Top house plants for beginners

Do you want to grow indoor plants but have no idea what plants you should start off with?

Have you perhaps been known to be a serial plant killer in the past?

Or maybe, you are looking for a gift for a beginner?

Here are our recommendations of the easiest plants for beginners to care for:

Chain of Hearts:

The ever-popular Chain of Hearts gets its name from the heart shaped leaves that grow a few centimeters apart from each other along cascading stems. They are best displayed in a hanging pot or on a high shelf to show off the beautiful long vines.

Chain of Hearts prefer a position in bright, indirect light. They can tolerate only a small amount of direct sun, which can help enhance the color of their leaves.

Being semi succulent, they will tolerate being dry more than being too wet, so don't water them too frequently, and allow the soil to dry out between each water. Chain of Hearts go dormant in winter so need less watering during this time.

ZZ Plant:

Thrives on neglect, accepts low-light areas (definitely no direct sun) and is drought-tolerant. Its long, glossy leaves can add interest to any corner and are usually available year-round.

Zamioculcas are not super fast growing, so will only need repotting once every few years. When repotting, just go the next size up, as too large a pot may mean the soil will hold excess water around the bulbous roots, which can cause the plant to rot.

Water once a month and reduce watering in the colder months.

Snake Plant:

One of the easiest indoor plants to grow. Sansevieria plants are striking and modern plants, often featured in both homes and offices. They are tolerant of dark corners and thrive when neglected. Usually available year-round.

Sansevieria's will grow best in bright filtered light but will also grow in a darker corner of the home. They can also be grown outdoors in a sunny to partly shaded area that has impeccable drainage either in containers or in the garden.

Look out for bulging on the sides of your pot, this indicates that your plant needs repotting, and when you repot go up to about double the pots size.

Water about every 2 weeks, and about once a month in the cooler months.

Tradescantia:

Tradescantia plants have become a popular hanging indoor plant recently. They come in a range of varieties and have stems that trail and foliage in shades of purple, silver and green. This tropical plant is easy to care for and make for a  great gift to pass on to your plant loving friends. Usually available year-round.

Preferring a well lit position out of direct sunlight, when placed in a position without enough light the plant will become leggy, with thin, smaller and fewer leaves.

Repot when roots show through the holes at the bottom of the pot, and go one size larger than the one it was in.

Tradescantia prefer to be kept moist, so do not let the soil dry out. Reduce watering according to the temperature.

Hoya Carnosa:

This hardy plant has been a loved household name for generations, featuring waxy leaves and small flower clusters that are highly fragrant.

Hoyas thrive best in a well lit position but out of direct sunlight. Being a tropical plant, Hoyas thrive in a warm and moist, humid environment.

Hoyas like to be snug in their pots, plants that are a bit root-bound will flower more prolifically than those that are not. They only need to be repotted once every 2-3 years.

Do not keep the soil wet, allow the top half of the soil to dry out before watering again.

Spider Plant:

Spider plants are one of the more popular hanging plants available. There are a number of different varieties, some with cream and green leaves, others just green. All produce a main plant that sends out long yellow stems with white flowers. Once the flowers die off the plantlets (pups) form on the end of the stem (the spiders). They make a great addition to your plant collection and suit most positions.

A perfect plant for the bathroom and usually available year-round.

Generally Spider plants require bright but indirect light. Greener types will tolerate lower light. In hotter months, keep the soil moist ,and reduce watering in the cooler months so the soil dries out before watering again.