The 15 Most Popular House Plants

Did you know that caring for house plants is therapeutic? People who care for house plants experience less depression and anxiety.

They also reduce stress. Taking care of house plants suppresses distress in our bodies.

If you are interested in starting this fantastic hobby, read on as I go into detail about the top 15 most popular house plants.

1. Aloe Vera
2. Snake Plant
3. Peace Lily
4. Peperomia
5. Fiddle Leaf Fig
6. Spider Plant
7. Parlor Palm Tree
8. Citrus Tree
9. Ficus Tree
10. African Violet
11. Philodendron
12. Rubber Plant Tree
13. Phalaenopsis Orchids
14. Calathea
15. Christmas Cactus

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a popular succulent plant that is easy to care for and also offers healing properties, as the juice from its leaves can relieve burns and scrapes.

Aloe Vera needs a location in your home that offers indirect sunlight. Too much sun can dry out the leaves, turning them yellow.

They do best in temperatures between 55˚ and 80˚F.

Watering the aloe plant is a little more difficult as they are desert plants and must be watered thoroughly but not too frequently. The soil should feel moist after you water, but it also needs to dry out in between watering.

Read the complete guide on how to take care of your aloe vera here.

Snake Plant

The snake plant is another very easy succulent to care for. They do best in bright, indirect sunlight but can also do well in more shady corners.

They need their warmth with temperatures over 50˚F and should be kept from drafty windows.

A common mistake folks make with the snake plant is overwatering, as they are partial to root rot.

Do not water them too often, and allow the soil to dry out between waterings. You can water less often in the winter.

Freezing temperatures and too much water will likely kill the snake plant.

Here's our complete care guide for your snake plant.

Peace Lily

The peace lily is a very common houseplant as they are easy to grow and lovely to look at. They make a nice addition to any home.

When cared for properly, they will produce white blooms that can bloom year-round.

Peace lilies do best in bright, indirect sunlight in an east or north-facing window. They are tropical plants, so they prefer temperatures over 70˚F with high humidity.

The soil should be moist with filtered, room-temperature water but not saturated. Their leaves will start to droop if they are looking for more water.

Because they contain calcium oxalate, they should be kept from children and pets as this substance can cause stomach and respiratory distress if ingested.

See our comprehensive care guide for peace lily

Peperomia

The peperomia is a great choice for beginners. They are pretty forgiving and come in a variety of colors and textures.

They like medium to bright indirect sunlight. Direct sun can cause burnt leaves, but not enough can cause the leaves to drop.

Peperomia is a tropical plant, so it can’t handle freezing temperatures.

It does not need to be watered too much as the leaves are succulent. The soil's surface should be dry between waterings, as soggy soil leads to root rot.

Learn how to best take care of your peperomia plant here.

Fiddle Leaf Fig

The fiddle leaf fig is an indoor tree with violin-shaped leaves and will reach about six feet tall.

They like bright, filtered light and won’t do well in direct sunlight as their leaves can get burnt. However, they will grow very slowly if the light is too low.

The fiddle leaf fig does best between 60˚ and 85˚F and should be kept from drafts. Humidity levels between 30 and 65 percent are ideal.

They prefer a moderate amount of water, and the leaves will wilt if they do not get enough.  However, too much water can cause root rot.

Be mindful that it is toxic to dogs and cats.

Spider Plants

The spider plant is an easy-to-grow plant that looks great in hanging baskets. They were a favorite in homes during the Victorian Era.

They do well in indirect sunlight, and the direct, hot sun can burn their leaves. They grow quickly and should be reported every other year.

They do best in temperatures between 55˚ and 80˚ F, making them an ideal houseplant.

The spider plant loves water and should be watered about once a week and is pretty forgiving if you overwater it.

Parlor Palm Tree

The parlor palm tree has been used as a houseplant ever since it was brought over from Central America. They are great for beginners.

While the parlor palm is considered a low-light plant, that does not mean no light. They like filtered sunlight with northern exposure.

They like temperatures between 65˚ and 80˚ F. It does not like cold temperatures and can easily be killed by frost.

The Parlor Palm can be oversensitive to water and will not tolerate being saturated. Dryer soil is better than overwatering—water when the top of the soil feels dry.

Citrus Trees

I love the idea of growing citrus trees, as who doesn’t want to partake in a juicy orange or a fresh lemon to put in your water? Growing them can take a bit of work, and they do best in warmer climates like Arizona or Florida.

They need between six to eight hours of dull direct sunlight per day. If they do not have enough sunlight, they will fail to produce fruit.

Citrus trees are very vulnerable to low temperatures, and any freeze can do a lot of damage to them. You can care for them by placing blankets over them if you feel they may be at risk for temperatures that are too cold.

They do need to be watered a lot, especially if you want healthy fruit. New plants need water two to three times a week for the first year and then one to two times a week after that, and the soil should not be dried out between waterings.

The Ficus Tree

This tree is a common plant in homes and offices, even though it can be picky.

They like filtered, indirect sunlight as direct sunlight can burn their leaves. They do best in temperatures above 60˚ F, and any drafts can cause them harm.

The ficus tree likes high humidity and enjoys being misted. But they do not like overly wet soil. Water when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch.

African Violet

The African Violet is a beautiful houseplant with purple, white, and blue flowers.

They love bright, indirect sunlight, preferably a north or east-facing window. They also do well with LED bulbs if you want to use fluorescent lighting.

The leaves can become bleached or light green if they get too much light.

The African Violet likes temperatures over 65˚ and away from drafty windows.

The soils should be kept moist, as they can get root rot. Room temperature water is best.

Philodendron

The philodendron is an easy plant to care for. Some philodendrons have vines that require a support structure, and the non-vine type does fine without one.

They like partial sunlight and do best by a window with indirect light.

The temperature will vary depending on the species, but overall they need to be in temperatures over 55˚ F and away from drafts.

They like a moderate amount of soil and should be watered when the top layer of the soil has dried out. Be careful of both underwatering and overwatering, as it can lead to issues with the plant's leaves.

Rubber Plant Tree

These plants, which can grow up to 50 feet tall, are not hard to care for.

They like bright but indirect sunlight that does not get too hot. They would do great near a window with sheer curtains.

Ideally, the temperature for the rubber plant is between 60˚ to 65˚F  at night and 75˚ to 80˚F during the day.

The rubber plant needs the correct balance of water. It should be watered at least once a week in its active season and a little less in its inactive season.

Phalaenopsis Orchids

These beautiful plants are popular but impossible to grow outdoors, making them a fine choice for an indoor plant. Good lighting is required, but the direct sun will burn the leaves. Rotating your orchid will be best for it.

Because they are used to warm climates, they need temperatures above 75˚ F and high humidity levels.

It should be watered once a week by running warm water over the bark and roots for several minutes, letting it absorb.

Calathea

Know by its dazzling colors, the calathea is also known as the zebra plant and the prayer plant. Though it is a tropical plant, it does best with filtered light as they are used to growing underneath dense forest trees.

They thrive in temperatures over 70˚ F and need high humidity levels as well.

The water needs to be consistently moist but not soggy, as it can easily get waterlogged.

Christmas Cactus

The Christmas Cactus is flush with bold blooms, making it a lovely sight in the winter months.

The Christmas Cactus likes an equal amount of sun and shade but can easily adapt to more or less of each.

They like high amounts of humidity, especially in dryer homes. They thrive in temperatures over 70˚ F.

Despite it being a cactus, it does crave more water than most. Let the soil dry completely between watering.