Lowest Maintenance House Plants - A guide to the Easiest to Look After Plants to Keep Inside the House 

You’ve always wanted to cover your house in plants, but you just can’t seem to keep them alive - you don’t have the time, the energy, or you just can’t keep up with what they want. Your jungle paradise has turned into a shelf of dead plants and dry leaves, and you’re not sure what you’re doing wrong. 

The simple answer is that you’re choosing the wrong plants! Your schedule, your memory and even your house all provide unique challenges for house plants. By replacing fussier plants with sturdy and independent specimens, you’ll be able to work on your green thumb without the added pressure of killing off your plant population. 

In this guide, we list some of the most relaxed plants you can keep in your home. Bring them home, set them up, and relax! These hardy house plants will do most of the work for you. 

1. Devil’s Ivy

Named for its immortality, Devil’s Ivy is famous for being nearly impossible to kill. If you struggle to look after your plants, Devil’s Ivy - otherwise known as pothos - will survive and even thrive through the harshest conditions you can provide. Characterised by waxy and vibrant green leaves that vary from plant to plant, Devil’s Ivy is guaranteed to brighten up shelves all over your home. 

Devil’s Ivy tolerates very low light conditions and wilts to a noticeable level when it needs water, drawing your attention straight to it when it actually needs your help. Underwatering isn’t even that concerning - a wilting Devil’s Ivy is still nowhere near the point of death! This is a wonderfully low-effort plant to brighten up your shelves. 

2. Cacti

When it comes to plants that don’t take up a lot of time, there’s nothing better than a faithful and  sturdy cactus. Cacti come in hundreds of different shapes, sizes, lifespans, spike types and colours! They’re one of the most versatile types of flora in the world, and their infamous low-maintenance lifestyle is perfect for house plant keepers with a lot of sun and not a lot of time. Simply set up your cactus where you want it, and forget all about it for weeks. Your cactus will be happier the less frequently you water it! 

3. Succulents

Like cacti, succulents thrive in arid climates around the globe, sucking up water into thick leaves that store it for longer periods of time. Succulents can be spiky, tall, round, low-lying and can even look like pebbles! Several household favourites fall under succulents, such as snake plants, aloe vera, jade and stone plants. These houseplants are known for being forgiving, and can continue to thrive for long periods of time without water. Succulents will show wrinkling in their leaves when they’re suffering from underwatering - if you notice this, a splash of water will help to perk them up again. 

4. Marimo Moss Balls

If you’re looking for a plant you won’t even need to water, a marimo ball is one of the best options out there. These unique little moss balls will happily bob around in their jars without any input from you. They’re also cute, round and endearing - one of the lowest maintenance pets you can have!

Marimo moss balls are created by currents tumbling algae around at the bottom of Japanese lakes, spinning it into charismatic spherical formations. While rare in the wild, marimo balls are now ethically cultivated in order to be used as house plants. 

Marimo moss balls need to be kept submerged in water, and need to grow out of direct sunlight to avoid discolouration. You should change their water every few weeks to avoid problems caused by stagnation and evaporation. 

5. Ecospheres

If you want to customise your plant displays, ecospheres are one of the best low-maintenance options out there. These setups are made to be self-sustaining, hosting humidity-loving plants that water and feed themselves inside their jars. An ecosphere is designed to create its own water cycle, with water evaporating from the leaves, condensing on the glass and ‘raining’ back down to water the plants again. 

Ecospheres are a great chance to keep tropical and water-loving plants without worrying about forgetting to water them. You can also style them any way you like, with your choice of container, plants and substrate. 

6. Palms

There are many different types of palms out there, each providing unique challenges to house plant keepers. If you pick the right palm, however, they can be fantastically low-maintenance plants that thrive in low light conditions and don’t need watering too frequently. Their unique segmented leaves make a tasteful addition to any home, and the right palm will settle right into your living room. 

Some great choices for houseplant palms include hardy parlour palms, areca palms, and the uniquely shaped ponytail palms. Make sure you check whether your palm will suit the light levels you have available, and isn’t too fussy about water and soil conditions. 

7. Dumb Cane

Dumb cane (otherwise known as dieffenbachia) is an interesting plant named for its ability to numb the tongue and mouth. A popular decoration in homes, restaurants and even as a set prop in movies, dumb cane is a familiar sight around the globe. This is due to their impressive adaptability; they’re one of the easiest plants to keep happy and healthy indoors, and work well as decoration in places they’ll get little direct attention. 

While dumb cane is a tropical lover of humidity, it’s surprisingly hardy and can outlast several tough conditions including the wrong light or underwatering. As long as you keep the soil damp, your dumb cane is bound to thrive in your home!

8. Arrowheads

Arrowhead plants boast gorgeous heart-shaped leaves that trail over the edges of the pot. The leaves can even grow in pink! Arrowheads are fast-growing plants that grow well in almost any light conditions, and can withstand minimal watering. As they get older they become trailing plants, allowing you to drape them or hang them anywhere you please in your home. 

Arrowhead roots grow as fast as the plant, so it’s advisable to repot it every couple of years. While the plant thrives in damp conditions, keeping it too wet can cause root rot and you should always let the soil dry between waterings. 

9. Anthuriums

With their bold, unique and recognisable flowers, it’s likely you’ve noticed anthuriums decorating homes and offices before. This is a great plant to fool guests into being impressed with your green thumb - while they actually need very little care to thrive! 

Anthuriums are surprisingly easy to keep inside, and have made a name for themselves as one of the most indoor-compatible plants you can buy. They have very few concrete requirements and can thrive in low light conditions, making them a great way to spruce up bare corners that can’t host pickier greenery. Anthuriums enjoy damp soil with good drainage, but can handle drying out if it does happen. 

10. Dragon Trees

Like their namesake, dragon trees are known for their immortality. Popular because of their hardiness, these plants aren’t picky about where you put them or what you do with them. Natural humidity provided by a bathroom or cooking in the kitchen is enough to keep them happy, and they enjoy growing outside of direct sunlight. These trees don’t mind a bit of dry soil, and will wait patiently between waterings with little to no effect on the plant. 

Plants are so varied and unique that you’re bound to find something that suits you, no matter what your limitations are. Don’t give up yet! Sometimes even plants you believe you’ve killed can be brought back to life, especially if the plant is as hardy as the ones on this list. 

We hope that this guide helps to spruce up your plant shelves without causing any more wilted greenery! For guides about the right house plants to buy, and for more about plant care, check out our blog here, or browse our website and shop for our range of low-maintenance plants and ecospheres with FREE next working day delivery on orders over £40!