The Best Indoor Plants To Bring a Little Life To Your Living Room

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For centuries, people have been decorating their interiors by bringing nature inside. There’s a good reason why houseplants have never gone out of style. Not only does adding the best indoor plants to your home provide an extra layer to your interior design, but it has also been proven to purify the air in a room and help boost the moods of a home’s occupants. It’s pretty undeniable that the best indoor plants make the home a more beautiful and healthier place to be.

And yet, so many people don’t decorate with greenery because they don’t know how to take care of plants, and picking out the best plants for your home can be intimidating. Who has time to head to a garden center to pick out a small plant that may or may not grow into a monster? And who has mastered the art of putting the right plant with the right pot?

  

Where to Buy Indoor Plants

These hurdles may leave you wondering, can you order plants online? The answer is yes, you thankfully can. It’s 2022; what else did you think?

The best part about learning where to buy indoor plants is discovering that many retailers offer different options based on your desires and experience level. Can’t keep plants alive? Well, looks like you need a plant that’s hard to kill. Little sunlight in your home? No worries, pick up a low-light indoor plant. Owner of an extra curious upper? Seems like you need one of the best pet-safe plants. Can’t repot a plant to save your life? There are even places that will mail plants pre-potted for you. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s an online retailer happy to help.

Here are some SPY favorite online plant retailers:

  • AmazonDon’t be so shocked, but Amazon has plants. The majority will not come potted for you, but you will be able to find some with pots.
  • The SillThis online plant retailer will send a wide variety of plant life to your home, either potted or in a plastic planter for you to pot yourself.
  • The Home DepotThe Home Depot sells many different plant types of all shapes and sizes for incredibly affordable prices, but you almost always have to repot yourself.
  • BloomscapeBloomscape is essentially just like The Sill and offers the same user experience.
  • 1-800-FlowersAlthough known for quick-to-ship bouquets, 1-800-Flowers also has quick-to-shop plants.
  • TerrainIn addition to outdoor furniture and flowers, Terrain sells indoor and outdoor plants for your home.
  • RootedRooted offers a mass selection of plant types and even a subscription service.
  

Brittney removing older soil from the plant before placing in new pot

How to Take Care of Indoor Plants

When choosing the best indoor plants for your home, there are several factors to consider. Major considerations include:

  • Size: Identify the space you’ll keep your plant before ordering it, so you know how tall of a plant would suit your space. This is especially relevant if you intend to keep your plant on a desk or shelf.
  • Maintenance: Some require nothing more than a watering every few weeks. However, others require daily care and attention to the correct soil conditions and the amount of water provided daily. Check your plants before buying to avoid potential death and the resulting disappointment.
  • Light Levels: Different plants require different amounts of light. If you place a bright light-requiring plant in a dark room, you’ll never keep it healthy. So if your chosen space lacks light, choose a low-light specialist. (There are plenty available!)
  • Pet Friendly: If you have a pet who regularly consumes any nearby household item, make sure the plants in your home are not toxic to animals.
  • What’s Included?: Some plants come ready to display, while others may require repotting on arrival. And, if you want to display your plant, it’s worth checking that the pot matches your decor.

Once you have considered all of the above (or even if you haven’t), look through our list of the best indoor plants available and find the right one for your home or office.

  

1. Monstera

BEST OVERALL

Decorating with fake monstera leaves has become a trend across households and businesses alike, so why not do yourself one better and invest in a full-size monstera deliciosa plant? This tropical plant, originating from southern Mexico, is easy to care for indoors, grows quickly and even occasionally produces edible fruit. As a bonus, Bloomscape and The Sill sell fully grown versions of this purifying plant in a pot of your choosing, meaning it’s ready to be placed in your home as sensational living decor as it arrives.

best indoor plants, Bloomscape Monstera

Monstera from Bloomscape

Price: $169.00
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Monstera from The Sill

Price: Starting at $44.00
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2. Succulents

