​​12 Common Houseplants to Add to Every Home in 2023

​​12 Common Houseplants to Add to Every Home in 2023

Some common houseplants are popular for good reason. Not just because they’re beautiful and striking, but because they’re generally easy to look after.

In this article, we’ve featured 12 of the most popular houseplants to bring home the next time you visit your local nursery. 

Our Top Picks for the Best Common Houseplants 

From low-maintenance plants to ones that bloom in bright colors, here are some of the most common plants to purchase the next time you want to bring more greenery into your living space.

You might recognize them by their appearance instead of by name. Let’s take a look at them one by one.

1. Chinese Evergreen

Chinese Evergreen

This type of plant is easy to look after, which is why it’s such a common plant. If you have a busy lifestyle, you won’t have to worry about it easily dying.

Chinese Evergreen is a tropical perennial plant with big, glossy, oval leaves and flowers that bloom during spring and summer. It comes in pretty color variations that include silver, red, and dark green leaves.

Make sure you give your Chinese Evergreen enough light if it’s variegated. Otherwise, darker green types of this plant can thrive in half-shade conditions. This plant isn’t fussy about its soil. Give it well-draining acidic potting soil to encourage it to grow at its peak. 

When it comes to water requirements, you should give it plenty of water and let its soil dry before you supply it with more water. Although it wants regular watering, it doesn’t want to sit in damp soil. 

2. Parlor Palm

Parlor Palm

You’ve probably seen this common houseplant in many people’s homes, as it’s such a popular choice. It has dark green leaves that grow in clumps so it looks like a miniature palm tree. What also makes this an attractive plant to own is that when you pick its fronds, you can use them in decor or flower arrangements as they last for up to 40 days. 

Although this plant doesn’t require much maintenance, it is possible to kill it by giving it too much water and sunlight, so that’s something of which you should be aware.

This plant wants low-light conditions, so give it filtered bright sunlight. Its soil should be a peat-based potting mix, and you should water it when the top inch (2.54cm) surface of its soil feels dry. If you can see the plant’s fronds are becoming yellow, this is a clear indication that it needs more water.

While it isn’t fussy about humidity, it will die if it’s exposed to cold drafts, so keep it away from vents, doors, and windows, especially in the winter. 

3. Fiddle Leaf Fig

Fiddle Leaf Fig

Since it can reach a height of up to 10 feet (3 meters), the Fiddle Leaf Fig is a statement houseplant that you should consider if you have a large living space. It’s attractive, with large, veined, glossy leaves that are shaped like guitars.

This houseplant wants bright, filtered natural light. If you leave it in areas of low light, it will struggle to grow. Its soil requirements are low-maintenance, as you can feed it with any indoor potting mix, but you should ensure that its soil is well-draining.

As for water, this plant wants to be watered when the top inch (2.54cm) of its soil feels dry. Reduce how much you water it during the cold months of the year, otherwise, it will lose its leaves.

While keeping the plant away from temperature fluctuations is important for its care, it also needs to have between 30 and 65% humidity. You can give it extra moisture by misting it every day. To keep its large leaves looking good, you should wipe them regularly with a damp cloth. Avoid using coconut oil to clean its leaves. Although this is sometimes recommended as a DIY tip, it can suffocate the plant leaves.  

4. African Mask Plant 

African Mask Plant

With such an interesting name, one would assume that this houseplant originates from Africa. Although it gets its name because it looks like an African mask, it’s actually from the Philippine Islands.

The African Mask Plant has long deep-green leaves that are veined with white lines, creating a mask-like appearance. This exotic-looking plant wants to be placed in areas of the home where it will receive diffuse light and a minimum temperature of 59°F (15°C).

You should water it regularly so that you keep its soil moist without being saturated. Never allow it to dry out as this will cause its beautiful leaves to become brown. Aim to water it when the top inch (2.54cm) of its soil feels dry.

If the plant’s leaves are spotty or yellow, this indicates that the plant is getting too much water. 

5. Air Plant

Air Plant

Air plants are fascinating because they don’t require any soil to grow, which makes them easy to maintain. These plants are called epiphytes, which means that they grow on tree branches or other plants in nature.

There are hundreds of different types of air plants, but they usually have thin leaves or triangular leaves that form a rosette pattern. They come in different colors, such as those with silver-grey leaves or unique ones that have orange leaves. 

Since air plants have short roots that only enable them to hold onto the surface on which they’re placed, you need to water them thoroughly. The best way to do this is to put them in a jar with enough water to cover them and leave them to soak for about half an hour. Afterward, let them dry, such as by placing them on a paper towel, and then put them back in their spot. 

You can keep your air plants in a shallow vase, bowl, or tiny container. But, ensure they’re in an area of the home where they will receive light without being in direct sunlight.

Make sure you don’t expose your air plant to temperatures lower than 45°F (7°C) degrees as this will kill them. 

6. Chinese Money Plant

Chinese Money Plant

This houseplant has flat, round leaves that give it a pancake-like appearance. It’s become popular with the Scandinavian decor style because its bright green leaves look beautiful and colorful against white or beige walls.

This plant wants bright, indirect sunlight – avoid keeping it in direct light as this will burn its leaves. However, a bit of shade will encourage the plant to grow larger leaves.

Wherever you place your Chinese Money Plant, ensure you rotate its pot regularly so that it doesn’t become oddly shaped.

