108 Hard-to-kill houseplants for beginners 💪
New to houseplants and worried you will kill them? Start here. These are the plants whose own care notes describe them as forgiving, low-maintenance or hard to kill - the ones that put up with a missed watering and average light while you find your rhythm. Anything fussy or temperamental is deliberately left off.
Even tough plants have one weakness, and it is almost always overwatering. When in doubt, wait a few more days before you reach for the watering can.
Agave
Agaves are bold, architectural succulents that form dramatic rosettes of thick, pointed leaves…
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is the houseplant that earns its keep.
Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podophyllum)
The Arrowhead Plant - also sold as the "Goosefoot Plant" or simply Syngonium - is one of the…
Asparagus Fern
The asparagus fern looks feathery and fern-like but is actually a member of the asparagus…
Autumn Fern
The autumn fern flips the fern colour script - new fronds emerge coppery-bronze and pink before…
Baby Rubber Plant Peperomia
The Baby Rubber Plant Peperomia (Peperomia obtusifolia) is a compact, semi-succulent foliage…
Bear's Paw
Bear's paw is an irresistibly cute succulent whose chunky, fuzzy leaves are tipped with rows of…
Beefsteak Begonia
The Beefsteak Begonia is an old-fashioned rhizomatous begonia grown for its round, glossy…
Beetle Peperomia
Beetle Peperomia is a compact, trailing epiphyte prized for its small, glossy leaves marked…
Bunny Ears Cactus
The bunny ears cactus is a charming small opuntia whose flat, oval pads sprout in pairs like a…
Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)
The Burro's Tail - Sedum morganianum, also known as the donkey's tail - is a trailing succulent…
Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
The Cast Iron Plant earned its name honestly: it is famous as the toughest, most indestructible…
Cattleya Orchid
Cattleya is the corsage orchid - the ruffled, perfumed queen that defined 'orchid' for a…
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
The Chinese Evergreen is one of the best plants for people who want color and easy care at the…
Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides)
The Chinese Money Plant is the friendly, quirky houseplant that became an internet sensation.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
The Christmas Cactus is a beloved heirloom houseplant - the one that bursts into vivid, exotic…
Coffee Plant (Coffea arabica)
The Coffee Plant is the houseplant behind your morning cup - a glossy, attractive, surprisingly…
Crassula Perforata (String of Buttons)
Crassula perforata - the "String of Buttons" - is a charming, easy-going succulent whose small…
Cretan Brake Fern
The Cretan brake fern is the easygoing table fern - upright, ribbon-like fronds (often with a…
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
The Crown of Thorns is a tough, sun-loving succulent shrub that does something remarkable: it…
Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane)
The Dieffenbachia is a bold, fast-growing foliage plant with large, dramatic leaves splashed…
Echeveria
Echeveria is the quintessential rosette succulent - the plump, symmetrical, flower-like rosette…
Echinopsis (Sea-Urchin Cactus)
Echinopsis cacti are small, globular desert cacti famous for a spectacular disappearing act…
Epidendrum (Reed-Stem Orchid)
Reed-stem epidendrums are the everblooming garden orchids - cane-stemmed sun-lovers topped with…
Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus)
The Epiphyllum - commonly called the Orchid Cactus - is a jungle cactus that breaks all the…
Euphorbia Trigona (African Milk Tree)
The African Milk Tree, Euphorbia trigona, is a bold, architectural houseplant that looks…
Fairy Castle Cactus
The fairy castle cactus is a charming, slow-growing cactus that branches into a cluster of…
Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger)
The Fishbone Cactus - Epiphyllum anguliger - is a trailing jungle cactus grown above all for…
Fishhook Barrel Cactus
The fishhook barrel is a big, ribbed desert globe armed with fierce, hooked red spines that…
Foxtail Fern
The foxtail fern grows dense, upright, plume-like fronds that really do look like bushy fox…
Gasteria (Ox Tongue)
Gasteria is a small, tough, slow-growing succulent from South Africa, best known for its thick…
