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Easy houseplants for beginners

New to houseplants? Start here. These are the most forgiving, hard-to-kill plants, the ones that bounce back from a missed watering and don’t demand perfect light. Each links to a full care guide.

50 curated plants

A good beginner plant tolerates irregular watering, copes with average indoor light, and recovers from the odd mistake. The plants below are all rated easy and link to a full care guide.

Watering (summer)

ZZ plantZamioculcas zamiifoliaevery 17 to 25 daysToxic to pets Ponytail palmBeaucarnea recurvataevery 14 to 22 daysPet-safe Snake plantSansevieria trifasciataevery 11 to 17 daysToxic to pets Aloe veraAloe vera (Aloe barbadensis)every 11 to 17 daysToxic to pets Jade plantCrassula ovataevery 11 to 17 daysToxic to pets Spineless yuccaYucca elephantipesevery 11 to 17 daysToxic to pets
Sweetheart plantHoya kerriievery 11 to 17 daysPet-safe Cactus assortmentCactaceae spp.every 11 to 17 daysPet safety unknown EcheveriaEcheveria spp.every 11 to 17 daysPet-safe Donkey’s tailSedum morganianumevery 11 to 17 daysPet-safe Dragon treeDracaena marginataevery 8 to 12 daysToxic to pets Flaming KatyKalanchoe blossfeldianaevery 8 to 12 daysToxic to pets Christmas cactusSchlumbergera spp.every 8 to 12 daysPet-safe Sago palmCycas revolutaevery 8 to 12 daysToxic to pets String of heartsCeropegia woodiievery 8 to 12 daysPet safety unknown Wax plantHoya carnosaevery 7 to 11 daysPet-safe Blushing philodendronPhilodendron erubescensevery 6 to 10 daysToxic to pets MonsteraMonstera deliciosaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Golden pothosEpipremnum aureumevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Peace lilySpathiphyllum wallisiievery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Spider plantChlorophytum comosumevery 6 to 8 daysPet-safe English ivyHedera helixevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Rubber plantFicus elasticaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Chinese money plantPilea peperomioidesevery 6 to 8 daysPet safety unknown Heartleaf philodendronPhilodendron hederaceumevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets AnthuriumAnthurium andraeanumevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Moth orchidPhalaenopsis spp.every 6 to 8 daysPet-safe Kentia palmHowea forsterianaevery 6 to 8 daysPet-safe Parlor palmChamaedorea elegansevery 6 to 8 daysPet-safe Dwarf umbrella treeSchefflera arboricolaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Money treePachira aquaticaevery 6 to 8 daysPet-safe Corn plantDracaena fragransevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets PleomeleDracaena reflexaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Lucky bambooDracaena sanderianaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Tree philodendronPhilodendron bipinnatifidumevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Philodendron BrasilPhilodendron hederaceum ‘Brasil’every 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Arrowhead plantSyngonium podophyllumevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Chinese evergreenAglaonema commutatumevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Dumb caneDieffenbachia seguineevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Weeping figFicus benjaminaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Curtain figFicus microcarpaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Inch plantTradescantia zebrinaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Purple heartTradescantia pallidaevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets African violetSaintpaulia ionanthaevery 6 to 8 daysPet-safe Wax begoniaBegonia x semperflorens-cultorumevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets GeraniumPelargonium x hortorumevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Lace fernAsparagus setaceusevery 6 to 8 daysToxic to pets Air plantTillandsia ionanthaevery 6 to 8 daysPet safety unknown Creeping figFicus pumilaevery 5 to 7 daysToxic to pets Ivy geraniumPelargonium peltatumevery 5 to 7 daysToxic to pets

Common questions

What is the easiest houseplant to keep alive?

The snake plant (Sansevieria), ZZ plant, and pothos are the most forgiving: they tolerate low light, irregular watering, and bounce back from neglect. All three are on this list.

Which beginner houseplants are also safe for pets?

Spider plant, Parlor palm, Calathea, Areca palm, and Boston fern are both easy and non-toxic to cats and dogs. See our pet-safe houseplants page for the full hand-checked list.

Last reviewed: 2026-09-05