Last modified on May 3rd, 2022 at 9:02 am

A Guide to the 10 Best Plants For Growing Indoors

There have been many studies, including one from NASA, that have shown indoor plants have many benefits for their human counterparts.  They clean the air, reduce stress, add humidity and boost your mood.

We have compiled a list of 10 plants that would be great for anyone from a beginner to an expert who is familiar with tending to indoor plants.

1. Succulent Plants Fully Rooted in Planter Pots with Soil

This five pack of plants would be a great way to add some beauty to your space, whether that is at home or work.  Succulents are plants that store water in their leaves. 

Succulents are good for beginners, as they are more forgiving if you forget to water them.  They will do well in a pot by themselves, or if several are placed together in a larger pot.

These plants do not need fertilizer, but prefer less humidity and to be kept from freezing temperatures.  Other than watering them, they will not require more than your admiring glances.

I have some of these in my home, and love to put them singly in areas that need a little color. I have them on a window sill, on a bookshelf and in my home office on the desk by the computer. It is nice to have a little bit of something that is green and growing to keep me company while I am hard at work.

Succulent Plants (5 Pack) Fully Rooted in Planter Pots with Soil

This set of five succulents are grown at a family owned Florida greenhouse free from pesticides.  Even better, each order from Plants for Pets helps to find homes for pets at risk of euthanasia in their home city of Indianapolis.

These unique plants will be fully rooted and come in two inch pots and will be a variety.   The nursery stock is rotated often, so the exact species that will be sent changes every week.

They do not require fertilizer and will come with instructions on their care, which is minimal. Use your imagination when displaying these little wonders; put in a wall mount, a live wreath or in a terrarium.

Care Instructions

  • Water once a week
  • Don’t allow their roots to sit in water
  • Light, either sun or indoor lighting, needed about 6 hours daily.

Check Current Price

2. Costa Farms Sansevieria Cylindrica Succulent-Like Live Indoor Plant

These plants, also known as African spears or cylindrical snake plants, are another easy to grow plant that is very tolerant of humans that are less than attentive.   They have an interesting look, with their round stems, they look like pencils growing out of their pot.

While they like bright, filtered light, they will acclimate themselves to being in areas of low light and will just grow at a slower rate in less light situations.

While you won’t need to water this planet every week, they do like to live in pots that are well-drained.  Like most succulents, they don’t like their “feet” being wet.

So don’t let their roots sit in water or they will begin to rot.  The best way to water is to water the pot fully and let it dry down before watering again.

Sansevieria is popular for desk tops or pretty much anywhere in your home. It has a unique appearance, and once it has grown larger, will make a nice floor plant.

Costa Farms Sansevieria Cylindrica Succulent-Like Live Indoor Plant

Grown by Costa Farms horticultural experts, each of these four snake plants is shipped in a grower pot. The snake plants that are about six inches tall, measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant.

This selection will be different variations and may be different shades of green, which will make for a nice variety. They will be in premium soil with a slow release fertilizer.

Care Instructions

  • Prefers bright, filtered light, but will do well in low light areas, too
  • Water every other week
  • Likes temperatures above 50 degrees.

3. Costa Farms Peace Lily Spathiphyllum

Called Spathiphyllum, Peace Lily or White Sail plant, this is one of the most popular plants that people grow indoors.  First discovered in the Columbain jungle in 1824 by Gustav Wallis, the Peace lily is not actually a member of the lily family.  It is a member of the Araceae family, but regardless, it is an easy to grow, resilient indoor plant.

The Peace Lily also has a claim to fame in that NASA has put it on its list of “Top Ten Household Air Cleaning Plants.”  The Peace Lily takes toxins, such as benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia out of the air all while looking great!

The plant will bloom in spring with long-lasting flowers that grow on stalks above the glossy, oval leaves.  They will bloom about twice in a year, which will give you several months of flowers.

You would think that a flowering plant might not do well in low light areas, but these plants will do fine. They actually prefer not to be in direct sunlight, as their leaves will yellow and fall off if they are in the sunlight for too long.

Costa Farms Lily Spathiphyllium

The plant that you receive will be anywhere from 32 – 36 inches, measuring from the bottom of the pot.

The majority of these Peace Lilies will ship with white blooms.  However, if the bud has not blossomed, allow a few weeks for the flowers to show on the plant.

