Your Guide to the Best Houseplants

Your Guide to the Best Houseplants

Hi, friends! Welcome back to Stylishly Good Vibes! I’m on the blog today to share with you my favorite low-maintenance houseplants! If you’ve followed along with the blog, you know I love decorating my space with plants. Though, I don’t always have the best luck with keeping them alive!

Now that I’ve moved to North Carolina, I’ve made it my mission to find the best low-maintenance plants that are not only easy to care for, but also tie my space together. Lucky you—I’m sharing them today!

Let’s get started!

Pilea Involucrata ‘Moon Valley’ (The Friendship Plant)

The Friendship Plant

The second I saw this friendship plant, I knew it was meant to be mine! If you’re local to Asheville, I found this one at Flora in West Asheville. It’s still a little baby, but may grow up to 12 inches. For all my plant-loving pet owners out there, the friendship plant is non-toxic and safe for dogs and cats!

Care:

This tropical houseplant flourishes in a more humid climate, so try to spritz the leaves with water every week or so. Keep in mind that because it’s a tropical plant, you may need to water it a bit more than your other plants! It requires moderate to bright indirect light, so I have mine up on a shelf diagonal from a window that gets sun the latter half of the day.

ZZ Plant

ZZ Plant

When I think about low-maintenance plants, the ZZ will always be at the top of the list. I remember when I worked at the Anthropologie store in Cleveland, we had a ZZ plant. Let me tell you—I worked at that store for upwards of 5 years and that plant always looked healthy! Important to note about ZZ plants, they are toxic to humans and pets. If you decide to add one to your home, make sure it’s up on a shelf!

Care:

Like I mentioned, ZZ plants are really resilient to a variety of environments. Because they are drought-tolerant plants, you don’t need to worry much about them if you go out of town for a week or two. As long as your ZZ plant receives bright indirect light every day and it’s potted in well-draining soil, it will be good to go for the long-haul!

Irish Rose Succulent

Irish Rose Succulent

I love a succulent more than anything! Don’t get me wrong—I’ve accidentally killed a couple that I’ve had in the past. Succulents don’t tend to do well when you change environments—like when you move! I had a bunch that I bought when I lived in South Carolina, and when I moved back to Cleveland, all but 1 died.

Care:

For the most part, succulents are fairly low-maintenance—they’re just a bit temperamental! This type of succulent is ultra drought tolerant, so similar to the ZZ plant, you can leave this one for a few weeks without water and it will be a-okay. Place your Irish Rose Succulent in full sun, if possible, since that is where it will thrive the most!

Bonsai

Bonsai Tree

I don’t know what it is about Bonsai trees, but I’ve wanted one for YEARS! I love that they’re just a miniaturized, yet realistic representation of nature that can fit into the palm of your hand. Bonsai trees are also relatively simple to take care of as long as you have a few tips up your sleeve!

Care:

For indoor Bonsai like this one, you should place it near a window that receives ample light throughout the day. Similar to the friendship plant, Bonsai tend to flourish in more tropical climates, so a little spritz of water now and again will do it well! With Bonsai, you have to be more mindful about when you water. Instead of following a specific schedule for watering, only water when the soil is dry. Simply poke the tip of your finger through the soil, and if it’s dry, give it a bit of water!

Rattlesnake Plant

Rattlesnake Plant

This rattlesnake plant is among the collection of plants I’ve managed to keep alive for 3+ years! I bought this one when it was a wee little guy, and it’s grown so much over the years! It’s been through 2 separate moves and has been so resilient to the changes in environment.

Care:

Most of my homes haven’t had the best direct light, but it’s worked in my favor especially for this plant! Rattlesnake plants don’t require direct light, rather a bright spot in a well-lit room. I tend to water once a week during the warmer, more humid days of the year. In the winter months, I typically water every 1.5–2 weeks. You can always test the soil’s moisture level in the same way you check your Bonsai.

String of Pearls

String of Pearls

Ever since I saw a picture of String of Pearls fully grown, I knew I needed to get my hands on one! This is of course in the very early stages of its life, so it’s not really a String of Pearls at the moment. Regardless, I’m excited to see how this one transforms my space and makes it feel more green! Important to note: String of Pearls is also toxic to humans and pets, so plop it up on a shelf next to your ZZ plant!

Care:

String of Pearls tend to do best in bright indirect light. I planted mine in a cheap terracotta pot because terracotta helps wick away moisture so it doesn’t get too wet. Similar to the Bonsai, you shouldn’t aim to have a watering schedule for String of Pearls. Just keep an eye on the pearls, and if they look a bit flat, that’s a sign that watering time has arrived!

VariEgated Marble Baby Rubberplant

Your Guide to the Best Houseplants

I love how eye-catching this variegated rubberplant is! It’s so tiny in comparison to my other plants, but I’m pumped to see how much it grows over the next few months. The nice thing about rubberplants is if you live in a place that doesn’t get a ton of direct light, it doesn’t mean your rubberplant won’t thrive. It just may not grow as fast.

Care:

Similar to the friendship plant, the variegated rubberplant is native to a tropical climate, so a bit of spritzing with water will do it some good! Start by watering this plant every 2 weeks, keeping an eye on soil moisture levels and adjusting as needed.


Well, that’s all I have for you today! My round-up of houseplants that are so easy to care for, even I can do it! I’ll be back on the blog again soon with another new post for you!

Until next time!

Alicia

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