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Easy houseplants for beginners

34 plants. Forgiving plants that tolerate the odd missed watering and don't need fussy conditions — a sensible place to start if you've lost a few before. None ask for more than a reasonable spot and an occasional drink.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is an easy, drought-tolerant succulent that wants bright light and very little water. Note it is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, despite the gel’s use on human skin.

Bright light Easy
Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium)

Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium)

The arrowhead plant is an easy, fast-growing vine with arrow-shaped leaves in green, pink, and variegated forms. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Medium light Easy
Bunny Ear Cactus

Bunny Ear Cactus

The bunny ear cactus is a spineless-looking Opuntia whose flat pads sprout in pairs like ears. It is not chemically poisonous, but its dense tufts of tiny barbed glochids detach at a touch and lodge painfully in skin — a poor choice around curious pets or small children.

Bright light Easy Pet-safe
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)

Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)

The Chinese evergreen is an easy, low-light foliage plant with patterned silver, green, or pink leaves. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Low light Easy
Chinese Money Plant (Pilea)

Chinese Money Plant (Pilea)

Pilea is a tidy, pet-friendly plant with round coin-shaped leaves that readily produces offshoot "pups" to share. Easy and compact for small spaces.

Medium light Easy Pet-safe
Christmas Cactus

Christmas Cactus

The Christmas cactus is a pet-safe, easy-flowering jungle cactus that blooms in pink, red, or white around the winter holidays. Unlike desert cacti, it has no spines and wants more regular water.

Medium light Easy Pet-safe
Coleus

Coleus

Coleus is grown for its vivid patterned leaves in shades of red, pink, lime and burgundy, and it is fast and easy from cuttings. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Bright light Easy
Corn Plant

Corn Plant

The corn plant is a tough, upright foliage plant with arching strap-like leaves that tolerates low light and irregular care. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Low light Easy
Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata)

Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata)

The dragon tree is a tough, upright foliage plant with thin spiky leaves on slender canes. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Medium light Easy
Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia)

Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia)

Dumb cane is an easy, fast-growing foliage plant with large green-and-cream leaves. It is toxic to cats and dogs, and its sap can irritate human skin and mouth.

Medium light Easy
Golden Barrel Cactus

Golden Barrel Cactus

The golden barrel is a classic round, ribbed cactus that asks for bright light and almost no water. It is not chemically toxic, but its stiff spines can injure pets and people.

Bright light Easy Pet-safe
Heartleaf Philodendron

Heartleaf Philodendron

Heartleaf philodendron is a forgiving trailing vine that tolerates low light and looks similar to pothos. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Low light Easy
Hens and Chicks

Hens and Chicks

Hens and chicks is a hardy rosette succulent that clusters into a "hen" surrounded by offset "chicks." It is generally considered pet-safe and tolerates a lot of neglect.

Bright light Easy Pet-safe
Hoya (Wax Plant)

Hoya (Wax Plant)

The wax plant is an easy, long-lived trailing vine with thick waxy leaves and clusters of star-shaped scented flowers. It is generally considered pet-safe.

Bright light Easy Pet-safe
Inch Plant (Wandering Dude)

Inch Plant (Wandering Dude)

The inch plant is a fast, easy trailing plant with striped purple-and-silver leaves that roots from almost any cutting. Note that its sap can irritate the skin of pets and people.

Bright light Easy
Jade Plant

Jade Plant

The jade plant is a long-lived, tree-like succulent that stores water in its plump leaves and needs little fuss. It is toxic to pets if chewed.

Bright light Easy
Kalanchoe (Florist Kalanchoe)

Kalanchoe (Florist Kalanchoe)

Florist kalanchoe is an easy succulent grown for its long-lasting clusters of small bright flowers. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Bright light Easy
Monstera (Swiss Cheese Plant)

Monstera (Swiss Cheese Plant)

Monstera is a forgiving, fast-growing climber whose split leaves make it a popular statement plant. Note that it is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Medium light Easy
Panda Plant

Panda Plant

The panda plant is a fuzzy succulent with felted silver leaves edged in brown "stitches." As a Kalanchoe, it is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Bright light Easy
Parlor Palm

Parlor Palm

The parlor palm is a pet-safe palm that tolerates low light and modest neglect, which makes it one of the easier indoor palms. It brings a soft, leafy texture to dim corners.

Low light Easy Pet-safe
Peace Lily

Peace Lily

The peace lily tolerates low light and tells you clearly when it is thirsty by drooping, which makes its watering easy to read. It is toxic to pets if chewed.

Low light Easy
Peperomia (Baby Rubber Plant)

Peperomia (Baby Rubber Plant)

Peperomia is a compact, pet-safe foliage plant with thick, semi-succulent leaves that store water, so it forgives the occasional missed watering. A good low-fuss choice for small spaces.

Medium light Easy Pet-safe
Philodendron Birkin

Philodendron Birkin

The Philodendron Birkin is a compact, upright philodendron with dark leaves finely pinstriped in creamy white. Like all philodendrons, it is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Medium light Easy
Philodendron Brasil

Philodendron Brasil

Philodendron Brasil is a forgiving trailing vine, a variegated form of the heartleaf philodendron, with leaves streaked in lime green. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Low light Easy
Polka Dot Plant

Polka Dot Plant

The polka dot plant is a small, pet-safe foliage plant with leaves freckled in pink, white or red. It is easy but short-lived and benefits from regular pinching.

Medium light Easy Pet-safe
Pothos (Golden Pothos)

Pothos (Golden Pothos)

Pothos is a near-indestructible trailing vine that grows in almost any light and is easy to propagate. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Low light Easy
Purple Shamrock

Purple Shamrock

The purple shamrock is grown for its deep-purple triangular leaves that fold up and down with the daily light cycle, and it produces small pale flowers. It is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten.

Bright light Easy
Satin Pothos

Satin Pothos

Satin pothos is an easy trailing vine with matte heart-shaped leaves splashed in silver, similar in care to common pothos. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Medium light Easy
Snake Plant

Snake Plant

The snake plant is one of the hardest houseplants to kill and tolerates low light and neglect. It is toxic to pets, so keep it out of reach of chewers.

Low light Easy
Spider Plant

Spider Plant

The spider plant is easy, fast-growing, and pet-safe, and it readily produces baby plantlets you can pot up. A good first houseplant.

Medium light Easy Pet-safe
String of Hearts

String of Hearts

String of hearts is a delicate trailing succulent with heart-shaped, marbled leaves on thin purple stems. It is generally considered pet-safe and is one of the easier trailing succulents.

Bright light Easy Pet-safe
Umbrella Plant

Umbrella Plant

The umbrella plant is an easygoing, bushy foliage plant whose leaflets radiate like the spokes of an umbrella. It is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Medium light Easy
Zebra Plant (Haworthia)

Zebra Plant (Haworthia)

The zebra plant is a small, slow-growing succulent with stiff dark leaves banded in white, and it is generally considered pet-safe. It is well suited to small pots and bright windowsills.

Bright light Easy Pet-safe
ZZ Plant

ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant thrives on neglect, low light, and infrequent watering, making it a solid choice for forgetful or low-light growers. It is toxic to pets if chewed.

Low light Easy

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