Easy house plants are plants that forgive a few mistakes: a forgotten watering, a spot that is just a little too dark, or a week away without a sitter. This is precisely what makes the difference for those just starting with plants between a green living room and a windowsill full of bare stems. The good news is that there are plenty of varieties that look beautiful and require hardly any attention at the same time.
In this guide you will read why one plant is so much easier than the other, which 12 varieties are best suited for beginners, and which mistakes you can best avoid. You will also see in one table which plant suits your home and pace, and which varieties are safe if there is a cat or dog around.
What makes a house plant easy?
An easy house plant usually has a built-in buffer. Succulents and plants with thick leaves or rhizomes store water, so they can get through a dry period without damage. Other varieties have a wide tolerance for light and temperature: they grow most vigorously in a bright spot, but also manage a few meters from the window. And some plants clearly show when they need something, for example by letting their leaves hang limp, so you can adjust in time.
What makes a plant difficult is often the opposite: a narrow margin. A plant that only thrives at high humidity or does not tolerate drafts requires more than a normal home offers. That is why Calatheas and ferns are not on the list below: beautiful, but better as a second or third plant. You will find a wide selection of strong varieties in our collection of easy house plants.
12 easy house plants for beginners
These varieties have been chosen because they are strong, available in different sizes, and fit well in a regular Dutch or Belgian home with central heating.
1. Zamioculcas zamiifolia
The ZZ plant is the classic among easy plants. Its tuberous rhizomes work as a water reservoir, so you water it about once every two to three weeks in the summer and even less often in the winter. It grows in clumps: one time nothing happens and then suddenly a new, curled stem appears. Check the Zamioculcas collection for different heights.
2. Sansevieria
The mother-in-law's tongue is almost impossible to kill, as long as you do not drown it. It likes a bright spot with some sun best, but it also adapts to less light. Only water when the potting soil is completely dry; once a month is often enough in the winter.
3. Epipremnum aureum
The scindapsus grows quickly and thus gives quick results, which works motivatingly when you start. If the leaves hang a little limp, it is time to water; a few hours later it will stand firm again. Let it hang from a cabinet or let it climb along a moss pole. Cuttings also almost always succeed: a piece of vine in a glass of water makes roots within a few weeks.
4. Chlorophytum comosum
The spider plant is an old familiar from grandma's windowsill, and not for nothing. It grows quickly, produces runners with small plants that you can easily pot up, and tolerates both a bright and a somewhat shadier spot. Brown tips on the leaf are usually a sign of dry air or lime-rich water, but cannot do any harm.
5. Pachira aquatica
The money tree has a braided stem and hand-shaped leaves. It wants a bright spot without harsh afternoon sun and moderate watering: let the top few centimeters of soil dry out before watering again. A nice, fresh plant for a living room or home office.
6. Monstera deliciosa
The hole plant looks spectacular, but is surprisingly tolerant. It grows most beautifully in a bright spot without direct afternoon sunlight and wants water as soon as the top layer of soil is dry. After a few years it becomes quite large, so keep space in mind. Check the Monstera collection.
7. Ficus elastica
The rubber plant has large, shiny leaves and grows upright, so it takes up little floor space. It loves plenty of light and a fixed spot: moving sometimes results in a leaf falling. Wipe the leaf clean occasionally, then it stays shiny.
8. Aloe vera
A succulent for the sunniest windowsill in the house. Aloe vera stores water in its thick leaves and has enough with a generous watering when the soil is completely dry. Use a pot with a drainage hole and soil that drains quickly.
9. Peperomia
Peperomias stay small and compact, ideal for a desk, bookcase, or bathroom with a window. Their sturdy leaves retain moisture, so they prefer slightly too little than too much water. There are countless varieties, from smooth and shiny to wrinkled or marbled.
10. Hoya carnosa
The wax plant climbs or hangs with long vines and thick, waxy leaves. In a bright spot it can produce fragrant, star-shaped flower clusters. Leave the old flower stems after blooming: flowers often come again later.
11. Haworthia
This small succulent looks like a mini-aloe with white stripes or dots. It tolerates less sun than most succulents and stays compact for years, so it also fits on a narrow windowsill.
12. Dracaena marginata
The dragon tree has thin stems with narrow leaves at the top. It tolerates dry room air well and needs little water. Put it in a bright spot; in a dark corner the growth becomes slow and the leaf thinner.
Comparison: which easy house plant suits you?
