It’s never fun when you get a new trendy plant that you’ve been dying for, only to have it die on you. But thankfully, the plant community is always willing to help out and share some trendy plants that are actually easy to care for.
1. Global Green Pothos
We all know that pothos are at the top for some of the easiest houseplants. “They don’t require a lot of light but appreciate it if you put them in a sunny window, water when partly dry (some varieties will even tell you when they are ready to be water by wilting), and they come in so many different types," says Britt Parrish, the plant enthusiast behind @BotanicallyBe. “One of the newest varieties out is the ‘Global Green’, which has light and dark green variegation which makes it so stunning and unique.” Pothos are the kind of plants that will reward you for minimal care. In the right conditions, they grow, and grow, and grow, shooting out lots of beautiful vines. Hang your pothos in a window with bright, indirect light and it will love you forever.
2. Philodendron Micans
“Micans are so beautiful with their dark velvety leaves. The leaves can range in colors from orange, to red, to an almost blackish-green color,” says Parrish. They are another plant that doesn’t need a lot when it comes to caring for them. “They love a bright sunny window (but not direct sun as you don’t want to scorch the leaves) and watering thoroughly and then letting it dry out partly in between waterings,” explains Parrish. These are also plants that can hang or trail making them a beautiful addition to any room in your home.
3. Pilea Peperomioides
“Pilea have been everywhere the past couple of years and are the perfect low maintenance plants for forgetful waterers,” says Kaitlin Panay, the plant parent behind subscription boxes from @roominbloomnyc. “They grow super quickly and love lots of bright light, but only need to be watered once they’ve dried out completely.” These are really fun plants to care for and they have an excellent history. Often referred to as the pass-it-on plant. “They also love to self propagate and pop out tons of little pups, making them one of the easiest plants to multiply,” explains Panay.
4. Silver Dollar Vine (Xerosicyos danguyi)
“With its charming coin-shaped foliage, interesting urge to climb, and next-to-nothing care requirements, this unique plant, commonly known as silver dollar vine, is one of our favorites,” says Taylor Daniels, the marketing and brand project manager behind Mulhall’s Garden Center. “Its unusual scientific name comes from the Greek xeros meaning ‘dry’ and sicyos meaning ‘cucumber.’ So, although it’s related to our familiar garden cukes, it leads a succulent-style life and requires a lot less water—like, hardly any,” notes Daniels. The great thing about these plants is that they’re super low-maintenance. “To give your silver dollar vine the best life, choose a good, well-draining soil mix formulated for succulents. Let the soil go completely dry, then give it a thorough watering. As for light, X. danguyi prefers lots of bright light—even some direct sun—so a location near a south- or west-facing window is best,” says Daniels.
5. Rhaphidophora decursiva
“If you’re familiar with Rhaphidophora tetrasperma, sometimes called the ‘mini monstera,’ let us introduce you to its larger cousin R. decursiva. We love this bold aroid with its almost glossy dark green foliage and unique fenestrations,” says Daniels. The mini monstera is a fan favorite because it trails beautifully. We see a lot of people draping their plant over doorways, using command hooks to hold them up. This plant is just as easy to care for as its cousin. “As long as you give this beauty bright indirect light, allow the top two inches of soil to dry between waterings, and give it something to climb—like a moss pole—the decursiva will repay you with huge, stunning leaves. As in three-foot-long kind of leaves,” notes Daniels.
6. Alocasia
“Once you understand Alocsia’s love language, they’re so easy to care for and will reward you with beautiful yet striking leaves,” says Myeshia Carter, a plant blogger you can find at @steeze365daily. Alocasia are gorgeous plants and come in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. They’re not too hard to take care of once you get the hang of them. “Give Alocasias a chunky mix consisting of coco coir/coco husks, worm castings, compost, pumice or perlite, horticultural charcoal, and optional orchid bark if you don’t use coco husk. Put it in a spot that gets bright indirect sunlight, and don’t allow the mix to dry out completely,” says Carter. Generally you’ll need to water these plants once the top inch of soil is dry. “As long as the humidity in your space is above 50%, then these babies will thrive. They also love LECA [lightweight expanded clay aggregate], so if you want to take the easier route to grow them, then use LECA,” says Carter.
