Best Indoor Plants for New and Experienced Plant Parents According to Industry Experts

Indoor plants are a great way to liven up a window sill, desk, or corner of a room. I love having them on my home office desk, in the kitchen, and everywhere in between. With the right care, some even bloom. If you’re thinking about getting indoor plants for the first time, or you want to add to a growing collection, read on to learn what plant experts that I consulted have to share.

Our top picks for best indoor plants

How we tested and selected the best indoor plants

Expert advice

I consulted three experts in the plant industry for recommendations on indoor plants, information on soil and soil amendments (e.g. perlite, pumice, calcined clay), light requirements, and watering.

Variety of care needs

The plants in this article provide shoppers with a variety of options when it comes to watering, space, and lighting. Some plants on this list need less space, light, and watering, while others require more for plant owners who like a more hands-on experience.

Research and personal experience

In addition to my years of experience owning cacti, succulents, Peperomia, and orchids, I researched studies on the health benefits of indoor plants. As a veterinarian, I also wanted to provide people with information on plants that are and aren’t safe while clarifying that “non-toxic” doesn’t necessarily mean a pet won’t have any issues if they ingest the plant.

What to consider when buying indoor plants

Care requirements

An indoor plant’s needs are one of the most important factors when determining if it’s right for you. You’ll have to consider whether your space has the proper type of lighting (bright versus indirect) and the proper amount of lighting that a plant needs. For example, if a plant requires a minimum of 6 hours of south-facing sun, does your office or living space have that? Or if you’re often gone for weeks at a time, can your indoor plants tolerate that, or will you need to get a plant sitter?

Space

You’ll need to evaluate how much space you have for a plant to grow. Some indoor plants start out small but can become large over time, like the Bird of Paradise, a shrub that can reach up to 6 feet tall indoors. Other plants, like miniature African Violets, stay endearingly small at a maximum diameter of about 6 inches.

Pets

If you have pets, you’ll want to research potential indoor plants to determine if they’re toxic. As a veterinarian, one of the reasons I wanted to write this article (besides that I love indoor plants) is to let people know that just because a plant is listed as non-toxic (or generally pet-safe) doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t cause any issues for your pet. Non-toxic means that a plant is not likely to be life-threatening, but some non-toxic plants can cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and lethargy if eaten.

If you keep a toxic plant, keep it out of reach of pets (which can be challenging with cats and birds), and be mindful of clearing up dead leaves before they fall to the ground.

If you have birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, or other exotics, do additional research to ensure a cat/dog-safe plant is also safe for your pet. For example, the American rubber plant is on the ASPCA’s pet-friendly list for cats and dogs but rubber plants are toxic for birds and rabbits.

How to water and maintain indoor plants

Watering and maintaining indoor plants depends on the plant. There are a few ways to water and some plants prefer one way over others. Travis Thein, founder and owner of Sol Soils adds that watering is not so much about quantity but about frequency, and letting the medium dry at least a bit between waterings so the roots can take in oxygen as they need. Thein also notes the importance of using quality soil that drains well and contains proper conditioners that retain and slow-release water—which can mean less frequent watering. (More on soil later.)

Submerging

Submerging can mean submerging the plant or submerging the pot. With air plants, you’ll want to fully submerge the plant in water. For cacti, submerging the pot is a great way to water it. When it rains in the desert, it can actually flood, so submerging might sound unusual—except it’s not.

Bottom watering

Bottom watering is when you place a pot in a shallow tray of water and allow the water to absorb. How long will depend on the size of the container. If you’re watering an African Violet or Fiddle-Leaf Fig, bottom watering is ideal to avoid getting the leaves wet, which can discolor them.

Top watering

Watering a plant from the top is an option but there’s the potential of underwatering it. Thein says, “No plant I’m aware of wants a tiny bit of water.” With top watering, make sure water freely runs out the bottom. He adds, “Adequate drainage holes are key to avoiding watering mishaps.”

Dusting

Removing dust from plants once a month can help maximize their light exposure. For plants with smooth leaves, a damp towel or paper towel works well. For fuzzy leaves, cacti, or plants with tiny leaves, a paintbrush is great. For plants who don’t mind their leaves getting wet, rinsing in the sink—or bathtub for larger plants—is an option. When wiping leaves or brushing them, support the back of the leaf with your hand.

Air-purifying and health benefits

Air

Indoor plants have the ability to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air to varying degrees. Exposure to VOCs like formaldehyde can come from various sources such as certain plastics, building materials like plywood, resins in wood-based products, tobacco smoke, and gas appliances, to name a few. However, if you have one spider plant, don’t expect it to take the place of an air purifier. It’s important to consider that your indoor plant collection may not be similar to the environment and conditions of scientific studies where plants are clearing VOCs in enclosed chambers.

That said, soil in potted plants has been shown to be generally more effective than some plants like Boston Fern and Peace Lily at reducing formaldehyde levels in the air. The same study also showed that Peace Lilies are adept at removing VOCs and carbon dioxide. However a plant’s ability to reduce VOCs can be affected by various factors, including temperature and humidity.

It’s been discovered that Money Tree plants and Leopard Lilies have the ability to reduce the amount of indoor airborne particulate matter. And Golden Pothos has the ability to reduce indoor ozone but at less than 10%, the amount is quite modest.