Not every easy plant is easy in every spot. Therefore, first choose based on light and how often you realistically water, and only then on appearance.
| Plant | Best spot | Watering (summer) | Growth rate | Safe for cat/dog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zamioculcas | Light to partial shade | Once every 2-3 weeks | Slow | No |
| Sansevieria | Sun to partial shade | Once every 2-3 weeks | Slow | No |
| Epipremnum | Light to partial shade | Weekly | Fast | No |
| Spider plant | Light to partial shade | Weekly | Fast | Yes |
| Pachira | Light, no harsh sun | Once every 1-2 weeks | Average | Yes |
| Monstera | Light, no harsh sun | Weekly | Fast | No |
| Ficus elastica | Light | Once every 1-2 weeks | Average | No |
| Aloe vera | Sun | Once every 2-3 weeks | Slow | No |
| Peperomia | Light to partial shade | Once every 1-2 weeks | Slow | Yes |
| Hoya carnosa | Light | Once every 2 weeks | Average | Yes |
| Haworthia | Light, some sun | Once every 2-3 weeks | Slow | Yes |
| Dracaena marginata | Light | Once every 2 weeks | Slow | No |
The intervals are guidelines for a plant in a pot of average size in a heated house. Always feel the soil first: a large pot, a cool room, or little light means you water less often. If your plant is in a really dark spot, also read our blog about house plants for little light.
The five beginner mistakes that cost most plants
Most house plants do not die from neglect, but from too much good care. These five mistakes we see most often.
Watering too often
Watering on a fixed schedule, for example every Sunday, overlooks what the plant needs at that moment. Better stick a finger in the soil: if the top few centimeters feel dry, it can be watered. Succulents, Sansevieria, and Zamioculcas you let dry out completely. On our page watering you read how you handle that per plant variety.
A pot without drainage
A beautiful decorative pot without a hole in the bottom retains excess water, so the roots end up sitting in a layer of water. Therefore, leave the plant in its nursery pot and put that in the decorative pot, and after a quarter of an hour pour away the water that remained at the bottom. Why good drainage is so important, you read in our blog about drainage in Mediterranean plants; the same principle applies to house plants.
The wrong spot
A plant that wants sun, like Aloe vera, will slowly decline in a dark hallway, and a plant that does not tolerate harsh sun will burn behind a south-facing window. Read the label or product page and look on our page about locations how you assess the light in your home.
Repotting too quickly
Immediately putting a new plant in a much larger pot seems well-intentioned, but in too much soil the water stays standing for a long time. Most house plants only need a pot that is a few centimeters larger after one to two years. How you do that step by step is on our page repotting.
Too much fertilizer
Fertilizer is not medicine for a sick plant. Only fertilize in the growing season, from about March to September, and stick to the dosage on the packaging or less. From October to February, a house plant needs almost no fertilizer.
An easy start: pot, soil, and spot
Whoever buys a house plant at this time of the year starts in the quietest period. The plant grows slower and needs less water, so you can slowly get used to each other. Put it in its fixed spot, away from a radiator or a door that opens often, and only water when the soil feels dry.
Want one plant that immediately fills a room, choose a larger Monstera, rubber plant, or Zamioculcas. Inspiration for real eye-catchers you find in our overview of the most beautiful large house plants. Doubting about a plant that wants a lot of sun, like a Yucca, read first our guide about Yucca care: it is strong, but only in a sunny spot.
Easy house plants with pets in the house
Many of the strongest house plants contain substances that can cause irritation in the mouth or stomach problems if a cat or dog gnaws on them. That applies to the Zamioculcas, Sansevieria, Epipremnum, Monstera, Ficus, Aloe vera, and Dracaena. They are not a problem in a house without pets or in a place where your animals really cannot reach.
Have a cat that jumps everywhere or a young dog that tries everything, choose the spider plant, Pachira, Peperomia, Hoya, or Haworthia. Those are just as easy and are not known as toxic for cats and dogs. More choice you find in our collection of pet-friendly plants. Do pay attention that even a non-toxic plant can lead to a slightly upset stomach with a lot of eating.
Frequently asked questions about easy house plants
1. What is the easiest house plant there is?
The Zamioculcas and the Sansevieria are generally considered the easiest house plants. They tolerate drought, little light, and dry air. The only thing they really do not tolerate is too much water.
2. Which easy house plant can handle forgotten watering?
Plants that store water, such as Zamioculcas, Sansevieria, Aloe vera, and Haworthia, can go weeks without water. Also the Hoya and Peperomia have thick leaves with a moisture reserve. Going away for a long time, give a normal watering just before departure.
3. Which easy house plant grows quickly?
The Epipremnum, spider plant, and Monstera grow fastest in the spring and summer. You then see new leaves almost weekly. In the winter, growth stands still for all house plants for the most part.
4. How often do you water an easy house plant?
That depends on the variety, the pot size, the light, and the season. Succulents and Zamioculcas get water once every two to three weeks in the summer, leaf plants like the scindapsus about weekly. In the winter you water all varieties less often.
5. Which easy house plants are not toxic for cats?
The spider plant, Pachira, Peperomia, Hoya carnosa, and Haworthia are not toxic for cats and dogs. Zamioculcas, Sansevieria, Monstera, Epipremnum, Ficus, Aloe vera, and Dracaena better keep out of reach.
6. Do I need to repot a new house plant immediately?
No, usually not. Let a new plant first get used to its spot for a few weeks and only repot in the spring, when the roots grow out of the bottom of the pot. Putting a decorative pot around it can be done immediately.
