11 gorgeous, super-low-maintenance indoor plants

Blue candle cactus

Toxic to pets: yes
Difficulty: moderate
Needs: full sun

Create a laid-back California vibe with a few statement cacti throughout your home, like this blue candle varietal. If repotting, use soil with good drainage. Let it dry out completely between waterings.

Swiss cheese plant

Toxic to pets: yes.
Diffculty: easy.
Needs: bright filtered light.

Its large, showy leaves can fill the corner of a room, especially in a beautiful statement pot. Try growing it up a trellis — just don’t tie it too tightly. Water every seven to 10 days.

Staghorn fern

Toxic to pets: no Needs: bright filtered light Difficulty: moderate

Usually seen hanging on walls like living art, these ferns are epiphytic, which means they grow on other plants. Water every seven to 10 days. Keep in humid environments and mist occasionally.

Jade plant

Toxic to pets: yes Needs: bright filtered light  Difficulty: easy

Give this small-to medium-sized plant lots of direct light and it will be happy virtually anywhere. In warm climates like California, it’s sometimes used as a hedge. Water every seven to 10 days. Use a well-draining soil mix.

Succulents

Toxic to pets: no Needs: bright filtered light (not direct) Difficulty: easy

Whether they’re grouped in a terrarium or planted alone, we love the sculptural look of succulents for a coffee table and most are easy to care for. Water directly into well-draining soil (not on top of leaves).

Kangaroo paw fern

Toxic to pets: unknown Needs: filtered light Difficulty: easy

This fern has leathery, dark-green fronds and rambling rhizomes that’ll grow down the sides of the container. Hang in a basket or place on a stand. Water it deeply once a week, but also water it lightly daily.

Ginseng ficus

Toxic to pets: yes Needs: bright light Diffculty: experts only

Bonsai is the art of cultivating natural tree forms in miniature. This ginseng ficus is the easiest bonsai tree to grow and is a good plant for bonsai first-timers. Keep soil evenly moist at all times. Do not let it dry out.

Fiddle leaf fig

Toxic to pets: yes Needs: bright filtered light  Difficulty: experts only 

This fast-growing plant (it can reach up to 15 metres) is a great statement piece. The plant hates to be touched or moved. Water once a week (less in the winter). Mist occasionally.

Air plants

Toxic to pets: no Needs: Bright filtered light (not direct) Difficulty: moderate

These plants don’t have roots and don’t require any soil. Add fish-food flakes to the water before you soak the plant to deliver nutrients. Soak every three weeks for 10 minutes; shake well.

Blue star fern

Toxic to pets: no Needs: indirect light Difficulty: easy

This graceful and ethereal plant is a nice contrast to sculptural indoor plants. Try it on a stand or in a hanging basket. Keep it moist in well-draining soil. It also likes to be misted once a week.

Boston fern

Toxic to pets: no Needs: indirect light Diffculty: easy

As much as possible (and this holds true for all plants), mimic the fern’s natural environment at the base of a tree, which means a cool, humid place with indirect light. Keep the soil evenly moist at all times, and mist once or twice a week.

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