Sleep

Though not specifically a benefit of the potted plant, lavender essential oil has been shown to improve sleep quality, specifically promoting slow-wave sleep or deep sleep. Deep sleep has been demonstrated to be important to health in various ways, such as tissue repair, memory, immunity, and glucose metabolism.

Stress

Working with indoor plants has also been shown to reduce psychological and physiological stress in young adults and increase concentration in elementary school kids. Indoor plants can reduce blood pressure, respiratory rate, and heart rate while improving cognition, specifically academic achievement. It’s also been discovered that plants can improve satisfaction with indoor work environments.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Which indoor plant purifies the air the most?

“Purify” is a broad term. Keeping in mind that your houseplant situation is unlikely to the same controlled environment and conditions of the scientific studies cited above, English Ivy, Janet Craig, Peace Lily, Marginata, and Golden Pothos are some of the indoor plants adept at reducing benzene in the air, while spider plants are able to reduce formaldehyde levels in the air. Money Tree plants and leopard lilies have been shown to reduce indoor airborne particulate matter. Golden Pothos has a modest ability to reduce indoor ozone.

What are the cleanest indoor plants?

If you don’t want to deal with soil, some of the cleanest indoor plants are air plants, orchids, and Lucky Bamboo. Orchids, however, require substrate such as sphagnum moss or bark, depending on the species. “Paddle” style air plants also prefer an orchid bark mix. The lucky bamboo will grow in a container with water, but if the container doesn’t keep the plant upright (which it prefers), use pebbles or stones.

How to repot indoor plants

At some point, your indoor plants will need to be repotted, even if they haven’t outgrown their container. This is because soil eventually becomes depleted of nutrients. It’s best to do this in spring during the growth season instead of during fall and winter when temperatures are cooler, making recovery longer.

If your plant has outgrown its container, you may notice roots coming out the drainage holes or roots emerging from the top of the soil, lack of growth (though this can be for a variety of reasons), poor soil quality resulting in repeatedly dry soil and an increased need for watering, or the plant is sinking in the container from the soil compacting down.

Here’s a guide to repotting indoor plants:

1. If you’re repotting because the plant outgrew its container, choose an appropriate size new container, making sure that it’s no more than one-third larger than the previous one. It should also have adequate drainage holes at the bottom. What the container is made of should also be considered. Clay pots are particularly nice compared to plastic because they’re more breathable.
2. Choose the right soil. If you’re not sure which to get, do research or consult a local plant shop.
3. Slide the plant out of its container but don’t use force. If it won’t come out easily, run a knife along the inside, or if it's a plastic container, gently squeeze the sides.
4. If the roots have grown around in a circle, gently tease them apart and remove old soil.
5. Fill the new container with enough potting mix so that when you set the old container inside, the rims are level with each other. Try filling halfway first and go from there. When the rims are flush, add more soil around the sides.
6. Remove the old container and set the plant inside the new container. Add more soil until it reaches about a half-inch below the rim. Gently tamp the container to remove air. You can push the soil down with your hands, but I prefer to tamp instead because I don’t want to excessively compact the soil.
7. Water thoroughly.

What is the best soil for indoor plants?

Different plants have different soil needs, so it’s not one size fits all. However, Thein emphasizes that a well-draining soil is key. He notes that a lot of plants are sold in soil that works well for ideal conditions like that of a greenhouse. These soils typically consist predominantly of peat moss, which can absorb and hold onto too much water for indoor conditions. If this happens for a prolonged period, and the root system isn’t able to breathe effectively, root rot can set in. Soggy peat moss also gives pests ideal conditions to thrive. On the flip side, peat-based soils can become hydrophobic when dry and not allow the soil to readily re-wet any longer.

Thein says the ideal soil is made up of components that “pull in water and keep that moisture available for the plant to use as they need.” A quality soil contains conditioners, like calcined clay or pumice, which slowly release the water and nutrients from fertilizing. He adds that calcined clay is a baked clay that is porous and won’t break down and suffocate plant roots. You can even make your own custom soil mix by adding in components like perlite, calcined clay, pumice, or lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA).

Which indoor plants work well for small living spaces?

Air plants are great for small living spaces and can also work as office plants. If you don’t have a desk, shelf, or sill to place it, air plants can also be kept in hanging containers.

Orchids are another option because they don’t take up much space and are slow-growing, producing only one to three new leaves a year. Their sphagnum moss or bark substrate also tends to make them cleaner to keep. If you’re new to orchids, avoid window sills because the temperature range can be too extreme and your orchid can get too hot or too cold. Orchids prefer temperatures between 60 and 80 F and bright indirect light.

If you have dark rooms, however, Ahns says, “Snake and ZZ plants are tolerant of low light conditions, but it is important to note that while these plants can tolerate low light, that does not mean no light. They are both very adaptable plants with minimal watering needs. However, like all houseplants, they will thrive and grow faster when placed in brighter light.”

What indoor plants are pet friendly?

Wu says, “Peperomias and Calathea are both [generally] pet-friendly options that offer a wide variety of leaf shapes and colors. Another personal favorite is the Money Tree because it is low maintenance and makes a great gift. The belief is that they bring good fortune to the recipient, so they're the perfect housewarming or birthday present for pet parents.”

Other indoor plants that are generally cat/dog safe are African Violets, Mother of Pearl succulent, and Lemon Button ferns. It’s good to keep in mind that non-toxic plants can still cause digestive upset or other symptoms if eaten in large enough amounts.