BEST BUDGET

There are few better options than succulents for a budget-friendly and easy-to-care-for introduction to indoor plants. In both sets below, you’ll find several plants, each fully rooted in soil and ready for moving to more decorative plant pots should you wish. Their low maintenance and appealing aesthetic make them great to display all around the house or office, from the living room to your WFH desk.

best indoor plants, Plants for Pets Succulents

Succulents

Price: $16.99 (orig. $19.46) 13% OFF
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Succulents from The Home Depot

Price: $44.98
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3. Rubber Tree Plant

BEST VALUE

Centuries ago, people worldwide realized that the rubber tree could easily survive indoors, making it one of the oldest houseplants in history. Its long-lived success is owed to the ease with which it survives in confined conditions. This plant requires minimal water and medium to bright indirect light and produces beautiful, dark green, waxy leaves.

best indoor plants, Rubber Tree Plant from The Sill

Rubber Tree Plant

Price: $26.00
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Rubber Tree Plant from The Sill

Price: Starting at $38.00
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4. Parlour Palm

BEST SHELF PLANT

With its comparatively short stem and leafy top, a parlour palm makes an attractive addition to any room of the house. This long-loved style of houseplant is ideal for mounting on shelves and tabletops and is suitable for both beginners and experienced plant collectors. As a slow grower that tops out around two feet tall, you won’t have to worry about overpowering your interiors. Furthermore, as a handy bonus, this plant was included on NASA’s list of indoor plants that effectively clean the air.

best indoor plants, Parlour Palm

American Plant Exchange Victorian Parlour Palm

Price: $20.81 (orig. $21.99) 5% OFF
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Parlour Palm from Bloomscape

Price: $69.00
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5. Snake Plant

BEST FOR GIFTING

For a gift your loved ones won’t soon forget, send them this stunning snake plant. This unique plant sports eye-catching foliage and comes ready to re-pot. Combining it with an attractive display pot results in a complete gift. These plants work in low to bright sunlight and only need water once every few weeks or whenever the soil becomes too dry.

best indoor plants, Snake Plant from Rooted

Snake Plant from Rooted

Price: Starting at $25.00
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Snake Plant

Price: $19.30 (orig. $24.99) 23% OFF
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6. Pothos

BEST SURPRISE SET

Any plant lover will know that pothos is one of the best indoor plants in the world for its gorgeous coloration, quick growth and ease of care. This is a plant that you can unintentionally come so close to killing and will revive itself with just one cup of water. Pothos make excellent hanging plants due to how long their vines can grow. Plus, these are relatively inexpensive in comparison to other houseplants.

best indoor plants, Pothos from Amazon

Pothos

Price: $24.99
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Pothos from The Home Depot

Price: $22.77
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7. Cacti

BEST CACTUS

Purchasing cacti online is another fun way to get an assortment into the mix. Fill your home with a rather spikey touch of green. There are plenty of options, and you can often choose between the number and size of the cactus plants you receive. The one thing you can be sure of is that you’ll be getting live, healthy cacti on arrival, ready to be repotted into more attractive and permanent display pots. These plants require minimal maintenance and are easy to care for.

best indoor plants, Cactus Collection

Cacti

Price: $36.28
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Mystery Cactus Box from Rooted

Price: $36.00
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8. Weeping Fig Tree

BEST LOW LIGHT

If you need a plant that can survive in a poorly lit area of your home, this Wintergreen Weeping Fig Tree is worth consideration. This easy-to-grow plant is fine in low-light conditions and requires evenly moist soil, making it an acceptable choice for beginners looking to start their plant collection. You can also trim the plant as needed to keep it looking healthy and under control. This is an excellent choice for giving living rooms or bedrooms a little splash of green.