Care Instructions

  • Prefers light, partial shade
  • Water once a week. If the plant is drooping, it needs water
  • Likes temperatures between 65 and 86 degrees

4. Costa Farms Aloe Vera Live Indoor House Plant

The Aloe Vera is an evergreen perennial that originates from the Arabian peninsula.  Known for its topical medicinal benefits, it is also grown for decorative purposes, and is easily grown as an indoor plant.

The Aloe has thick, textured leaves that contain a gel popular for putting on small burns or on a sunburn. The manufacturing of aloe vera extracts has become one of the largest botanical industries in the world. 

One of these plants will do a good job of adding a bit of green life to a window sill or desktop.  Another easy to grow succulent, there is not much work involved in caring for an aloe.

Costa Farms Aloe Live Indoor Plant

The Aloe Vera will come in a growers pot and will be about 10 inches, measuring about 10 inches from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant.  The soil will be premium grade with a slow release fertilizer added.

The plant is green with white speckling on thick, toothed leaves.  It will be a great addition to home or office and fit in with any decor.

Care Instructions

  • Loves bright, natural light
  • Water thoroughly every 2 to 3 weeks
  • Temps between 60 and 80 degrees are the best

5. Costa Farms Cat Palm

Cat Palms are a pretty, feathery type of palm.   These plants grow slowly, and will reach a height of four to six feet. It produces glossy, dark green leaves on thin shoots.

Again, these are  beautiful plants but they can require more attention.  The plant does best in a tropical environment.  It also likes a lot of water, but does not want to be soggy.  Humidity is important to the plant, and if you have a room humidifier, it would be a good idea to run it in the same room as the plant.

Costa Farms Aloe Live Indoor Plant

This palm will come planted in a 9.25 inch growers pot.  The plant will be a minimum of 32 inches, measuring from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant.

Grown in premium soil with a slow release fertilizer, Cat Palms have been shown to help clear indoor air of pollutants, while adding beauty to your area.

Care Instructions

  • Needs bright, indirect light but no direct sun
  • Keep moist, but not soggy, at all times
  • Keep at temps between 70 – 80 degrees during the day, and no lower than 50 at night

6. American Plant Exchange English Ivy Baltic Trailing Vine

The Baltic Ivy is one of the many varieties of English Ivy.  It is native to the woodlands around Latvia and was introduced into the United States in 1907.  It’s leaves are heart-shaped and have white veins.

Growing an ivy is easy.  Just provide what the plant needs, like bright light and water, and the plant is fairly fast growing.

An ivy does really well in a pot or basket, when it is placed where its trailing vines can hang down.  Think on top of a filing cabinet or a shelf.  I have seen them hung in a window with the vines growing along the curtain rod, too, as they will also climb.

American Plant Exchange English Ivy Baltic Trailing Vine

The foliage of the Baltic Ivy is smaller and more compact than traditional English Ivy.  The Baltic Ivy has a classically tasteful look and your plant will come in a six inch growers pot.

The Ivy can be trained into various shapes, and will also help to purify the air around it.

Care Instructions

  • Likes bright, indirect light
  • Water when soil is dry to the touch on top
  • Likes temps between 50 and 70 degrees

7. Costa Farms Raven ZZ

There are green-hued varieties of the ZZ plant, but this is a new variety of the tropical plant. 

The Raven ZZ was chosen Best New Plant at the Tropical Plant International Expo (TPIE) in 2018.  The TPIE is an event that showcases the latest trends in foliage, floral and tropicals.  

It is one of the easiest indoor plants to grow, whether you are new to owning a plant or if you are busy and need a plant that needs little attention. 

The Raven ZZ is tolerant to a variety of types of light.  From low light to bright light, which makes it a great candidate for an office, or even a bathroom setting.

While it is a slow grower, it will get up to about 30 inches over a period of several years. If you water the ZZ plant on a regular basis and place it in a bright spot, it will grow a bit faster.

 This plant has an interesting root system.  There are potato-like rhizomes (an underground stem) that are above the soil.  These rhizomes store water in between waterings.  It is important that you do not overwater this plant, but let the soil dry out before watering.

Costa Farms Raven ZZ

The Raven ZZ will be a great contrast to other houseplants. It has wide, fleshy leaves that grow out of thick stems.  These stems usually grow upwards, with the leaves being very shiny and glossy.

It features bright green new growth that will mature into a rich, purple-black foliage.  It will contrast well with other indoor plants.

Your Costa Farms Raven ZZ will ship in a grower pot that is 6 inches. The plant itself will be between 12 and 14 inches when measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant.

