The best indoor house plants for new plant owners
Reap the benefits of ecotherapy with these low maintenance indoor plants
Text: Sam Y
The saying that “nature nurtures” holds more truth than you might think. A report from the 2019 Global Wellness Summit revealed that spending time immersed in nature not only boosts your health and wellbeing, but is an exceptional natural remedy for depression, anxiety and high blood pressure. In today’s society where most of us live in urban areas and concrete jungles, house plants are a fantastic addition to the home, bringing a dose of ecotherapy indoors (not to mention acting as show-stopping decor).
Whether you’re a new plant owner starting to curate your first home garden, or looking for low-maintenance house plants to boost wellbeing and brighten up your living space, read on for some of the best and hardiest indoor plants to start your collection with.
Rubber Plant
With beautifully dark, waxy leaves, the rubber plant –– also known as the Ficus elastica ‘Burgundy’ –– is a great option to turn to if you’re looking for something classy that requires minimal care. This sturdy plant needs to be fed with liquid fertiliser only once in two weeks, and flourishes in bright to partial shade. The rubber plant is also sturdy enough to do well in the outdoors. Purchase your first rubber plant here at The Garden Store.
Monstera
The fabulously named Monstera Deliciosa is a rather large floor plant that is very photogenic. Chances are, you’ve seen the exquisite leaves of the Monstera being used as backdrops in several Instagram flatlays. This hardy house plant does well both indoors and outdoors, only requires watering when the soil is dry, and needs to placed in light, well-ventilated areas. Purchase your first Monstera plant at Noah Garden Centre.
Snake Plant
The Snake Plant, or the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (cheekily named after the plant’s sharp, tongue-shaped structure) is an amazing low-maintenance house plant that jazzes up your space while purifying the air around you. Far East Flora, Singapore’s leading nursery operator even states in its website that the Snake Plant ‘thrives on neglect’ as it’s extremely drought-resistant and only requires watering sparingly. If you decide to take this outdoors, place it where there’s plenty of sunlight. Purchase your first Snake Plant at Far East Flora.
Money Plant
Known in feng shui circles as a plant that brings luck and money to its owner, the Money Plant, also known as the Epipremnum aureum is a tough houseplant that requires little effort to thrive –– requiring just a spray of water every now and then to sustain itself. It also gives off gorgeous ethereal vibes when its leaves and tendrils cascade over the edge of its pot. It can be placed outdoors as well, but as this plant grows best in indirect sunlight it’s best to keep it in shady, low-light corners. Purchase your first Money Plant at Ferns N Petals.
Cornstalk Dracaena
According to the folks at The Chlorofeel Shop, the Cornstalk Dracaena (or Dracaena Fragrans) is ‘one of the easiest’ indoor plants and is also most likely to be disease-free. This structured plant brings a bold edge to any empty wall or corner (indoor or outdoor), and even removes harmful particles found in the air. It’s also a shade-loving plant that only needs fertiliser once every month. Easy peasy! Purchase your first Cornstalk Dracaena at The Chlorofeel Shop.
