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Three Must-Know Tips for Houseplant Beginners 

So you want a green thumb?

Whether your plant aspirations are of the indoor jungle variety or you just want a nice plant for your desk at work, it can be intimidating to get started and find a good houseplant for beginners. Easy care indoor plants are easy to find if you know what you’re looking for. 

Beginner plants should be: 

  1. Easy to water, and forgiving if you miss a watering 

  2. Able to thrive in low to medium light, so you don’t need to worry if you don’t have a sunny window available 

  3. The right size for your space

Check out our list of houseplants for beginners and new plant parent tips that will start your collection off right and grow your green thumb confidence!

Tip 1: Start With Low Light Plants

Think back to high school biology class and photosynthesis! Plants need light to survive, because they convert light into energy. For someone just starting out as a houseplant beginner, we recommend starting with a low light plant because it’s pretty likely that you’ll have enough light for these plants. 

If you have brighter light, that’s great! It’s better to have a little extra light for a low-to-medium light plant than not enough light for a plant that needs bright sunshine. 

How Much Light Does My Room Have?

Determine which direction your window faces. A south-facing or west-facing window is best for bright light. An east-facing window, or placing a plant in a room well lit by a south- or west-facing window is best for indirect light. A north-facing window isn’t ideal for most plants because it’s not getting any direct sun, but low light plants can do okay in a room if this is your only window. 

Are you windowless in an office cubicle or interior room of your home? Don’t worry! Some plants can even thrive without natural sunlight if you provide plenty of bright, artificial light. 

Best houseplants for beginners with low to medium light: Ivy, Pothos, Dieffenbachia, Spider Plant, Arrowhead Vine, Sansevieria, ZZ Plant 

Tip 2: Look for Drought Resistant Houseplants

This blog focuses on easy care indoor plants, which means we want you to feel empowered to care for your plant as much as possible. Some people may want to love their plants too much and tend to overwater, which we’ll address in another post. 

For now, our tip for houseplant beginners is to look for plants that can skip a watering day and keep on kicking. You want drought-resistant plants or plants that can dry out between waterings without getting over-stressed. 

Best houseplants for beginners who might miss a watering day: Pothos, Peperomia, Spider Plant, Sansevieria, ZZ Plant

Succulents are also drought resistant, but they do need bright light, so only choose a succulent if you have a bright west-facing or south-facing window for it. 

Tip 3: Know Your Plant’s Symptoms

When you’re starting out with houseplants for the first time, you might wonder what it means if a leaf turns yellow or brown, falls off entirely, or gets weird spots on it. As a houseplant beginner, you’ll need to spend a little time getting to know the symptoms of your plant’s common issues. 

You can check for variety specific care blogs on our Foliage, Succulent, and Signature Collection care pages for detailed info on different plants like pothos, sansevieria, spider plant, and ZZ! 

Here are some blogs to help you learn more about: 

Root Rot

Root Bound

Leaf Drop

Low Humidity

Pests

If you have specific questions, we are always here to help. Reach out to us on Instagram (@wild_interiors) or email info@wildinteriors.com

The Best Plants for Beginners

These three tips will help you figure out the best light level for houseplants, houseplants that don’t need a lot of water, and symptoms of houseplant problems. 

Our top recommendations for a houseplant beginner are Pothos, Spider Plant, Sansevieria, and ZZ Plant -- these are plants that don’t need bright light and can go without watering for a short period.