It’s no surprise we love greenery. We post about it often and use it in all our home designs. It adds color, livens up a space, cleans the air we breathe, and gives us the opportunity to incorporate gorgeous potting accessories into our designs – our favorite part! It’s one of the finishing touches that makes a room come together and feel complete and inviting, so it’s a must-have.
We frequently receive questions about where we source our plants and how to care for indoor plants. With the help of our friends at Tipton Hurst (who sources our beautiful and lush greenery), we’ve compiled a list of the hardiest indoor greenery and some care tips that are easy enough, even for those of you who think you may have a black thumb!
Our top picks for best indoor plants:
- ZZ Plant – The Zamioculcas Zamiifolia is the easiest of all houseplants. It only needs to be watered three times a month, doesn’t require a lot of light and can live off florescent lighting. Plus, it doesn’t attract bugs or other pests! This is the plant of choice for those of you who are most likely to forget to water or travel often.
- Pothos – This is one of the most common house plants and rightfully so with it’s easy to care for temperament and hardiness. They can thrive in a wide variety of lighting, don’t require regular or frequent watering (they like to dry out between waterings, which is great for those who are erratic about watering), and are known to help purify the air. We’re also fond of its heart-shaped leaves.
- Spath (Peace Lily) – Peace lilies are our personal favorite and the plant we use most often. We love the white blooms it treats us to from time-to-time, and with its deep green coloring and the full, soft flowing leaves it’s an easy win. We also like that it doesn’t drape over the side of the container and hide our decorative containers. This beauty only requires watering once a week and can live in very dim light, so you aren’t limited on placement.
- Ferns – Ferns of any type have beautiful leaf texture that we can’t get enough of. And thankfully, there are a wide variety that will thrive indoors. Just be ready to give these leafy babies a little more care, as they require humidity or regular spritzing to mimic humidity.
- African Violets – Who doesn’t love little pops of color? These pretty little plants are perfect when you need something smaller scale on a side table or like to have a grouping, where there is an abundance of light shining in. They only require watering once a week but be careful to not get their leaves wet. It can cause discolored spotting or leaf damage. You’ll also need to be prepared to rotate them on a regular basis to encourage even growth, but we feel the beautiful, delicate blooms are worth the little bit of extra love and attention they require!
Helpful tips from the pros on how best to care for indoor plants:
- Create a schedule for watering plants – It’s easier to remember things, when you have a routine in place, so create a watering schedule that’s easy to remember. Most indoor plants only need to be watered once a week or less (super easy!), so make it part of your Saturday or Sunday morning routine when you’re not rushed with work, school, and other commitments throughout the week. If you live in a dry house where the air or heat run throughout the year, you may also want to spritz the plant with a spray bottle to make up for the lack of humidity in the air.
- Ensure plants have proper lighting – Every plant is different, so read the care tag that comes with them or do a quick Google search to ensure you are getting the right plant for the right space. For example, peace lilies need very little sunlight and won’t do well in a window that receives long durations of direct sun.
- Feed your plants – In addition to watering, plants need nutrients to survive. You can find indoor plant fertilizer at almost any store; even most local grocery stores carry it in the summer months. You only need to fertilize occasionally during key growing times of the year, usually March through September.
- Give them a haircut when needed – Be sure to cut off dead, dying, or damaged branches. This will help reduce plant disease and ensure your plant stays healthy.
- Repot your plants to encourage growth – If you’ve successfully taken care of your houseplants, they will grow and eventually need more space. Before new growth begins in the spring is a great time to look through the plants in your house and determine which ones may need a larger pot.
We hope this inspires you to add some live greenery to your space and give yourself a chance to turn that black thumb into a green one. If you decide to try your hand at planting, we keep a wide assortment of planters in stock and Tipton Hurst has a beautiful variety of houseplants great for each season. Happy planting!