Give it well-draining potting soil and ensure its pot contains drainage holes so that it doesn’t sit in too much water. Water it regularly, but keep its soil dry between waterings. If the plant’s leaves start to droop or wilt, top up on its watering as this indicates it’s thirsty. 

7. African Violets

African Violets on Window

If you want a beautiful splash of color in your home, you should consider purchasing African Violets. These houseplants bloom in beautiful flowers that are white, purple, pink, or blue. Their leaves are fuzzy and evergreen.

These plants want a well-draining potting mix so that they don’t get too much water. But, you should water them regularly so that their soil remains moist. Make sure you water them from below and direct the stream of water into the soil, as you don’t want water to splash onto the leaves as this can cause disease. 

Place your African Violets in bright, indirect light.

What sometimes makes African Violets seem difficult to look after is that they are quite sensitive to fluctuations in temperature, so you must keep their temperature stable. It shouldn’t drop lower than 60 °F (15°C).

8. Peperomia

Peperomia Color Variations

Peperomia is the name for approximately 1,000 species of charming plant that has smooth or textured leaves which come in a variety of colors, such as grey, red, purple, and green. The leaves can be marbled, solid, or variegated, and you can find plants with small or large leaves.  

Keep your peperomia in an area of the home where it will receive bright, indirect light so that its leaves retain their beautiful color. Water it every week or so when the surface inch (2.54cm) of its soil is dry. Peperomia doesn’t require frequent watering because it stores water in its stems and leaves. 

You don’t have to stress about changing the temperature in your home to accommodate this houseplant because it thrives in indoor temperatures of between 65 to 75°F (18-23°C), which is comfortable for you. 

9. Aloe

Aloe vera

If you reside in the U.S. Hardiness Zones 9 or 10, your aloe plant will thrive when kept outdoors. However, if you live anywhere else in the U.S. you should keep it inside the home.

Aloe is a beautiful plant with grey-green leaves – some varieties have white dots on them – and sharp spines. It produces tube-shaped flowers that form clusters on the stem. One of the main reasons why aloe plants are so popular for use indoors is that they’re easy to maintain. Keep them in well-draining soil in a terracotta pot as this material dries quickly, therefore removing excess water from the plants. 

Water aloe once every two weeks. Ensure that your plant is in a sunny area of the home so it will continue to grow. 

10. Asparagus Fern

Asparagus Fern

This bushy plant with lacy leaves adds a whimsical touch to your living space. Although it’s technically not a fern, it got its name from its leaves that look like those of the asparagus plant. 

Asparagus Fern looks stunning when stored on a bookshelf so that its leaves can spread and tumble, or in a hanging basket. You can also group it with plants that have different textures for increased visual appeal.

These plants thrive in pots, which is why they’re so popular as houseplants. They require filtered indirect light and water when their top inch (2.54cm) of soil is dry. They crave humid air, so mist them every day, even during the winter when the indoor air can become dry and hot.

Ensure your plant has loose, moist, well-draining potting soil so it can thrive. 

11. Spider Plant

Spider Plant

Spider plants grow thin leaves that can reach up to 18 inches (45cm) in length. They can be solid green in color or have white stripes on them. When they reach maturity, the spider plants produce star-shaped blooms; when those blooms get fertilized, fruit forms on them.

One of the reasons that make spider plants so popular is that when their flowers drop off the plant, plantlets appear. These grow roots and you can cut them to produce newly potted plants. 

Spider plants need to be placed in a sunny spot in the home where they’ll receive indirect light. They want loose, loamy soil that has good drainage, but they’re not very fussy about the compost you feed them. Water them once a week, but water them less regularly in winter so that their soil can become dry between waterings.

Note that tap water can contain a lot of salt which is toxic for tropical plants such as spider plants, so water them with distilled water instead. 

12. Cast-Iron Plant

Cast-Iron Plant

The cast-iron plant has dark green, glossy, pointy leaves that can grow up to two feet (0.6 meters) high and four inches (10.16cm) wide. One of the most beautiful varieties of this plant is the Hoshi-zora, which can be translated into “starry sky.” It has green leaves with white or yellow dots that mimic the stars at night. 

Keep the plant away from areas of the home that receive direct sunlight as this can burn its leaves or cause them to fade. Shady areas with indirect light are ideal. 

Although this plant isn’t picky about the type of soil it receives, make sure that it drains well. You can plant the cast-iron plant in neutral or slightly acidic pH. Water it regularly and deeply, but only when the soil is dry a few inches (about 7-10 cm) deep. Keep its temperature around 60 to 75°F (15-23°C).

The best type of container in which to plant your cast-iron plant is an unglazed clay one. This is because it lets excess water seep out of it quickly, preventing the plant from getting too much water that puts it at risk of diseases such as fungus. 

Conclusion

Some houseplants are so well known because they’re gorgeous and easy to maintain, which in today’s busy lifestyle, is certainly a perk.

They also make your home more eco-friendly because you don’t have to source them from a faraway location. In fact, you can get each and every plant on our list at your local market. We hope you enjoyed our article! 

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About The Author

Gina Harper grew up dreaming about farms and growing her own food. She began an urban garden to feed herself and turned it into an incredible hobby. Gina is here to teach you everything from raised beds to container gardening, how to keep plants alive and well in a smoggy city, and the works. It’s time that we carve our own piece of green earth and reap what we sow—she’s here to help you with that.