Ghost Plant
The ghost plant is an easy, fast-growing rosette succulent in soft, ghostly shades of pale…
Golden Barrel Cactus
The golden barrel is a plump, globe-shaped cactus wrapped in dense golden-yellow spines, one of…
Gollum Jade
Gollum jade is a quirky cultivar of the classic jade plant whose leaves have rolled into…
Gymnocalycium (Chin Cactus)
Gymnocalyciums are rounded, easy-going desert cacti named for their smooth, spineless flower…
Gynura (Purple Passion Plant)
The Purple Passion Plant (Gynura aurantiaca) is one of those houseplants that people fall for…
Haworthia (Zebra Plant & Window Plants)
Haworthia is the small, tough, charming succulent that fits almost anywhere - a desk, a…
Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)
The Heartleaf Philodendron is, for many growers, the single easiest trailing houseplant in…
Holly Fern
The holly fern breaks every fern rule - glossy, stiff, holly-shaped leaflets on tough fronds…
Homalomena (Queen of Hearts)
The Homalomena - sometimes sold as "Queen of Hearts" - is one of those quietly excellent…
Hoya (Wax Plant)
The Hoya, or Wax Plant, is a long-lived, easy-going trailing and climbing plant beloved for two…
Hoya Australis
Hoya australis is Australia's contribution to the windowsill - a glossy, round-leafed…
Hoya Kerrii (Sweetheart Hoya)
Hoya kerrii is the valentine of the plant world - thick, perfectly heart-shaped leaves sold by…
Hoya Obovata
Hoya obovata is the coin-leaf hoya - big, round, thick pancakes of deep green freckled with…
Hoya Pubicalyx
Hoya pubicalyx is the fast one - the hoya that actually grows while you watch, flinging out…
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
The Jade Plant is a small, sturdy succulent tree that can become a lifelong companion - often…
Jelly Bean Plant
The jelly bean plant, or 'pork and beans', is a cheerful little sedum whose plump, bean-shaped…
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
The Flaming Katy Kalanchoe is the cheerful, easy succulent that you buy already bursting with…
Kangaroo Paw Fern
The kangaroo paw fern has fronds shaped like a kangaroo's foot - broad, irregularly-lobed…
Korean Rock Fern
The Korean rock fern is a compact, dark, finely-cut evergreen fern with stiff, holly-adjacent…
Ladyfinger Cactus
The ladyfinger cactus is a neat, easy mammillaria that forms clusters of slender, upright…
Lemon Button Fern
The lemon button fern is a petite, well-behaved cousin of the Boston fern - upright fronds of…
Money Tree (Pachira aquatica)
The Money Tree is the houseplant of good fortune - instantly recognizable by its distinctive…
Monstera Deliciosa (Swiss Cheese Plant)
The Monstera Deliciosa - the "Swiss Cheese Plant" - is the single most recognizable houseplant…
Monstera Siltepecana (Silver Monstera)
Monstera siltepecana - the "Silver Monstera" - is one of the most rewarding aroids for someone…
Moon Cactus
The moon cactus is the eye-catching, brightly coloured little cactus you see topped with a ball…
Moonstones
Moonstones is a slow, plump rosette succulent whose fat, egg-shaped leaves come in dreamy…
Old Man Cactus
The old man cactus is an unmistakable columnar cactus draped in long, shaggy white hairs, like…
Oxalis (False Shamrock / Purple Shamrock)
Oxalis triangularis - the "False Shamrock" or "Purple Shamrock" - is one of the most charming…
Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
The Parlor Palm is the easy, elegant, pet-safe palm that has been gracing indoor rooms since…
Parodia (Ball Cactus)
Parodias, or ball cacti, are neat, globular desert cacti that ring their crowns with cheerful…
Peanut Cactus
The peanut cactus is a small, fast-clustering cactus whose finger-like stems really do look…
Peperomia
Peperomia is not one plant but a huge, wonderfully varied family of compact, easy, pet-safe…
Peperomia Frost
Peperomia Frost is a compact, semi-succulent foliage plant prized for its shimmering…
Peperomia Ginny
Peperomia Ginny is a compact, semi-succulent foliage plant prized for its rounded leaves edged…
Peperomia Maculosa
Peperomia Maculosa is a semi-succulent tropical foliage plant prized by collectors for its…
Peperomia Rosso
Peperomia Rosso is a compact, semi-succulent foliage plant prized for its deeply textured…
Phalaenopsis Orchid (Moth Orchid)
The Phalaenopsis, or Moth Orchid, is the orchid for everyone.
