How Not to Kill Your Houseplant (New Edition)
by Veronica Peerless
Survival tips for the “horticulturally challenged”, covering 119 popular houseplants. A good first book.
View on AmazonShop by need
Buy Plants for Beginners Online
By the Plantshop.com Editorial Team · Updated · How we research · Report an error
Forgiving plants that tell you what they need.
These plants tolerate the mistakes most new owners make: irregular watering, imperfect light and the occasional move.
How to choose
- Start with your light, then pick from the plants below that match it.
- Compare by pot size, not plant name, when comparing prices.
- Order in mild weather or from a shop that heat-packs in winter.
- Pets: check the pet column; not every plant here is pet-safe.
Photo: Princesleaf / CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsMonsteraMonstera deliciosaBright indirect lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Aaaatu / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsPothosEpipremnum aureumMedium lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: DenesFeri / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsSnake PlantDracaena trifasciataLow lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: OSMM109 / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsZZ PlantZamioculcas zamiifoliaLow lightNot pet-safeEasy
Heartleaf PhilodendronPhilodendron hederaceumMedium lightNot pet-safeEasy
Rubber PlantFicus elasticaBright indirect lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Nilanjani Jayarathna. / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsAloe VeraAloe veraBright + some sun lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Abu Shawka / Public domain, Wikimedia CommonsJade PlantCrassula ovataBright + some sun lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Sebastian Martin Dicke / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsSpider PlantChlorophytum comosumMedium lightPet-safeEasy
Photo: Digigalos / CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsChinese EvergreenAglaonemaLow lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Sang83 / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsHoya (Wax Plant)Hoya carnosaBright indirect lightPet-safeEasy
Photo: James St. John / CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsPeperomiaPeperomia obtusifolia and othersMedium lightPet-safeEasy
Photo: Nicholas Gemini / CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsCast Iron PlantAspidistra elatiorLow lightPet-safeEasy
Ponytail PalmBeaucarnea recurvataBright + some sun lightPet-safeEasy
Photo: Pepe-MS / CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsChinese Money PlantPilea peperomioidesBright indirect lightPets: checkEasy
Photo: Daderot / CC0, Wikimedia CommonsAir PlantTillandsia spp.Bright indirect lightPets: checkEasy
Photo: Andrey Butko / CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsChristmas CactusSchlumbergera spp.Medium lightPet-safeEasy
Photo: Friedrich Haag / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsEcheveriaEcheveria spp.Bright + some sun lightPet-safeEasy
Photo: Andrey Butko / CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsHaworthiaHaworthiopsis attenuata and Haworthia spp.Medium lightPet-safeEasy
Yucca CaneYucca giganteaBright + some sun lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Unknown / CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsArrowhead PlantSyngonium podophyllumMedium lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Hamvirf Uyngau Lagfhool / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsTradescantia (Wandering Dude)Tradescantia zebrinaBright indirect lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr / CC BY 3.0 us, Wikimedia CommonsString of HeartsCeropegia woodiiBright indirect lightPets: checkEasy
Photo: Fia Tunam Siwyh / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsUmbrella PlantHeptapleurum arboricolaBright indirect lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Jule.Kat / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsRhaphidophora Tetrasperma (Mini Monstera)Rhaphidophora tetraspermaBright indirect lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsScindapsus Pictus (Satin Pothos)Scindapsus pictusMedium lightNot pet-safeEasy
Photo: Dandarmkd / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsHoya Carnosa (Wax Plant)Hoya carnosaBright indirect lightPet-safeEasy
Photo: Krishnav25 / CC0, Wikimedia CommonsBurro's TailSedum morganianumBright + some sun lightPet-safeEasyAt a glance
| Plant | Light | Water | Pet-safe | Difficulty | Shops confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monstera | Bright indirect | When the top 2 in (5 cm) of soil is dry | No | Easy | 3 |
| Pothos | Medium | When the top 1-2 in of soil is dry | No | Easy | 5 |
| Snake Plant | Low | Only when soil is completely dry, every 2-6 weeks | No | Easy | 4 |
| ZZ Plant | Low | When soil is fully dry, every 2-4 weeks | No | Easy | 4 |
| Heartleaf Philodendron | Medium | When the top inch is dry | No | Easy | 4 |
| Rubber Plant | Bright indirect | When the top 2 in is dry | No | Easy | 3 |
| Aloe Vera | Bright + some sun | When soil is completely dry | No | Easy | 3 |
| Jade Plant | Bright + some sun | When soil is dry | No | Easy | 3 |
| Spider Plant | Medium | When the top inch is dry | Yes | Easy | 4 |
| Chinese Evergreen | Low | When the top inch or two is dry | No | Easy | 4 |
| Hoya (Wax Plant) | Bright indirect | When soil is mostly dry | Yes | Easy | 3 |
| Peperomia | Medium | When the top half of soil is dry | Yes | Easy | 2 |
| Cast Iron Plant | Low | When the top 2 in is dry | Yes | Easy | 2 |
| Ponytail Palm | Bright + some sun | When soil is dry | Yes | Easy | 4 |
| Chinese Money Plant | Bright indirect | When the top half of the soil is dry | Not listed | Easy | 1 |
| Air Plant | Bright indirect | Soak or rinse at least once a week, then dry upside down | Not listed | Easy | 2 |
| Christmas Cactus | Medium | When the top 1 in of soil is dry | Yes | Easy | 3 |
| Echeveria | Bright + some sun | Soak, then wait until the soil is completely dry | Yes | Easy | 2 |
| Haworthia | Medium | When the soil is completely dry, every 2-4 weeks | Yes | Easy | 1 |
| Yucca Cane | Bright + some sun | When the soil is mostly dry | No | Easy | 3 |
| Arrowhead Plant | Medium | When the top 1 in of soil is dry | No | Easy | 4 |
| Tradescantia (Wandering Dude) | Bright indirect | When the top 1 in of soil is dry | No | Easy | 0 |
| String of Hearts | Bright indirect | When the soil is dry | Not listed | Easy | 2 |
| Umbrella Plant | Bright indirect | When the top 1-2 in is dry | No | Easy | 1 |
| Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma (Mini Monstera) | Bright indirect | When the top 1-2 in of soil is dry | No | Easy | 0 |
| Scindapsus Pictus (Satin Pothos) | Medium | When the top 1-2 in of soil is dry | No | Easy | 1 |
| Hoya Carnosa (Wax Plant) | Bright indirect | When the soil is mostly dry | Yes | Easy | 1 |
| Burro's Tail | Bright + some sun | Soak, then wait until the soil is fully dry | Yes | Easy | 0 |
Where to buy plants for beginners
Each plant's buying guide lists the shops we have confirmed currently stock it, with what each shop is best for. For shipping and guarantee terms side by side, see Online plant shop policies compared. To compare the shops themselves by reviews, see the best places to buy plants online.
Recommended book
Book links go to the book’s Amazon page; check the price and format there. No publisher or author paid to be included. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure.