It's finally happening! I'm sharing my favorite house plants and my tips and tricks for caring for them. I definitely have a green thumb that I credit my parents for and I am grateful for this talent. Taking care of your favorite plants is not as complicated as you might assume so don't stress. If you give them the attention they need, they'll survive! After all, it's all about the right amounts of light and water. This is by far my most asked question so I hope it helps!
Pothos
To me, Pothos plants are the epitome of contradiction. They truly love a variety of environments and make them one of the easiest house plants. They thrive in both indirect sunlight and low light which makes them the perfect bathroom or office plant! They also like both dry soil and vases of water. Mine lives on my fireplace most of the time and it seems to be happy there.
My only warning for this plant is that it’s poisonous. Pothos plants cannot be ingested and the sap can even cause irritation. So, if you have a pet it can make them very sick.
Snake Plant
As you can tell from my Instagram page, Snake Plants are one of my favourite plants to have in the house. They are fascinating to me! Nasa has done studies on these plants and have found that they actually remove toxins, such as formaldehyde and benzene, from the air in your home! WHAT?! That is so cool!
On top of their amazing air cleaning abilities, Snake Plants are pretty low maintenance. You set them up in indirect sunlight and don’t water them too much! That’s literally it. So easy! This is a great plant to start with if you feel you don't have a green thumb.
Fiddle Leaf Fig
Fiddle Leaf Figs are my other favourite plants to keep in my home. I have two on my main floor in my living room and one in my bonus room. They love sitting in front of my big windows soaking in the afternoon sun! To water them, I soak the pots in a sink or tub once a week and let them drain before putting them back in their favourite spot. Figs can be pretty finicky and they drop their leaves when they aren't happy. It took me a couple months to figure out what mine love.
African Violet
African Violets might be one of the pickiest plants I have, but once you learn its peculiarities, you’re all set! The main trick you need to know for this plant is that you need to water it from the base with room temperature water. We water ours by sitting it in a sink for about 20 minutes. It’s very important to make sure you don’t let water touch the leaves as it can cause spots and damage!
African Violets prefer bright spaces. I have mine set up in the same room as my Fiddle Leaf Figs. And you can tell how happy they are by how often they flower! If they are getting the right amount of water and sunlight, they will have constant blooms. Once the blooms die, pluck off the dead leaves to make room for new flowers. Bonus: if you have a pet, they are non-toxic!
Succulents
I won’t lie, I have the hardest time growing succulents, but my sister’s succulents thrive! She has several in her kitchen and they are loving the warm morning light that comes in! Her succulents get watered every two to four weeks with the same process I use for my Fiddle Leaf Figs – put them in the sink or bath, soak the pots and let them drain before putting them back in their homes.
The awesome thing about succulents is that they’ll tell you when they’re thirsty! If the leaves get wrinkled, they need more water. So, you can easily adjust your water schedule while you get used to your plants.
My favourite succulent is called a Burro’s Tail or Donkey Tail. They are known for their heat and drought tolerant nature. I love the soft mint green colour of the leaves. They’re so pretty!
Aloe
Who doesn’t need an Aloe Vera plant in their life?! These plants are low maintenance and make them easy to take care of. The gel from the plant helps soothe everything from bruises to sunburns!
Your aloe plant is going to thrive in bright, indirect sunlight and only needs to be watered every 3 to 4 weeks. Watering it too much can cause root rot, soft rot, leaf rot or fungal stem rot.
Make sure you keep your Aloe plant out of reach from your pets as the toxicity levels are mild to moderate.
African Milk Tree
I get so many questions about this incredible plant! The African Milk Tree is considered a succulent plant even though it has leaves. Cacti (with the exception of a Christmas and Easter Cactus) do not grow leaves.The African Milk Tree loves bright light, but not direct sunlight because it can burn the leaves. I water mine fairly often making sure the soil is slightly moist, but make sure you don’t overwater as it can cause root rot. The African Milk Tree has a white milky sap that is a poisonous skin irritant so make sure you wash your hands immediately if you’ve been in contact with it.
This incredible plant definitely has a unique look and makes a statement in any room!
Bird of Paradise
These plants always remind me of a tropical destination – I love them! A lot of people love these plants because of the size of their leaves. Inside, they can grow anywhere from 3’ to 8’ tall!
Bird of Paradise plants can tolerate lower light conditions although I recommend a bright space! When watering your plant, make sure the soil is moist and dries out a bit between waterings. Make sure you rotate your plant periodically to ensure even growth.
Unfortunately, my cats are drawn to this plant and so I can't keep a real one in my home anymore. I'm always very aware of this because certain plants can cause very serious issues in animals when ingested. Please research before buying something new.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about some of my favorite house plants. Tell me in the comments below what your favorites are!
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