The 6 Best Houseplants for Beginners & How to Take Care of Them

Disclaimer: I may receive a small affiliate commission from purchases made via Amazon links in this article but at no cost to you.

1. Snake plant

First up on my list of the best beginner houseplants is the snake plant.

Growing up, I saw this plant in everyone's home. The reason why is because it is a very easy plant to grow.

They can grow in full sun to a shady spot in your home.

They've got these sword-like leaves. Plus, they're variegated, so there are two colors to them, the green base and then the yellow or white tip.

They are considered succulents, and they can grow anywhere from 8 inches to 5 feet tall. They don't like a lot of water, so take it easy with watering.

2. Aloe vera

Plant number two is the aloe vera plant. Now, I'm a believer that everyone should have at least one aloe vera plant in their home, even if it's a small one.

The leaves have juice inside them that you can put on scrapes or burns to heal the wounds. So they're really nice to have in their home, not only to look at, but they actually serve another purpose as well.

The aloe vera plant can be 8 inches and they even grow up to 3 feet sometimes. They are slow growers, so don't expect a foot of growth in the next year.

They like bright, indirect light and are also succulents so you don't have to water them that much. You want the soil to dry out a bit before watering again.

3. Rubber plant

Next up, is the rubber plant. Now, I have had this one for a while and it started off really small, but it has done well over time. I keep it in bright but indirect light and it thrives on that. It can go from being 1 foot to 6 feet tall.

The leaves of the rubber plant are very architectural, thick, and stunning. I just love the look of this plant.

It is very hardy and easy to maintain because it’s also a succulent so it doesn't require a lot of water.

Succulents hold a lot of water in their leaves. So even if you're super busy, they survive in most conditions.

The way you kill them is to overwater them. So you want to continue checking your soil. I tend to just stick my finger in the soil about 2 inches deep. And if it's dry, even 2 inches deep, that's when I water it.

You don't want the sun beaming straight in on it, but if the sun is overhead and it's casting a really bright light near that window or near that space, then they will do really well for you.

4. ZZ plant

Next up is one of my favorites, the ZZ plant. I love the look of this plant. It is very sculptural with its thick, glossy green leaves. They almost look plastic, but it's not, it's a real plant.

These plants do really well for beginners who may tend to forget to water them.

This plant does love moderate to high indirect light, so putting them by a window that can give them 4 to 6 hours of indirect light a day will do them good.

If you want to check your soil, they don't like to be over-watered. This plant, you can probably go up to about 2 weeks between watering.

During the winter months, plants go dormant so if you're going to be bringing plants home during this time, don't expect a lot of growth.

What I strive to do in the wintertime is simply to keep my plants alive, healthy, and thriving until the growing season starts again in the spring and then continues on through the summer.

5. Raindrop

Plant number five is the raindrop plant, also known as the coin plant. Why? Because of the shape of its beautiful leaves. It's a succulent so the leaves are really thick and very hardy.

These plants do well with pruning so you can trim them to create a lovely shape.

It's a succulent, therefore it doesn't need a lot of water but does need a lot of bright, indirect light.

It can grow from 1 foot to 2 feet, so it doesn't get really big but it serves a lovely purpose in that it can really fill a space.

6. Pothos plant

You see this plant everywhere. You see it in people's homes. You see it at work. This pothos plant is super duper popular.

It's also known as the devil's ivy and it’s a really viney type of plant.

It can grow 20 to 30 feet long, so it's nice to set them up high so the leaves can drape down and create a lovely cascading effect.

They come in a variety of colors, mostly green with little hints of white and yellow.

They are easy to maintain and that's why you see them everywhere. People love them because they don't require a lot of water. They're not considered succulents, but they do well in bright, indirect sun like the rest of the plants we talked about today.