These Houseplants Make the Perfect Hostess Gift

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Adding a few indoor plants is one of the quickest ways to inject some personality, color, and feng shui vibes into your home. As far as design refreshes go, houseplants are much more affordable than a new throw blanket or accent chair. And beyond their invigorating energy and color, the best indoor plants have health benefits. Air-purifying plants can help filter harmful chemicals out of the air you and your family breathe, and being around plants can help lower your anxiety and stress levels.

You don't need to be a gardening pro or have an award-winning vegetable patch to keep indoor plants alive. There's a range of easy-to-care-for indoor plants that don't require an intensive maintenance plan or watering schedule. The absolute easiest to care for indoor plants are succulents (if your home gets a lot of sunlight) or beautiful trailing pothos plants (if it doesn't). If your house, apartment, or office gets practically zero natural light (we're looking at you, south-facing windows), that's okay. There are plenty of low-light indoor plants like ZZ plants and philodendrons that can thrive in whatever dim corner you put them in. Just pick the plant you think looks cute, and follow our simple care instructions.

Many plants actually grow better indoors than they do outdoors thanks to the controlled conditions. To help you start your houseplant collection, we've gathered 30 of the best indoor plants below along with their care level and tips to help them thrive.

Bird's Nest Fern

Care level: Easy

For a less finicky fern option, go with the bird's nest fern. This one has thick, glossy leaves that hold onto moisture and humidity longer than many other types of ferns—making it the least fussy of its kind. Give it bright indirect light, and water it only when the top few inches of soil feel dry.

Zebra Plant

Care level: Easy to Medium

A bite-sized succulent ideal for a windowsill, the zebra plant (Haworthia fasciata) is named for its striped leaves. Be sure to give this plant lots of bright indirect light and water every few weeks when it's totally dry. It's easy to overwater, so check the soil first to avoid root rot.

Majesty Palm

Care level: Easy

Excellent for an empty corner or a space that needs a little height, majesty palms are easy to care for and pet safe. Plus, they help to purify the air around them, making them great for spaces with limited air flow.

Prayer Plant 'Beauty Kim'

Care level: Easy

According to Rooted, this plant gets its nickname because the leaves fold up at night, which mimics the look of hands praying. This plant is low light friendly and ideal for plant beginners.

Monstera Swiss Cheese Plant

Care level: Medium

Named for its hole-filled leaves that result a slice of Swiss cheese, this voluminous plant develops large, glossy leaves with the right care routine. The best environment is in bright, indirect sunlight with a weekly watering.

Blue Star Fern

Care level: Easy

The lush foliage of this plant (Phlebodium aureum) prefers medium to bright indirect light, plenty of mist and humidity, and occasional watering. Because its full, feather-like leaves get longer as they grow, it looks best in a hanging planter.

Boston Fern

Care level: Intermediate

The only thing that levels the Boston fern up from easy is its love of steam. Because it thrives in low light and humidity, it makes a great bathroom plant. Hang it in a corner, allowing its dark green fronds to drape down, and water it regularly—but only once the soil has completely dried out.

Algerian Ivy

Care level: Easy

As with any trailing ivy, the primary maintenance for this stunning houseplant is pruning its fast-growing vines. Algerian ivy loves a lot of shade and consistent watering.

Tricolor Hoya 'Krimson Queen'

Care level: Easy

This waxy plant will grow trailing vines of white and green (and sometimes pink!) leaves. Pet friendly and nontoxic, it thrives in bright, indirect light with a watering every one to two weeks.

Corkscrew Rush

Care level: Intermediate

With leafless stems that look like literal corkscrews, this unusual houseplant (aka Juncus effusus 'Spiralis') loves moist soil and indirect light. It can even thrive in a low-light environment with the occasional use of a grow light to aid with photosynthesis. In the right conditions, it can grow up to three feet tall.

Olive Tree

Care level: Intermediate

Not just suited to the Mediterranean, an olive tree actually makes a great houseplant. It loves a warmer, sunny climate (but not too much direct sun or it will scorch) and plenty of humidity. Prune it seasonally to keep it looking fresh, and you'll enjoy it for years.

Golden Pothos

Care level: Easy

You'll love how the leaves of a golden pothos seem to glow when the light hits them. Pothos plants are fuss free: Keep yours in partial to bright indirect light, and water it when the soil is mostly dry. Pro tip: You can easily expand your plant family by propagating these from cuttings.

