The Best Low-Maintenance Houseplants to Spruce up Your Space

You don’t have to have a green thumb to have a gorgeous indoor garden

If you’re looking to breathe some life into your home, houseplants can be one of the easiest and least expensive ways to decorate. Besides making your home look amazing, plants can make you feel great too by reducing your stress level and improving your mood. And if that’s not enough to make you want to go out and get some greenery, having plants in your workspace can also help you crush those impossible deadlines. Studies have shown that plants can improve your concentration and productivity by up to 15 percent.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
A Jogger had no idea What or Who Hit Her… Until Police Showed Her

But if you’ve avoided starting an indoor garden because you’re afraid it wouldn’t survive, you may want to reconsider. You don’t necessarily need to have a green thumb to have houseplants that thrive in your home. We’ve rounded up some of the best fool-proof plants that can survive in your home with nothing more than a little bit of love and light.

Aloe Plant

Photo: Shutterstock Tanya NZ

The aloe plant is one of my personal favorites. It’s a member of the succulent family, which means that it doesn’t need daily watering. In fact, you should only water your aloe plant when the soil is completely dry, which could mean every two to three weeks. Besides brightening up your space, the sap inside the aloe plant is a great skin moisturizer and the perfect at-home remedy for healing cuts and soothing sunburn. With a little love, your aloe plant could thrive in your home for years to come.

Spider Plant

Photo: Shutterstock dropStock

The spider plant is one of the easiest plants to care for, which makes it perfect for new plant parents. They make beautiful hanging plants because the long stems grow downward. The stems also grow plantlets that can be pruned and shared with friends or repotted and used in other spaces of your home. When it comes to watering your spider plant, allow them time to dry out a bit between waterings. Overwatering can cause the roots to rot. If you notice that the roots become exposed, you will need to repot your plant.

ZZ Plant

Photo: Shutterstock Stephanie Pomerenke

The ZZ stands for Zamioculcas zamiifolia, but I like to think it could also mean that you can take care of this plant in your sleep. The ZZ plant is native to Eastern Africa and has grown in popularity due to its ability to survive in a wide range of conditions. The shiny, oval-shaped leaves look like feathers and tend to grow upwards. When you bring a ZZ into your home, keep it out of extreme direct sunlight. They thrive in medium to bright indirect light instead, which makes them perfect to keep in the bathroom. You can get away with watering it every two or three weeks, to allow the soil time to dry out. Just be careful if you live in a home with pets or small children. ZZ plants can be irritating to cats, dogs and humans if the foliage is consumed.

Cast Iron Plant

Photo: Shutterstock mizy

The cast iron plant earned its name because it is one tough plant that’s hard to kill. Their green leaves can grow up to two feet long and four inches wide. It survives best in low light, so if you’re keeping one as a houseplant, keep it away from windows where it will get intense direct sun. You may have to fight off pests, including mites and scale. But by rinsing the foliage, you can keep the problem under control.

Snake Plant

Photo: Shutterstock Aquarius Studio

I bought a snake plant at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and two years later, it is still going strong. In fact, I’ve been able to separate it into multiple pots that are thriving on their own. Snake plants don’t need much light, so they can survive in practically any corner of your home. These plants with thick, waxy leaves prefer being left alone. You can keep watering to a minimum because too much will make your snake plant rot.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

Latest from The Root

More Telltale Signs that Trump Is Quickly Running Out of Time

More Telltale Signs that Trump Is Quickly Running Out of Time

With Trump facing continuous protests, lawsuits and dissent within his own party, growing pressure could mean a disastrous ending for him …
A Peek Inside Aretha Franklin's 1990s Detroit Mansion, In Honor of Her 84th Birthday

A Peek Inside Aretha Franklin’s 1990s Detroit Mansion, In Honor of Her 84th Birthday

In honor of what would have been her 84th birthday, check out the beautiful palace that the Queen of Soul called home! …
Why Serena Williams' Look in Her Latest Social Media Post Has Her Black Fans Going Off

Why Serena Williams’ Look in Her Latest Social Media Post Has Her Black Fans Going Off

Serena Williams has unfortunately reignited more talks of potential skin bleaching thank to new posts on social media. And folks online are not happy! …
Lamar Odom's Ex Liza Morales Reveals the Tragedy That Ended Their Relationship

Lamar Odom’s Ex Liza Morales Reveals the Tragedy That Ended Their Relationship

While many know NBA star Lamar Odom for his famous relationship with Khloe Kardashian, his teenage sweetheart is finally opening up about their dynamic …
Tank vs. Tyrese: The Ultimate R&B Playlist for the 'Verzuz' Battle

