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The 35 Best Indoor Plants for Apartments to Buy Online
With a little love and some water, these indoor plants can make it anywhere.
Living in a small apartment and being a gardening enthusiast were once mutually exclusive. The too-often dark, damp, or overly dry environments are not exactly the most ideal for those looking to turn their living room into a makeshift greenhouse. However, this no longer needs to be the case, as there is a wide array of plant species that are actually perfectly suited for surviving—and even thriving—in less-than-tropical conditions. So we at ELLE DECOR tapped Baltimore-based plant stylist Hilton Carter, author of last year’s Wild Interiors, to recommend the best indoor apartment plants that you can buy online, and also to tell you how to care for them once they’re all yours. Read on for his top picks, as well as some of our own.
Cute Plant Club Philodendron Narrow “Jungle Boogie” in 4-inch Pot
“Like all philodendrons, you have to be careful to not overwater it,” says Carter. “Only give it a drink when the soil is completely dry. When it comes to light, it likes it bright or medium and indirect.”
“This is one of my favorite ficus trees,” says Carter. “It’s less finicky than its popular cousin, the fiddle-leaf fig, and it can grow up to 25 feet indoors. When it comes to light, it does well when it’s bright and indirect. Keep the soil moist during the growing season, which is summer. In the winter, the soil needs less moisture.”
Urban Stems Pilea Peperomioides
“This is a widely loved plant with many endearing nicknames like UFO plant, pancake plant, and Chinese money plant,” says Carter. “Its love of humidity makes it a great way to add color to a bathroom. The sprouted leafy discs could also work in any space with bright indirect light. Let the soil dry out between waterings to avoid root rot. Their leaves will droop a bit when they are thirsty.”
“This is one of my favorite succulents to grow indoors. Unlike other plants, it can survive a day of direct sunlight,” says Carter. “Place it in a pot with a drainage hole and water every two weeks only when the top two inches of soil are dry. To keep it looking fresh, just give dying or dry branches a snip.”
Shirl’s Plant Therapy Variegated Arrowhead Vine
“Just like other variegated plants, the beauty exists in its tricolor foliage,” says Carter. “It will need its soil to stay evenly moist, so you’ll have to water it more frequently during spring and summer. Don’t ever let the soil completely dry out. It thrives in humidity, so a weekly misting session would be beneficial. Like most houseplants, it likes bright indirect light but can also tolerate low light.”
“This waxy-leafed beauty will do best in an area of your home that gets bright indirect light,” says Carter. “Direct sunlight will kill the plant over time. Only water it when the soil is dry, but do spray it with mist weekly because their leaves love humidity.”
“It’s easy to see where this got its name,” says Carter. “It thrives in bright indirect light but will also do well in filtered light. Be careful not to overexpose it to direct sun, because this can burn the leaves and dry the plant out. Keep the soil moist, not wet. For balanced growth, rotate it at least once a month.”
“Also known as the Crimson Prince, like other hoyas, this trailing beauty is perfect for displaying in a window that gets bright but indirect light,” says Carter. “They love humidity, so try misting it once a week and let the soil dry between waterings. Repot during the spring or summer when the roots start peeking out of the drainage hole.”
“The Aralia Fabian reminds me of something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Its beauty and weirdness comes from its thick burly trunk, thin speckled branches, and pancake-shaped foliage that’s a dark shade of green on top and a shade of violet on the bottom,” says Carter. “To care for it, place your plant in a pot that has a drainage hole and water it until water comes out in the base tray. Repeat only when the top two inches of soil become completely dry. It can live in a nice spot that has bright indirect light. If you don’t have that, a mix of dappled light throughout the day will also work well.”
“This is a statement plant,” says Carter. “The beautiful long green foliage makes it stand out from other ficus trees. Plus, it’s more durable and less prone to dropping its leaves. It needs plenty of indirect sunlight and will not survive in low light. Keep the soil consistently moist and only let the top inch dry before watering.”
You’ll be able to catch plenty of Zs if you invest in a ZZ plant—also known as the Zamioculcas zamiifolia—as it is one of the lowest-maintenance options on the market. It only needs to be watered three times a month, doesn’t require a lot of light, and will not attract bugs or other pests.
Air plants—also known as Tillandsia—sustain themselves on moisture from the air and require no soil (correct, zero soil) to grow. With a minimal root system and more than 500 species to choose from, there are a wonderful variety of visually interesting options, which can be displayed in stylish air-plant holders like these.
Even if you skip town for the weekend and forget to assign a friend plant-sitting duties, the spider plant will not punish you for neglecting it. The self-propagating, air-cleaning, petite, and pretty spider plant will grow in low to bright indirect light, making it a great option for apartment dwellers or first-time plant parents.
With its thick, Swiss cheese–like leaves and tropical feel, the Monstera deliciosa is a perfectly bold plant that can truly thrive in an apartment. They can tolerate many levels of sunlight and even grow under fluorescent lights. While you should water your Monstera regularly, it can survive a missed watering every now and then.
Striking red veins against soft, dark green leaves make the Red Prayer plant an aesthete’s dream, and its low upkeep makes it perfect for apartment dwellers. It should be kept in low to bright indirect sunlight, watered regularly, and misted once a week, but it can tolerate low light every now and then.
The Haworthia, or zebra plant, is one of the easiest succulents to grow. Maxing out at only eight inches tall, they require low light and minimal watering. Haworthia can be placed in both open spaces like a living room or small, contained spaces like a bathroom. Plus, their striped leaves are subtly striking—the perfect complement to any design style.
Perfect for bathrooms or confined spaces, the bird’s nest fern can be hung or potted, making it a versatile option that can move around your apartment at ease. The large leaves and glossy finish are similar to a standard fern, and it can thrive in a low-light space.
If the name isn’t enticing enough on its own, there are plenty of reasons to love the happy bean plant. For one, it boasts thick, succulent leaves that look just like green beans, and it only grows about 10 inches tall. Bright but not direct sunlight is recommended, and it only needs to be watered sparingly.
Bonsai is the Japanese art of pruning in which small trees mimic the scale and shape of a full-size tree. Bonsais are perfect for apartments because of their size, and the ficus bonsai is one of the lowest-maintenance ones. The ficus bonsai thrives in warm environments, so indoors is ideal. They require high sunlight and can survive occasional over- or underwatering.
The pothos plant can be hung from a basket or potted normally, and it will thrive in a wide variety of lighting conditions. It’s also known for its air-purification properties and can strip your home of toxins that can off-gas from furniture and rugs.
Kate McGregor is House Beautiful's SEO Editor, writing in-depth home renovation cost guides, design inspiration stories while overseeing gardening content through routine plant care guides. With over five years in the shelter industry creating content for brands like Domino, Real Simple, and Architectural Digest’s Clever, Kate has developed a passion for uncovering the personal stories that often lie behind the inspiration for people’s spaces. She previously worked as the assistant market editor at ELLE Decor, where she identified top products and brands in the industry as well as interviewed emerging designers about their thoughts on the latest interior design trends. Kate holds a bachelor’s degree from Belmont University. When not researching the specificities of begonia plant care, you can find Kate scouring vintage markets for the ideal wrought-iron chair, knitting yet another cardigan, or reading historical nonfiction.
Anna Fixsen, Deputy Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, focuses on how to share the best of the design world through in-depth reportage and online storytelling. Prior to joining the staff, she has held positions at Architectural Digest, Metropolis, and Architectural Record magazines. elledecor.com
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