Right now, plants are in — and they're all over Instagram. Whether they're being planted outdoors in the garden, or, more and more frequently, inside the house, proud Plant Moms everywhere are showing off their collections online, and those of us who have never been much for growing things might be feeling a little left out these days. Who doesn't want a gorgeous plant collection? Don't worry: All hope is not lost!
Have you been accused of having a "black thumb," killing any and all plants under your care? Can you keep a kid alive but not a plant? We'll argue that plants are way easier than human children no matter how you slice it, but they can still come with plenty of challenges that are tough for those who aren't well versed in plant care. Fortunately, there are plenty of easier plants out there that are next to impossible to kill, and they look gorgeous, too.
If you can water a plant every so often and stick it somewhere that it will get the appropriate amount of light, you can keep these plants alive proudly. Some of them will even forgive you if you forget all about them for a few days!
Succulents
You'd be hard-pressed to find a plant more low maintenance than a succulent — and thankfully, they're trendy these days. In general, they only need to be watered once a week in the summer, twice a month in the spring, and once a month in the winter. Give them plenty of sun and some brief periods of shade, and that's it!
Aloe Vera
Not only is aloe vera a pretty plant to look at, but it's also useful — you can use the aloe to soothe burns and moisturize skin, after all. It's also easy to care for — once it's potted, the aloe vera can thrive in the temperature ranges of most houses with some water and indirect sunlight.
English Ivy
Dreaming of a leafy plant beautifully overtaking a bookshelf? Then step right up, because English ivy is for you! It won't require a lot of constant maintenance, especially as long as you're able to put it in a place where it will receive plenty of bright light.
Snake Plant
Don't worry — even though this one's called a snake plant, it's definitely not as scary as some people find snakes to be! It just needs a little water and indirect sunlight, and it's even known to escape problems with insects that many other plants might fall victim to.
Rubber Plant
A rubber plants — or Ficus elastica — has big, strong leaves and will look nice in just about any home — and it's an easy plant for beginners to start off with. In the summer, its soil should be kept moist (a spray bottle is helpful for this) and it only needs to be watered about once a month the rest of the year.
Chinese Evergreen
A plant with such beautiful leaves must be complicated to care for, right? Wrong! The Chinese evergreen can survive in low lighting and otherwise just needs to be kept watered around most of the year — and it only needs to be repotted every couple of years.
Pothos
Want an impressive looking plant that will delightfully take over your shelves? This one could be a winner! Check out the pothos (which is also known as Devil's ivy) — it grows quickly, doesn't require direct sunlight, and can even survive being neglected here and there.
Bamboo Palm
Looking for a low-maintenance plant that will get big enough to resemble a tree? Check out the bamboo palm, then! It doesn't need a ton of sunlight and can be kept at a normal room temperature between 65 and 80 degrees, and though it will require a little bit of pruning, it only needs to be watered when the soil is dry.
Cast-Iron Plant
The cast-iron plant — otherwise known as Aspidistra elatior or a bar room plant — is a hardy little guy who can survive being totally ignored (though obviously, if you can remember to care for it — a little water might be nice!). Best of all, it remains mostly untouched by disease and insect issues.
Yucca
As far as indoor plants go, the yucca is definitely among the easiest. It can survive in most lighting, is easy to propagate, and according to Apartment Therapy, basically the only way to truly kill a yucca is by overwatering it (which usually isn't a problem for those of us who tend to forget we actually have plants).
Peace Lily
If you're looking for an easy to care for plant that also flowers, try a peace lily! It does require pretty consistent watering (and should be kept out of reach of pets and small children for their safety), but otherwise, it doesn't need to be fertilized all that often.
Weeping Fig
This plant is easy to take care for and is striking in appearance — almost like a mini tree in your house! The weeping fig (which is also known as Ficus benjamina) needs indirect sunlight and to be kept moist, but not too moist. It can also improve the air quality in the room!
Philodendron
One of the best parts of caring for a philodendron? How little care it actually needs! It's known for adapting quickly to its environment (including the inside of your house), and just needs to be watered often enough to let the top inch of soil dry before watering again.
Air Plants
These hanging plants are so cool looking and low maintenance at the same time. When it comes to caring for air plants, which need indirect bright light and like to be soaked every week or two (and kept moist by misting the rest of the time). Just be sure not to overwater them!
Lamb's Ear
The lamb's ear plant (scientific name Stachys byzantina) got its name from the fuzzy, ear-shaped leaves on it, making it a hit with kids who like to feel how soft the leaves are. It's the perfect low-maintenance outdoor plant — it usually remains safe from animals and is hard to kill.
Juniper
Here's another pretty, easy-to-grow and care for plant for the outdoors! Consider getting a juniper shrub — it barely needs any pruning, will adapt to almost any soil and environment, and doesn't require much watering, if any. It doesn't get much simpler than this.
Zanzibar Gem
Here's another low-maintenance plant that starts with the letter Z! A Zanzibar gem plant just needs a good amount of light and to be watered every couple of weeks or so — we're not sure it gets much simpler than that to take care of a living thing! It is considered a "drought-tolerant" plant, after all.
Monstera
Wanting to make a major impact with your next houseplant purchase? Look no further than the monstera, which is also known as a Swiss cheese plant for the holes in its leaves. As long as it has bright, indirect light and is kept moist, this plant will thrive (and can grow to be pretty huge).