Tank vs. Tyrese: The Ultimate R&B Playlist for the ‘Verzuz’ Battle

“Verzuz” is back, y’all! From “Sweet Lady” to “When We,” Tank and Tyrese are bringing all their hits to the stage. We curated the best playlist to get you ready to sing and slow dance for the show …
Black People Are Asking Why Didn't Anyone Know About  Mamdani’s Wife’s  N-Word Tweets

Black People Are Asking Why Didn’t Anyone Know About Mamdani’s Wife’s N-Word Tweets

Black folks are pissed after Zohran Mamdani’s wife’s old tweets resurfaced, painting her in a problematic light within the Black community …
The Numbers Don't Lie—Black Women Are Leading and It Has Nothing to Do With Magic

The Numbers Don’t Lie—Black Women Are Leading and It Has Nothing to Do With Magic

From the C-suite to entrepreneurship, Black women have had a record-breaking rise in recent years, even as they battle an uneven playing field …
Why a Comedian's Translation of 'The Lion King's' Iconic Opening Song Just Backfired in a BIG Way

Why a Comedian’s Translation of ‘The Lion King’s’ Iconic Opening Song Just Backfired in a BIG Way

The “Circle of Life” chant is one of the most recognizable sounds in Disney movie history! But right now, it’s the center of a $27 million legal war …
Black America Reacts To The Rise Of Black ICE Agents

Black America Reacts To The Rise Of Black ICE Agents

Reviews are mixed on whether maskless Black ICE agents are causing more harm than good in U.S. airports …
Woman Will Become a Doctor at the Hospital Where She Once Cleaned Floors

Woman Will Become a Doctor at the Hospital Where She Once Cleaned Floors

Shay Taylor-Allen shared a now-viral clip of the moment she learned that she would do her medical residency at Yale Hospital –where she once worked as a janitor …
We Finally Know More About The Usher and Justin Bieber Confrontation

We Finally Know More About The Usher and Justin Bieber Confrontation

Usher and Justin Bieber allegedly got into a ‘heated exchange’ during an Oscars after-party. And now we’ve got insight into what really went down! …
Boston's 'Best Social Justice Advocate' Learns Fate After Stealing $224K From the BLM Movement for Vacations, Dinners

Boston’s ‘Best Social Justice Advocate’ Learns Fate After Stealing $224K From the BLM Movement for Vacations, Dinners

Monica Cannon-Grant, named “Bostonian of the Year,” stole donations and rental aid while illegally collecting unemployment as she organized BLM …
Black Woman Charged With Murder For Taking Abortion Pills

Black Woman Charged With Murder For Taking Abortion Pills

In a shocking turn of events, a Republican judge and DA both agreed a woman’s arrest after taking abortion pills in Georgia was “problematic.” …
'How Long Not Long' – The Promise and Warning of Dr. King's Montgomery Speech Six Decades Later

‘How Long Not Long’ – The Promise and Warning of Dr. King’s Montgomery Speech Six Decades Later

Today, 61 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous Alabama speech, “How Long, Not Long,” reminding us that the arc of the moral universe bends only when we bend it …
Yung Miami Reveals Why She Stood Up for Diddy's Character During Trial

Yung Miami Reveals Why She Stood Up for Diddy’s Character During Trial

Rapper Yung Miami, one half of the rap duo The City Girls, was romantically linked to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs from 2021 to 2023 …
Why Michael B. Jordan's Oscar Win Isn't Feeling the Love From Judge Joe Brown

Why Michael B. Jordan’s Oscar Win Isn’t Feeling the Love From Judge Joe Brown

While many are ecstatic over Michael B. Jordan’s long-awaited Oscar win, Judge Joe Brown says it’s not all it’s cracked up to be …
A Year After Eaton Wildfires Devastated this Historic Black Neighborhood, a Full Investigation Begins

A Year After Eaton Wildfires Devastated this Historic Black Neighborhood, a Full Investigation Begins

Calif. AG Rob Bonta is investigating whether systemic racism impacted how emergency responders reacted to devastating Eaton wildfires …
Don Lemon Shares His Frightening Connection to Rihanna Shooting Incident

Don Lemon Shares His Frightening Connection to Rihanna Shooting Incident

Don Lemon, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday with Rihanna, is opening up about the eerie connection he had to her home shooting …
New Twist in Nia Long's Allege Stalker Drama

New Twist in Nia Long’s Allege Stalker Drama

‘The Best Man’ actress seeks court protection for her family following a two-year pattern of alleged harassment and a terrifying weekend encounter …
What J. Cole Says About Drake and Kendrick Will Surprise You

What J. Cole Says About Drake and Kendrick Will Surprise You

J. Cole said he was “disgusted” that the world turned on Drake during his beef against Kendrick Lamar …