Inexpensive, Low-Maintenance House Plants
As you may have noticed, indoor plant ownership is blooming right now. Many people choose to add them to their homes just for the aesthetic, but plants are actually a part of our wellness. They purify the air in your home and are proven to boost your mood and lower stress. Seems like a great deal from home décor, right? Here are low-maintenance indoor plants that add charm, life, and a pop of color to your living space.
Aloe vera, a succulent plant, does best in indirect sunlight and only needs to be watered every week or so when its soil is dry. You’ll find it at nurseries and even some grocery stores. The price depends on the size of the plant and the container it comes in, but it’s easy to find one between $10 to $20. It’s one of the best small indoor plants to buy, as you can use the gel in its leaves as a natural skin treatment.
The spider plant (chlorophytum comosum) is one of the most popular houseplants since it prefers shade and usually costs less than $10 at a nursery. It’s an evergreen perennial plant that grows to be about two feet tall, but if you have it hanging it will drape down a few feet. Highly adaptable, your spider plant only needs water when the soil is dry.
Monstera deliciosa is one of the most popular large indoor plants since it needs only a moderate water intake and indirect sunlight. It’s native to Central America and Mexico and is recognizable by its big, exotic leaves filled with holes. Please note that this plant has a toxicity that is harmful to some housepets, so it’s not suitable for every home.
The snake plant (dracaena trifasciata) needs medium light and only needs to be watered about once a month when the soil is completely dry. It has a soil pH of between 5.5 and 7.5 and is really good at helping to clean the air around them. The snake plant is from West Africa and is used to warm temperatures, so it shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You can pick one up for as little as $5 at a nursery.
The jade plant (crassula ovata) is a popular choice for décor because of its shiny, ovular leaves. It thrives with indirect sunlight, indoor temperatures, and needs to be watered every two or three weeks. You can find them for less than $10, which is quite a steal. They grow quite quickly, and you can often get more than one plant from just a single purchase. However, this plant is toxic to cats and dogs, so you need to be mindful of where you place it in your home.
Native to Central and South America, the philodendron is a leaf houseplant that can grow up to six feet long and features thick, waxy leaves. It does best in medium or bright indirect light and needs weekly or bi-weekly watering. Depending on the variety, you can get a philodendron for as little as $3 at a nursery.
With a slender, tree-like profile and thin spiky leaves, the tropical dragon plant (dracaena marginata) fits well in narrow spaces in your home. It prefers bright, indirect sunlight and only needs to be watered when its soil is completely dried out. You can buy this potted plant for as little as $15 depending on the size and container.
English ivy is a vine houseplant that does well in either indirect or direct light. It prefers moist soil, so you will need to regularly mist or water your plant in the drier months. Ivy is a climbing plant, so you can either let it drape down or climb up a lattice, which works well as décor. The average price of this plant starts at about $15.
Another member of the dracaena family is lucky bamboo (dracaena sanderiana), a houseplant that likes bright, indirect light and moist soil. It has thick leaves and upright stems that are often trimmed for Feng Shui purposes. Despite its name, it’s actually unrelated to the real bamboo plant, as lucky bamboo is a tropical plant. You can find these potted plants for as little as $15.
Adding a houseplant or two to your home is an easy way to add color and warmth to any home. Low-maintenance plants are an even better option since they require little care but still make your home inviting, cheerful, and beautiful. Best of all, all the plants on this list are budget-friendly and work with the space you have.
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