Philodendron Birkin
The Philodendron Birkin is one of the most elegant and popular of the modern "designer"…
Philodendron Brasil (Philodendron hederaceum 'Brasil')
The Philodendron Brasil is a trailing heartleaf philodendron whose glossy green leaves come…
Philodendron Mccolley Finale
Philodendron 'McColley's Finale' is a compact, self-heading hybrid grown for its dramatic…
Philodendron Micans (Philodendron hederaceum var. hederaceum)
The Philodendron Micans - Philodendron hederaceum var. hederaceum - is the velvet-leaf form of…
Philodendron Moonlight
Philodendron Moonlight is a compact, self-heading hybrid prized for its electric chartreuse new…
Philodendron Prince of Orange
Philodendron Prince of Orange is a self-heading hybrid prized for new leaves that unfurl a…
Philodendron Silver Sword
The Silver Sword is a climbing aroid prized for arrow-shaped leaves that carry a cool, metallic…
Philodendron Tortum
Philodendron Tortum is a collector aroid prized for its skeletal, feathery leaves that look…
Pincushion Cactus
Pincushion cacti (Mammillaria) are small, rounded, easy-going desert cacti that reliably ring…
Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
The Polka Dot Plant is pure cheerful color - a small, bushy houseplant whose green leaves are…
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
The Ponytail Palm is one of the most charming and characterful houseplants there is - a…
Portulacaria Afra (Dwarf Jade / Elephant Bush)
Portulacaria afra - known as Dwarf Jade or Elephant Bush - is a fast-growing, bushy succulent…
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum / Devil's Ivy)
Pothos is the friendliest trailing vine in the houseplant world - fast, forgiving, beautiful…
Rabbit's Foot Fern (Davallia fejeensis)
The Rabbit's Foot Fern - Davallia fejeensis - is a delicate, lacy fern grown for two things…
Raindrop Peperomia
Raindrop Peperomia is a compact, semi-succulent foliage plant loved for its glossy…
Rebutia (Crown Cactus)
Rebutias are tiny, clustering desert cacti that flower so freely and so young that a small pot…
Rhipsalis (Mistletoe Cactus)
Rhipsalis - the "Mistletoe Cactus" - is a cactus that breaks all the rules you think you know…
Ripple Peperomia
Ripple Peperomia is a compact, semi-succulent houseplant prized for its deeply corrugated…
Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)
The Satin Pothos - sometimes sold as "Silver Pothos" or "Silk Pothos" - is one of those plants…
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant)
The Schefflera, or Umbrella Plant, is a classic, easy indoor tree - fast-growing, glossy, and…
Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks)
Sempervivums, or hens and chicks, are tough little rosette succulents that multiply into tidy…
Snake Plant (Sansevieria / Dracaena trifasciata)
The Snake Plant is the plant for people who think they cannot keep plants alive.
Spathoglottis (Ground Orchid)
Spathoglottis is the flowerbed orchid - a true terrestrial with pleated palm-like leaves and…
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The Spider Plant is the cheerful, generous, almost foolproof classic of the houseplant world.
String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
The String of Hearts is one of the most delicate and romantic of all trailing houseplants…
String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus / Curio rowleyanus)
String of Pearls is one of the most distinctive and photogenic of all houseplants - long…
String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)
The String of Turtles - Peperomia prostrata - is a delicate, slow-growing trailing plant grown…
Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)
Swedish Ivy - Plectranthus verticillatus - is one of the easiest and fastest trailing…
Tiger Jaws
Tiger jaws is a small, characterful succulent whose fat triangular leaves are edged with soft…
Tillandsia Aeranthos
Tillandsia aeranthos is a hardy, clump-forming air plant that lives entirely without soil…
Tillandsia Brachycaulos
Tillandsia Brachycaulos is a soft-leaved epiphytic air plant that grows without soil, drawing…
Tillandsia Harrisii
Tillandsia Harrisii is a soft, silvery air plant prized for its velvety fuzz and graceful…
Tillandsia Ionantha
Tillandsia Ionantha is one of the most popular air plants in the world, a tiny soil-free…
Tillandsia Stricta
Tillandsia Stricta (Tillandsia stricta) is one of the most popular and forgiving air plants, a…
Tradescantia (Inch Plant / Wandering Dude)
Tradescantia is the fast, lush, colorful trailing plant that fills a hanging pot almost before…
Watch Chain Plant (Crassula muscosa)
The watch chain plant is a curious crassula whose tiny, scale-like leaves stack so tightly…
Watermelon Peperomia (Peperomia argyreia)
The Watermelon Peperomia - Peperomia argyreia - is a small, compact South American houseplant…
Yucca (Yucca elephantipes)
The indoor Yucca is the tough, architectural, low-effort statement plant - a sturdy woody trunk…
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
The ZZ Plant is the houseplant for the darkest, most neglected corner of your home.
ZZ Raven (Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Raven')
The ZZ Raven is the dramatic dark cousin of the classic ZZ Plant - a striking cultivar whose…
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Choosing a plant for a home with pets? Our table of plants toxic to cats and dogs shows what every profile says - and the reference behind it is the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.