that on average, you’ll probably only have to water the plant once every eight weeks!
4. Peace Lily
The Peace Lily is an elegant plant that makes for one of the best indoor plants for homes and offices. Also known as Closet plants, Peace Lily (available on Plant & Plant) has big dark green leaves that contrast beautifully against the white ‘flowers’. In addition, it fills your room with a natural light fragrance. It is also an air purifying plant that helps in removing five dangerous airborne toxins — benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and ammonia.
Peace Lilies can grow up to about 180cm in height and thrive in low-light areas. Avoid exposing them to direct sunlight as the leaves might turn yellow and wither. This plant is generally easy to maintain and does not require much water — rehydrate it just once a week.
5. Tillandsia
Tillandsias aka air plants are probably the most trendy plants right now for city dwellers. Don’t have access to soil? You’ll be glad to know that Tillansias do not need to be rooted in soil to grow well! This allows for more versatility when you’re designing your space with these indoor greeneries.
Tillandsia (available on Plant & Plant) is also considered to be one of the best indoor plants for homes and offices thanks to its low-maintenance nature. You can expect air plants to grow anywhere from 5 to 25cm tall and 12 to 25cm wide. Air plants grow best with indirect sunlight so display your Tillandsia a distance away from the window or in a room where fluorescent lights are on. Instead of the usual watering process, air plants require weekly soaking. Submerge your air plant in water for an hour. If you’re using tap water for the soaking process, it is important that you leave the water sitting in a bowl for a couple of hours for the chlorine to evaporate. After the soak, gently shake off excess water from your plant and allow it to air dry to prevent rotting. While
Tillandsias may appear to require more care than the other plants, all the effort is worthwhile when you sit back to admire your beautiful air plants sitting in their terrarium glass globes! Psst, they also work well in homes with pets as they are non-toxic to cats, dogs and other animals.
6. Snake plant
If you’re always on a time crunch and tend to neglect your plants (unintentionally, of course!), the Snake plant (available on Plant & Plant) is your best friend. One of the best indoor plants for homes and offices, the Snake plant is a tolerant plant that requires minimum care. They are great as house and office decor for those who are often away on work trips.
Snake plants are air purifying plants that can grow anywhere from 30 to 240cm in height and 15 to 90cm in width. They survive well in low light conditions, perfect for those who don’t have a window in their office. They also require minimal watering. A good soak every two to three weeks is more than enough for this plant to grow healthily!
7. Chinese Money plant
This plant is no stranger to those invested in feng shui. Not only is the Chinese Money plant one of the best indoor plants for homes and offices but it is also believed to bring wealth and luck to the entire family! Also known as Pilea Peperomioides (available on yuwenfeng.sg), the Chinese Money plant’s adorable round leaves make it an aesthetic piece to admire!
Money plants are relatively small, so they are great indoor plants to have in HDB flats. Growing up to about 30cm tall and wide, the Chinese Money plant is a fast-growing plant that is very responsive to light. However, avoid placing it under direct sunlight to prevent leaf-scorching and rotate the plant at least twice a week to prevent slanted stems. While the Chinese Money plant only requires watering once a week, it is important to prevent the soil from completely drying out between sessions. This helps to ensure your Chinese Money plant is always kept in the best conditions! Try growing your own ‘wealth’ today!
8. Parlour Palm
This popular houseplant is hardy and slow-growing, allowing it to be passed down from generation to generation. Despite its small size, the arched and slender leaves of a Parlour Palm give off a fun, summery vibe, transforming your home into the likes of a resort! Don’t fret too much over the care of a Parlour Palm. This is one of the best indoor plants for homes and offices because it thrives in low light and shady areas. It is also the perfect addition in Singapore homes as it grows better in high humidity. Keep the soil moist but well-drained.
9. Nerve plant
The appearance of the Nerve plant or Fittonia Argyroneura (available on Zantelle Shop) either piques your interest or makes you feel itchy all over. The leaves of Nerve plants are usually white and green or pink and green. As its name suggests, the vein-like patterns on the leaves are very striking, making this an interesting indoor plant to have. The Nerve plant grows about 30 to 45cm tall. Similar to the other best indoor plants for homes and offices, the Nerve plant is easy to grow and care for! It thrives well in low to medium light and should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
It can be a little tricky when it comes to maintaining the moisture level of your Nerve plant. Thanks to Singapore’s humid weather, caring for Nerve plants here is much easier. Pay attention to the soil’s condition and water whenever the top surface of the soil dries out. If your plant is dehydrated, you’ll observe droopy leaves which may wither if left unattended. You may also need to mist your Nerve plant regularly to keep it hydrated!
10. Aloe plant
This medicinal plant thrives in dry conditions and thus, is one of the best indoor plants for homes and offices! Similar to cacti and succulents, the Aloe Vera plant (available on OHH MY PLANTS) cannot tolerate being submerged in water — this means you don’t have to worry about watering the plant regularly! The best part? You can use its aloe gel for minor burns and rashes!
The Aloe plant is a stemless plant that grows about 60 to 100cm tall. It requires bright light and does best on south or west-facing windows. When watering the Aloe plant, ensure that the pot has drainage holes to allow for water to be drained from the soil. Do not water too often, instead, allow the soil to dry out completely before the next watering session.
11. Haworthia Succulent
Succulents’ cute appearances make them irresistible and fun to have in your room! Even though succulents may not be the best indoor plants for homes and offices as many of them require lots of sunlight, choosing one that thrives in shade or low light can make all the difference. Haworthia (available on raven1688) is one succulent that grows best in shady areas! This small succulent plant should be placed by a window for just enough light exposure. If your succulents start to stretch and spread out, it’s a sign that they’re not getting sufficient light! To ensure your succulent is well hydrated, thoroughly drench the soil and allow it to dry out. Thereafter, water the plant about three days later before repeating this entire process.
Start your mini home garden now with the best indoor plants
These low-maintenance indoor plants can help to spice up your home or office space and alleviate your mood! Gardening can be a great hobby to cultivate within the family too! Grab your gardening tools and start beautifying your homes and offices now! Looking for other ways to jazz up your space? Try these kitchen organisation hacks to declutter and light some scented candles to create a soothing ambience!