Top 10 best indoor plants

Monstera

Suited to: living rooms, bedrooms, home offices

A monstera can make a real statement in your home. As the name suggests, certain varieties can grow to monstrous sizes to bring some drama to your living space!

Monsteras are often referred to as ‘Swiss Cheese Plants’ due to their large, distinctive leaf shapes. It’s a good idea to dust your monstera leaves from time to time as part of your watering routine.

Monsteras are one of the best house plants for beginners as they work in almost any room and can tolerate lower light levels to a certain extent, making them nice and easy to look after.

Succulents

Suited to: bright windowsills, south-facing rooms

If you’re looking for a way to wake up a boring windowsill, a space-saving succulent are one of the best indoor plants for a pop of colour.

Succulents love bright light, so popping one next to a window or in a conservatory will keep it happy. Succulents only become fussy when it comes to their soil; keep them in light & airy soil mix, cut with orchid bark or sand.

Succulents are similar to cactuses in that they hold on to a lot of moisture in their leaves, stems, and roots, so they’re very low maintenance when it comes to watering.

Aloe

Suited to: bathrooms, kitchens

The recognisable shoots of an aloe plant are a happy little addition to any room that gets plenty of natural light. Aloe plants prefer indirect light, but won’t mind the odd bit of sun to top up their tans.

You’ll see aloe vera used a lot in health & beauty products, as its gel has medicinal properties and is used to soothe sunburn, skin irritations, and minor cuts. Not just a pretty face, then!

Rubber plant

Suited to: living rooms, offices

Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t an artificial plant! Rubber plants have large, glossy leaves and have the potential to grow quite tall, perfect for filling a corner in the living room. They’re part of the ficus family; more on them later!

Rubber plants are one of the best indoor plants for health, renowned for their air-purifying properties and ideal for a home office.

Snake plant

Suited to: almost anywhere!

Like most of the plants on this list, snake plants enjoy a bit of bright, indirect light, but are also perfectly happy in shadier spots. This makes them one of the best house plants for your bedroom, as they’re happy to wake up whenever you do.

No list of best indoor plants is complete without a snake plant, otherwise known as ‘Mother-in-law’s Tongue’, for reasons we couldn’t possibly comment on.

Snake plants are ultra-low maintenance and rarely hold a grudge if you forget to water them or put them in areas that don’t get amazing natural light, making them very forgiving and a calming presence to have about the house.

Yucca

Suited to: living rooms, offices, bedrooms

Yucca plants are tolerant to drought, so don’t feel too bad if you forget to water them. They may have leaves shaped like swords, but they won’t ever use them for violence.

Another good indoor plant thanks to its low maintenance, a yucca plant can bring almost any room together with its beautiful tree-like appearance, and can grow quite large in the right conditions.

Ctenanthe & Calathea

Suited to: bathrooms, kitchens

Difficult to read, easy on the eyes – ctenanthe can do both! Their vibrant patterns can bring a splash of colour to your rooms and thrive in humid environments like bathrooms and kitchens.

Ctenanthes and calatheas are part of the Marantaceae family, which is just as hard to pronounce. However, you may know them better as ‘prayer plants’, as their leaves fold down at night when they’re asleep.

Palm

Suited to: living rooms, bedrooms

Palms can bring a touch of summer all year round with their tropical appearance. They’re fairly low maintenance and don’t mind a bit of shade, so they’re a good house plant for your bedroom.

Like many other plants on this list, palms are excellent at air filtration, so they’re one of the best house plants to improve air quality. Palms can grow upwards of 12 feet tall in the wild – they’re much more manageable in the home, but can still be quite impressive under the right conditions.

Fern

Suited to: bathrooms, kitchens, humid environments

Ferns love a bit of humidity, so this is one of the best indoor plants to have in your bathroom. Pop one on the windowsill or a bathroom shelf for a bit of light and it will be more than happy!

Loved for its vibrant green leaves which can cascade down the side of your pot or hanging basket, a fern is one of the most popular green indoor plants.

Ficus

Suited to: living rooms, office

Some ficus are known as ‘weeping fig’ – you can keep yours from crying by keeping it away from draughts and leaving it to do its thing!

Over time, their rich, glossy leaves begin to droop slightly, hence the name ‘weeping’. Your ficus doesn’t need fuss, and will happily grow up and up in the right conditions.

Why indoor plants?

Air purification

Indoor plants aren’t just there to look pretty – though they are very good at that. The best house plants improve the air quality in your home by filtering out pollutants, whilst some are brilliant at regulating humidity in your bathroom.

Having a house plant in your bedroom could help improve your sleep, whilst having one in the office is proven to increase concentration and productivity. Less coffee, more monstera!

Stress relieving

Popping some indoor plants around your home can help bring a sense of calm to your surroundings just by being there. Looking after them can also be therapeutic, whether you’re watering them or dusting the leaves – take your time with it and let them calm you!

Aesthetic appeal

One of the best decorations for your home is a house plant. Having some natural vibrancy can really tie a room together, whether you’re popping one on your new sideboard or dressing up your dressing table.

Things to consider before buying indoor plants

Lighting

Our top 10 best indoor plants don’t need much to thrive, but the first thing to consider is the light in your home. Most house plants enjoy bright, indirect light, though some (like succulents) prefer lots of sun, whilst others (snake plants, for instance) are happy in the shade.

Pop sun-loving plants near south-facing windows, and fill other areas with plants that won’t get sad if they’re not in the sunlight.

Space

It’s lovely to fill your home with natural greenery, but you don’t want to be tripping over them. Avoid damaging your plants by judging the size that you can get away with. Certain kinds of monstera and yucca need plenty of room to grow, whilst small aloe or ferns are better for smaller spaces.

Contrary to your outdoor plants, you shouldn’t put your indoor plants in pots that are too big. This will save on floor space, but also prevent the plants from becoming overwatered; if there’s more wet soil than the plant’s roots can absorb, there’s a big risk of rot.

Maintenance

Good indoor plants require less maintenance than you may think, especially when it comes to watering. Although every plant is different, the vast majority don’t like having wet feet – only water your plants when the soil is completely dry, preferably from the bottom: fill a large dish or sink with cold water and pop your plant in. It will suck up what it needs from the roots, which avoids drenching and lessens the likelihood of fungus gnats and other nasty critters.

Just like humans, some plants need a little support. If your house plant is growing nice and tall, it may benefit from a plant support to keep it upright. Monsteras and rubber plants are particularly fond of a little leaning when they reach a certain height!

Pets

If you have furry friends in your home that are fond of nibbling on your furniture, or adventurous young children, you should do your research on the best house plants that are non-toxic. Alternatively, keep them out of reach on a shelf or a windowsill – this should work for dogs, but any cat owners will know that you can’t hide anything from them!