Common house plants: we all have our favourite, don’t we? And, even if you’re not a horticultural genius, even the most inexperienced plant owner can keep a lowly spider plant alive! Plants are not only lovely to look at but add a touch of nature to any home. Houseplants help to purify the air, and their calming presence can create a sense of peace and tranquility in your living space.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common and beautiful houseplants to add to the home.
Quick View of What You'll Find on This Page
What’s a Good Indoor House Plant?
Probably the question should be: what’s an easy houseplant to look after?! Some common house plants are definitely easier to look after than others.
I’ve included ten plants that are super easy to care for. They won’t ask a lot of you, but they will reward you by adding a touch of much-needed ‘biophilic design‘ to your home.
And there are a few that are a little more demanding but will repay you with their beautiful good looks.
Monstera Deliciosa: Swiss Cheese Plant
Monstera deliciosa, often known as the Swiss cheese plant. This tropical beauty has large, hole-ridden leaves. Originating in the Central American rainforest, it’s no surprise that this plant thrives in bright, indirect light and high humidity.
Despite its tropical appeal, Monstera deliciosa is relatively easy to care for. Plus, it has the added benefit of being a real show-stopper.
But buyer beware! This plant can grow to epic proportions. Make sure you’ve got the space before giving house room to a Monstera.
Ficus Lyrata: Fiddle-Leaf Fig
Ficus Lyrata, or the fiddle-leaf fig, is loved by interior designers for its dramatic, violin-shaped leaves.
Its dense, upright growth pattern makes it an ideal statement plant for living rooms or offices. The Fiddle Leaf Fig thrives in bright, filtered light, and with proper care, it can reach impressive heights, transforming an ordinary space into a stunning indoor jungle.
Spathiphyllum: Peace Lily
The Peace Lily is a popular choice for house plant parents due to its elegance and relatively low maintenance needs.
Its glossy green leaves contrast beautifully with its white, sail-like blooms, making it a lovely addition to any room. The Peace Lily also boasts air-purifying properties, and it can thrive even in low-light conditions.
Of all the common house plants, the Peace Lily is great for plant newbies as it’s so easy to care for.
Epipremnum Aureum: Pothos
Epipremnum aureum, also known as Pothos, the ‘money-plant’ or ‘devil’s ivy’, is a versatile houseplant with trailing vines that can grow several feet long.
Its heart-shaped leaves, which come in various shades of green, white, or yellow, are gorgeous. Whether you let it drape from a bookshelf hanging basket or even climb a moss pole, Pothos will add a touch of natural elegance to your home.
Haworthia: Zebra Plant
This striped stunner — the zebra plant — gets its name from its striking, striped leaves that resemble a zebra’s coat. It’s a succulent, meaning it requires little water and can tolerate a variety of light conditions. This makes it an excellent option for beginners or those living in dry climates.
Chlorophytum Comosum: The Spider Plant
This retro favorite, commonly known as the spider plant, is beloved for its arching, striped leaves and baby plantlets that dangle like spiders on a web.
Its unique growth pattern adds visual interest to any space, and it’s incredibly easy to propagate. Spider plants are excellent air purifiers, removing pollutants and improving indoor air quality.
This is a plant for the novices! Spider plants tolerate very little looking after and will cope with pretty much anything.
Schefflera Gold Capella: Dwarf Umbrella Tree
Schefflera arboricola Gold Capella is a fantastic houseplant with beautiful, glossy, palm-like leaves that are variegated with gold, yellow, and pale green.
It’s fast-growing but easy to trim into shape so that it can be a small, compact plant on a table or a tall, specimen floor plant. It’s also relatively easy to care for and can tolerate some neglect, making it a good choice for busy people.
One thing to keep in mind is that Schefflera plants can be prone to stress after a change in location, and leaf drop is common. However, your plant should stabilize within a few months.
The Dwarf Umbrella Tree is a popular air-purifying plant and will thrive in a bathroom (or shower room) with good light. They love the steam from the shower!
Hedera Helix: Common Ivy
English Ivy — or ‘common ivy’ — with its graceful, trailing vines and lobed leaves, is a timeless classic.
It’s adaptable to many indoor conditions, and it’s especially loved for its ability to filter airborne toxins. Whether cascading from a hanging basket or climbing a trellis, English Ivy is one of the easiest common houseplants to look after.
Pick them up at garden centres — or even in IKEA!
Pilea Peperomioides: Chinese Money Plant
These pretty little plants are native to China, where they grow in shady forests. They are relatively compact, reaching a mature height of about 12 inches, which makes them perfect for smaller spaces. They have rounded, dark green leaves that are arranged in a rosette shape.
These sweet plants are easy to care for and can thrive in a variety of conditions. They prefer bright, indirect sunlight, but they can tolerate some direct sunlight. They should be watered when the soil is dry to the touch. Chinese Money Plants are a great addition to any home interior because they are easy to care for.
And best of all, they look really striking.
Dracaena Trifasciata: Snake Plant
Dracaena — known Sansevieria trifasciata until 2017 — but known colloquially as the snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue, is a houseplant (and office) staple, due to its hardy, easy-to-care for, nature.
Its vertical, variegated leaves create an eye-catching, architectural look, perfect for modern minimalists.
This hardy species tolerates neglect, thriving in low light conditions and requiring infrequent watering, making it ideal for novice gardeners and those with a busy lifestyle.
Calathea: The Prayer Plant
Calathea plants, with their beautifully patterned leaves, look like living works of art. Their leaves, which come in shades of green, purple, pink, and white, almost seem as though they’ve been hand-painted.
They have a unique trait of raising and lowering their leaves from day to night, leading to their nickname – the ‘Prayer Plant.’ Although Calatheas definitely require a bit more attention than some houseplants, their stunning appearance more than makes up for it.
As they’re a little bit ‘needy,’ this isn’t a variety for newbie plant parents. They thrive in a well-lit, steamy environment. Our shower room is the perfect spot for ours!
Schlumbergera Truncata: The Flowering Christmas Cactus
Don’t be fooled by the name of this little plant! Even though they are ‘Cacti,’ Schlumbergera are forest cacti. In the wild, you’ll find them growing on trees, in tropical rainforests. They like moist soil and do well in humid conditions (away from bright sunlight) — unlike their desert cacti cousins.
They get their name from the fact they flower from late November to January. At Christmas time, they’ll put on a show of trumpet-like flowers in shades of pink, red, white, pink, purple and sometimes even yellow.
They’re really easy to propagate too, just snip a length of leaves off your Schlumbergera and pop in to a plant pot full of soil. Before long, the leaves will develop little roots, and you’ll have a new baby plant! The perfect Christmas gift for a green-fingered friend.
Alocasia Frydek: Green Velvet
Stepping up a gear and introducing my favourite but definitely not so common of the houseplants! This rare beauty is Alocasia Frydek — or Green Velvet.
Ours is called ‘Curtis’ after the rapper ‘Green Velvet’, and although it’s a tricky plant to care for, the striking good looks are a good trade-off!
Alocasia Frydek is a poisonous plant, so be careful around animals and children. Ours likes moist soil and indirect light and — although I’ve heard they like high humidity — ours is happy in our lounge.
I’d say this is not a plant for novices, so get yourself a Spider Plant or Peace Lily and work up to this one.
Each of these common house plants are unique in their beauty and charm. They make a house feel more homely, and also have the benefit of purifying the air and giving us a feeling of being close to nature, which is good for mental health and well-being.
Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned plant parent, there’s a perfect plant for you.
Choose your favourite, bring it home, and let it flourish.
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