best indoor plants, Weeping Fig Tree

Weeping Fig Tree

Price: $47.99
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9. ZZ Plant

BEST PURIFYING

One of the best reasons to have plants in your home is their air-purifying properties, and one of the best purifying plants is the ZZ plant. This is perfect if you need a plant that can survive in low light conditions and with very infrequent waterings. The ZZ plant, which has lovely, thick leaves, is native to the arid climates of Kenya and Zanzibar and boasts rhizomes below the soil to help it store water. In addition, many African cultures believe this plant variety symbolizes “prosperity and friendship,” making it a lovely housewarming gift.

best indoor plants, ZZ Plant

ZZ Plant from The Sill

Price: Starting at $88.00
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ZZ Plant from Bloomscape

Price: $149.00
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10. Aloe Plant

MOST USEFUL

Consider the ever-useful aloe plant if you have bright or direct light in your home. Aloe plants can be kept indoors or in a sheltered outdoor space and do best in rooms with temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. As a bonus, this plant produces aloe vera gel, which can be used to soothe irritated or burnt skin.

best indoor plants, Aloe Plant from Bloomscape

Aloe Plant

Price: $20.58
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Aloe Plant from Bloomscape

Price: $39.00
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11. Orchids

BEST FLOWERING

For some, the best part of having an indoor plant is enjoying the occasional flower without needing to buy a bouquet from the florist. While many houseplants never really bloom in the traditional sense, the orchid is one of the best flowering options. These plants display ornate blooms that last for eight to 12 weeks and, with proper care, will produce flowers for years.

best indoor plants, Orchids from 1-800-Flowers

Orchids from 1-800-Flowers

Price: Prices Vary
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Orchids from The Home Depot

Price: Prices Vary
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12. Dracaena Marginata Open Weave

MOST EYE-CATCHING

With its bare stems and bushy top, the Dracaena Marginata Open Weave is a fun and eye-catching way to add a dash of green to your interiors. This no-fuss plant can survive in low to bright, indirect light and measures between 46 and 58 inches tall. It’s also air cleaning, removing formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air.

best indoor plants, Dracaena Marginata Open Weave

Dracaena Marginata Open Weave from Bloomscape

Price: $199.00
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Dracaena Marginata Open Weave from The Sill

Price: Starting at $88.00
Buy Now

  

13. Prayer Plant

BEST PET-SAFE

Do you have a pet? Then you must be careful what plants you keep around the house. Be sure to research specific plants before purchasing them if you own a dog, cat, bird or another animal. Prayer plants are easy, pet-friendly plants with vibrant colors from top to bottom. These plants are called prayer plants due to the way the leaves fold. They’re kind of dramatic at times and will look a bit grumpy, but you’ll need to mist the leaves whenever that occurs, and they should go back to normal.

best indoor plants, Prayer Plant from Bloomscape

Prayer Plant

Price: $9.99
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Prayer Plant from Bloomscape

Price: $69.00
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14. Schefflera Arboricola

BEST FOR BEGINNERS

If you’re new to the plant-keeping game and want an impressive plant that is easily cared for, this Schefflera Arboricola fits the bill. It’s a large, 40- to 54-inch tall plant with umbrella-shaped leaves on top of a braided trunk which only adds to the attractive appeal of this indoor plant. Plus, as it’s capable of living in low to bright indirect light, this plant can be placed in any room in the house. The air-cleaning capabilities deliver a healthier living environment to boot.

best indoor plants, plants schefflera arboricola

Schefflera Arboricola from Bloomscape

Price: $249.00
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Schefflera Arboricola from Rooted

Price: $109.00
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 15. Money Tree 

BEST GOOD LUCK CHARM

The money tree or pachira aquatica is notable for the notion of bringing prosperity and good luck to its owners. A notoriously easy-to-care-for houseplant, it thrives in partially sunny environments, not in direct sunlight, and does best with weekly waterings.

best indoor plants, Money Tree from The Sill

 Money Tree 

Price: $33.99
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Money Tree from The Sill

Price: $84.00
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