Plants in a Box shares their go-to list of houseplants!
By Elle, Co-Founder of Aussie startup, Plants in a Box
Tell us if this sounds familiar? You’re obsessed with indoor plants. You love, love, love the fact they add a splash of greenery to your home, and you’ve heard how brilliant they can be for your mental health and wellbeing.
But… you’re super low on time and are worried you won’t be able to support your plant babies. If this sounds like you, then your best bet is to take a note from Goldilocks. You want to find indoor plant varieties that aren’t too hard, and are instead just right!
Our very own Goldilocks from Plants in a Box (aka Ella) has created a list of her go-to’s for those with a busy schedule. Easy-care and low-upkeep these indoor plant varieties are simply perfect for the super hesitant and don’t know where to start-ers!
Come at me - Low maintenance indoor plants we want you.
POTHOS
The king of low maintenance plants! With their easy-going nature and sculptural, trailing growth, these plants are super popular with indoor gardeners! They come in a huge range of varieties, all with unique colours and variegations:
Jade Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos Snow Queen (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos Marble Queen (Epipremnum aureum)
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Manjula Pothos (Epipremnum ‘Manjula’)
Our advice? Grow every damn one of them! Pothos are hardy plants that can survive in low light conditions. But if you want their true colours to shine, remember to give more light to the variegated varieties and less to the greenies. Pothos (or ‘Devil’s Ivy’) naturally trail, so if you want to create a bushier habit, you can wrap some of the hanging vines around and use bobby pins to pin their aerial roots into the topsoil (who doesn’t love bobby pins right). You can also use plant stakes or plant trainers, to create your own vertical vine-y masterpiece.
SANSEVIERIA
Sansevieria is commonly known as ‘Snake Plants’ or a ‘Mother-in-Law’s Tongue’ as the plant’s leaves are long and sharp (cheeky hey?). As a semi-succulent, Sansevieria’s cope well with low light conditions and need little water. They are the closest thing you can get to fake plants, while still being alive.
Better yet, Sanseveria plants remove toxins from the air! NASA’s Clean Air Study found that these guys are great air purifiers and filter out nitrogen oxide, xylene, toluene and formaldehyde and produce pure oxygen (okay, now breathe). They come in a range of varieties, many of which boast vibrant stripy patterns:
Sanseveria Green Hahnii (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Sanseveria Superba (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Sansevieria cylindrical (Sansevieria cylindrical)
SHOP NOW: Merry People Bobbi Gumboot in Black
ZANZIBAR GEMS (total gem of a plant)
Zanzibar Gems or ‘ZZ plants’ are every plant killers dream! These guys are the perfect plant babies for those on the go. Their shiny green leaves filled with fleshy moisture, allows them to go a long time between waterings. ZZ’s prefer being on the drier side, so you shouldn’t water them again until the soil has completely dried out. Too much love will actually kill them!
Zanzibar Gems can also live in lowlight conditions without throwing a tantrum, making them especially perfect for homes and apartments with less natural light.
SHOP NOW: Merry People Bobbi Gumboot in Oxford Blue
HOYA CARNOSA
Also known as the Wax Plant’, Hoya Carnosa is a stunning indoor climber with bright green leaves and clusters of waxy pink flowers that resemble little stars. Popular with indoor plant enthusiasts, these beauties look great in hanging baskets or supported by a plant trainer. They love bright indirect light and are very at home in bathrooms or kitchens.
While Hoya enjoys a little more attention than other low maintenance varieties, she’ll sulk if she’s touched or moved too often. A hot tip is to wipe the leaves regularly with a damp cloth to keep away mealybugs (little white cotton bud looking things found on new growth, along veins of leaves, and at the leaf joints).
ANTHURIUMS
Want to enjoy a pop of colour in your home without cutting flowers every week? Anthuriums are the perfect solution! Also known as, ‘Flamingo Flowers’, these plants produce vibrant green heart-shaped foliage and stunning flowers in a range of eye catching colours (ok she’s one of my favourites).
Anthuriums are one of the world’s longest-blooming plants, so make sure your plant has ample filtered light if you want to make the most of those blooms. Keep in mind though Anthuriums love a bit of humidity and keeping their moist.
Anthurium Easy Red (Anthurium andreanum)
Anthurium Snow King (Anthurium andreanum)
Anthurium Sugar Love (Anthurium andreanum)
Anthurium Black Queen (Anthurium andreanum)
FICUS
Go big or go home! The Ficus elastica or ‘Rubber Plant’ has pretty straightforward care needs. Give it enough light, water, and warmth and you’ll be rewarded with a big and bold tall indoor plant. Rubber Plants love hanging out in brightly lit places, but not in direct sun. Again wipe the leaves regularly for mealybugs and dust so he can breathe just like you.
Ficus elastica Tineke (Ficus elastica)
Ficus elastica Burgundy (Ficus elastica)
*Just remember these babes grow big, big, bigger! so they’re great for pots and container planting, but if you plant your Ficus directly into the ground they’ll take over your yard. Eek!
SHOP NOW: Merry People Bobbi Gumboot in Beetroot & Light Pink
RHAPHIDOPHRA TETRASPERMA
If you like the look of monsteras, but don’t have time for all their care needs, then this plant’s the one for you. Known as the Mini Monstera (because his split leaves look like those on the Monstera deliciosa) this plant is a happy go lucky kinda guy.
Simply place your Mini Monstera in a warm spot with filtered or indirect sunlight and allow him to dry out between watering. Don’t overwater! Use a plant stake to encourage more splits in the leaves or simply let his leaves spill over the pot.
SHOP NOW: Merry People Bobbi Gumboot in Black
SPATHIPHYLLUM
Graceful, lush and tropical, the Spathiphyllum or ‘Peace Lily’ is known for its stunning and long-lasting white blooms. Loved by indoor gardeners for being hardy and low maintenance, these beauties can go for stretches without water and can tolerate low light levels.
They also work wonders as natural air purifiers and can remove all sorts of toxins from the air in your home. They’re the perfect indoor plant for beginners or those who are short on time.
SYNGONIUM
Also known as the ‘Arrowhead Vine’ or ‘Goosefoot’, these babies are perfect for your indoor plant collection. All Syngonium are low light tolerant and will grow pretty much anywhere in your home. These beauties are super easy to care for (as long as you remember to water them).
They start out nice and compact, but as a vine, they like to spread out over time. If you want a Syngonium that stays compact then try a Syngonium Podophyllum Pixie. Syngonium leaves also come in a wide range of colours and patterning, so choose the variety that best fits your personality! Here are some of our favourites:
Syngonium podophyllum ‘Bronze’
SHOP NOW: Merry People Bobbi Gumboot in Black
* * *
Okay, you’ve picked yourself a plant that fits your needs, but what about watering? Grab yourself a pot with a drainage hole and wait till the topsoil is dry before re-watering. When it’s time, give it a good soak through rather than small bits every now and then.
Even the lowest maintenance plants need care, but luckily there are handy tools to help. If you want to keep track of your watering, then Google Sustee (a watering device thing-a-me-bob) is a must-have!
This nifty watering device tells you exactly when you need to water your plants! Crazy we know but even the pros recommend them. Trust us, this device will change your life! You can shop the entire Sustee range here and you can use them on any potted plant.
How about you start with one go-to plant, enjoy bringing nature into your home, and tell me if you keep on growing!
Elle & the Plants in a Box Team, x