ZZ Plant

Care level: Easy

ZZ plants (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) require less water than many other plants. If you tend to neglect yours (rather than overwater them), you'll do well with it. It'll thrive in bright, indirect light, but it can also tolerate low light if you have a less-than-sunny spot you want to keep it in, according to Bloomscape.

Rubber Plant

Care level: Intermediate

The rubber plant requires bright, indirect light. You should water it only when the soil is dry. Rubber plants have the added benefit of being one of the best natural air cleaners out there. Place it near your favorite seating area to reap the benefits.

String of Pearls Succulent

Care level: Easy to Intermediate

You'll quickly have lengthy strands of pearls if you place this cute succulent in bright, indirect light and give it enough water to keep the soil steadily moist. It looks great in a hanging pot that allows the vines to cascade over the sides.

Chinese Money Plant

Care level: Intermediate

Bright, indirect sun is best for this plant, but be careful with watering: It requires a "drench-and-dry" approach (water it thoroughly, then let the soil dry out) along with weekly misting. The unusual round leaves make a dramatic impression, so it's best to keep the pot simple, like this display from The Joy of Plants.

Ficus Lyrata Bush

Care level: Easy

Place it in a corner to create a dramatic focal point. Water this plant only when the top inch of the soil is dry, but make sure it gets bright, indirect light.

Sweetheart Waxplant

Care level: Easy

This adorable little heart-shaped plant, also known as Hoya kerrii, can be sold as either a single leaf-cutting or an entire trailing plant. It's a succulent that needs very little care (according to The Sill, watering it every three to four weeks is ideal) and does best in bright, direct light. Consider it a perfect addition to your windowsill.

Anthurium

Care level: Intermediate

Known for its waxy, heart-shaped flowers with a prominent stamen in the center, this plant needs to be watered every one to two weeks and requires occasional fertilizing—so it's not exactly low maintenance, but it's not high maintenance, either.

Bird-of-Paradise

Care level: Intermediate

This tropical plant will prosper in a bright, sunny spot, but it can handle lower light levels too. You'll need to fertilize it often in the spring and summer, according to Bloomscape. Otherwise, it's fairly simple to handle so long as you don't overwater it.

Sansevieria

Care level: Easy

Indirect light is ideal for sansevieria or snake plants (also called mother-in-law's tongue) along with light waterings only after the soil has fully dried. Place it on a plant stand or in an elevated planted to add interest to an empty corner in your hall.

Watermelon Peperomia

Care level: Easy

Peperomia argyreia—also known as the watermelon peperomia or watermelon begonia—is a member of the Piperaceae plant family, which is native to northern South America. Despite its names, this plant actually has nothing to do with watermelons or begonias. It loves low to bright indirect light and can tolerate a missed watering but prefers to be well watered when the soil is half dry.

Begonia Maculata

Care level: Easy

Begonias need their soil to dry out completely between waterings. Oddly enough, this plant responds well even to fluorescent light, which makes it a perfect office plant.

Mystery Air Plant Box

Care level: Intermediate

These plants can grow anywhere (though bright, indirect light is best), but you need to soak them in water once a week for at least 10 minutes. Air plants the perfect addition to any terrarium or mini ecosystem. There are tons of different types of air plants, which is great if you like your indoor garden to have a little variety.

Peace Lily

Care level: Easy

This plant requires medium to low light and needs to be watered only when the top of the soil is dry. Juxtapose the organic shape of the leaves with a modern planter.

Philodendron 'Lickety Splitz'

Care level: Easy

Bright, indirect light and consistent moisture help a philodendron plant thrive. Be sure you have plenty of space to let its large leaves spread out; this one likes to sprawl rather than grow straight up.

Plumosus Asparagus Fern

Care level: Easy

Indirect light is best for this fern. You should also give it plenty of water, taking care not to oversaturate the soil. Hang the pot in a modern macramé holder or plant it in a woven basket for a boho feel.

Jade Plant

Care level: Easy

These plants require medium light for only a few hours every day and waterings every few days after the soil has completely dried. To help the deep green leaves with red tips on this plant pop, put it in a pot that's just as vibrant and striking.

Aloe Vera

Care level: Easy

Aloe vera loves the sun and requires water only once a week— let the soil dry completely in between. Put your plant in a tall pot that will help keep the leaves off the table.

Spider Plant

Care level: Easy

Occasional waterings and bright, indirect light make the spider plant one of the easiest around to care for. Show off its dramatic curved leaves in a hanging planter.

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