You can enjoy and have indoor plants without having to turn your home into a jungle. Not that there’s anything wrong with having a lot of large indoor plants, but it’s just not everyone’s aesthetic and for some people, having large indoor plants is just not an option because of pets, kids, and limited free space.
If you can relate to this struggle, we have great news for you, as there is a great number of indoor plants that will make your home or office green and the air indoors fresher and cleaner but require very little space. We’ve listed a variety of such plants below – including but not limited to flowering plants, succulents, and leafy plants – so pick and choose the ones you like the most and will fit your space the best.
1. Air Plants (Tillandsia)
Let’s hit this list off with a group of pretty unique plants – air plants. They’re called that way because unlike the vast majority of plants, they do not require any soil and get all the nutrients they need from the air through their leaves. This is great news to those who can’t afford to place a big and heavy pot on the floor or have plants take up precious shelf space.
The possibilities are endless with these sturdy plants – just pop them into a shallow decorative dish and showcase them on a table, place them carefully into a glass terrarium hanging on the ceiling, or attach them on the sides of an empty picture frame and hang it on the wall.
Air plants come in many different colors, too, ranging from green to bluish-green, white, or even reddish-green. Keeping these plants alive and healthy is pretty simple, too, just soak them in water for a few minutes once a week or every two weeks, and that’s pretty much it.
2. Kitchen Herbs
When the number of plants you can have in your home is limited, they better serve a few functions and not only be pretty but also useful. That’s exactly why kitchen herbs are such a great option for nearly anyone, as they will come in handy in the kitchen while also looking pretty on the windowsill or a well-lit kitchen counter.
The kinds of herbs you can grow indoors will depend on how much sunlight there is in the spot you intend to use as your mini herb garden. While herbs like mint do require full sun and typically don’t thrive indoors, herbs like cilantro, sage, basil, thyme, and chives will live happily on the windowsill. Just make sure to plant them in a well-drained pot and water liberally.
3. African violet (Saintpaulia)
Flowering plants can be easily grown indoors, too. If you want to liven up a room with some bright colors, consider the African violet. This plant is quite small, doesn’t grow fast, and has beautiful velvety leaves and flowers that come in all colors of the rainbow – purple, pink, blue, fuchsia, white, and even red.
These plants have fragile leaves and prefer indirect light. When it comes to watering preferences, they’re pretty specific – keep the soil lightly moist and only use room-temperature water. Water the soil directly and try not to get any water on the leaves, as they are susceptible to rot.
4. Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
If you want to add some color to your home with the help of plants but African violets sound too finicky, the polka dot plant may be a better fit for you. Not only do these plants have beautiful colorful leaves in a range of colors, but they also thrive in low-light conditions.
So, if your home barely gets any sunlight but you want to add a dash of something to your table or shelf decor, a polka dot plant is an excellent option. Because this plant is susceptible to root rot, make sure it lives in well-drained soil and only water it when the top of the soil has dried out.
5. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides)
The tiny plant is known for its signature round leaves, which is why it’s also sometimes called the Pancake Plant. The Chinese Money Plant is quite compact, reaching the maximum height of about 8-12 inches (20-30cm), so it’s a good fit for those who can’t spare a lot of space in their homes and don’t feel like repotting or cutting the plant too often.
As for the required lighting conditions, pancake plants typically favor plenty of indirect light, as their leaves start to burn in the direct sun. No need to water the plant too often, especially in the colder months – this plant actually favors a bit of drying out in-between waterings. Lastly, the Chinese Money Plant doesn’t require extra humidity and is safe for pets and animals.
