Long before I became a mom to my son, I was a plant mom.
I hope you’re not thinking “crazy plant mom” like “crazy cat lady.” But I enjoy being a mom to my (mostly) content household plants — they’re one of the few constant bright spots in this uncertain world! I do enjoy outdoor gardening, but it’s so nice to have the year-long comfort that comes with indoor plants. I admire them in my bay window daily and instantly feel a sense of peace. Not to mention there are health benefits to owning indoor plants, such as cleaner air to breathe.
Perhaps you already know the joy of being a plant mom. If you are not yet a plant mom, or if you’re a newbie plant mom, I truly believe plants will bring you great comfort. If you’d like to own plants but are not sure where to start, below are a few varieties that are super easy to have in your house. Trust me when I say you cannot kill these houseplants!
Snake plant (sansevieria)
These plants are low maintenance (unlike your children). They require very little, and in the winter can actually go a month or two without water! Doesn’t get much easier than that. They can take bright light or low light, and the tall ones look beautiful in planters on the floor.
Christmas cactus (schlumbergera)
I have a few of these, and the flowers come back each winter after I’ve done absolutely nothing to them all year besides water them every two or three weeks (and add an occasional fertilizer). Make sure your pot has a draining hole, and water it a bit more frequently than the snake plant. Otherwise, no special care is required!
Pothos (epipremnum aureum)
This is the absolute rookie, easy houseplant for new plant moms. Pothos grow quite a bit, but unlike your actual children, you can give them a trim and they won’t look horrible afterward. (Side note: I learned the hard way that I should not trim my son’s hair.) This beauty will thrive in bright or low light, and once you trim some of the stems you can root them in water and start a new plant!
Chinese money plant (pilea peperomioide)
This is a fairly new variety to my home that I discovered recently at Mahoney’s. I wasn’t sure how difficult it would be to care for this plant, but so far, so good! It’s a beautiful plant with round leaves and can be propagated to grow more plants for your own home (or to share as a nice gift). It’s a beautiful conversation piece, too!
ZZ plant (zamioculcas zamiifolia)
Talk about low maintenance! The ZZ plant has shiny green leaves and thick stems, and below the soil are large potato-like rhizomes. The rhizomes store water, meaning the ZZ is hardy and quite drought-tolerant — you can get away with only watering this easy houseplant every few weeks. This one is also easy to cut and propagate when you’re ready to grow your collection!
This article was written in 2021 and has been updated for 2024!