Care Instructions

  • Likes temps between 60 to 75 degrees, but will do well in warmer temps too. Lower temps, that fall below 50 degrees, are not well tolerated
  • Water once every other week, or when soil dries out
  • Prefers bright, indirect light, but will tolerate low light also

8. Tricolor Stromanthe Easy-to-Grow Live Prayer Plant

The Prayer plant was named for Bartolomeo Maranta who was an Italian physician and botanist during the sixteenth century.   The plant is native to Brazillion tropical forests.

The plant’s common name comes from it’s habit of laying flat during the day and then towards evening, the leaves turn upwards, as if in prayer.

It is a beautiful plant that has leaves that are variegated green and white on the top with the underside a brilliant reddish-pink.

While the Prayer plant is a fairly common indoor plant, it is not as easy to grow as some, and has specific requirements to keep it happy and healthy.

The plant likes to be evenly moist, not too wet or too dry, and prefers a misting each day.  As this colorful plant originated in the tropics, it does better in warmer temps and bright, indirect light.

Tricolor Stromanthe Easy-to-Grow Live Prayer Plant

The plant will come in an eight inch pot.  It will have top leaves that are green and white with undersides of reddish pink.

The Stromanthe is related to the maranta family and its leaves will fold upwards at night.  As these plants are beautiful and colorful, they make an impressive gift.

They are a great statement piece on a shelf, office desk or an accent table.

Care Instructions

  • Likes bright, indirect light. No direct sun
  • Keep evenly moist, not too wet, but do not allow it to dry out. Mist daily
  • Likes humidity and temps between 60 to 80 degrees

9. Costa Farms Clean Air 4-Pack 02

This is a great way to get started with a handpicked collection of plants that will help clean the air where they are placed, and look good while doing so.

The variety will make a nice display, or gift one or two to a friend.  Either way, these plants are sure to brighten up any area they are placed in.

Studies have shown that not only do plants help clean the air of pollutants, they help to elevate your mood, as they are stress relievers.  They are a living form of company that flourish under your care and add beauty to your home or office.

Costa Farms Clean Air-O2

This Clean Air plant collection will include four plants that come in a lightweight, four inch growers pot.  The pots are made from recycled material and will have holes to promote drainage.

The collection will contain any four of the following varieties:  Peace Lily, Fern, Snake plant, Devil’s ivy, Parlor Palm, Dieffenbachia, Marginata or Peperomia.

These particular plants are known to be the most efficient plants for filtering pollutants in the air, according to NASA studies.  These plants will help provide clean air in your office or home.

The heights of the various four plants will vary from ten to fifteen inches when measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant.  The Peace Lily will not have blooms at the time of arrival, but will develop blooms within a few weeks.

Care Instructions

  • The general rule of thumb is to provide indirect light and water weekly
  • As the 4 varieties you receive will differ, please check online for specific care instructions for the type of plants that you get

10. American Plant Exchange Monstera Adansonii Swiss Cheese Plant

The Monstera, or Swiss Cheese plant, is a tropical philodendron.  It is called the Swiss cheese plant because, as it grows, the leaves develop splits, or holes,  in the leaves.

The plants are thick stemmed vines that do require support in the form a stake in the pot. The plant has green, glossy leaves that are heart-shaped, and are similar to a palm tree.

The Swiss cheese vine plant prefers full light, but will adapt to partial shade.  It also prefers moist soil that is well-drained and grows best when it is kept warm and in a high humidity area.

American Plant Exchange Monstera Adansonii Swiss Cheese Live Plant

Your Monstera Swiss Cheese plant will come in a six inch pot.  This plant will be smaller in size than the Monstera deliciosa, which makes it perfect for smaller spaces.

The narrow leaves will have large oval shaped holes in them. Native to the rainforests in South America, botanists believe that the holes in the leaves would have helped the plant to stand up to high winds.  The holes would also have allowed light and rain to pass through to the lower parts of the plant.

This Swiss cheese vines is a climber, and will climb when it is provided a stake or a trellis.  It does well, too, when the vines are allowed to hang down the sides of the pots.

Care Instructions

  • Likes bright, but indirect light
  • Let soil become dry to touch between waterings
  • Prefers temps between 65 to 80 degrees. Does not like temps under 50 degrees

CONCLUSION

In my experience, plants have a calming, soothing effect.  They bring a bit of color to wherever they are placed, and add style to any living area.

Plants require a limited amount of care, while contributing to our well-being by cleaning the air of pollutants.  It is well worth it to select one or two foliage friends to share your space.