Easy To Care For Plants

If you've had no success with houseplants other than plastic ones, you need to give these easy to care for plants.

Philodendron Plant

Heart-leaf philodendron is a durable foliage plant that has long been the backbone of indoor gardening. It has pretty, heart-shape leaves and adapts well to low-light spots. It is often grown with stems trailing over the edge of bookshelves or large pieces of furniture.

Why We Rate It: The climbing stems can attach to a moss pole or bark slab making it easy to create an upright tower of green.

Name: Philodendron hederaceum oxycardium

Growing Conditions: Low to bright light; 60-80 degrees F.; allow the soil surface to dry between waterings

Size: Trailing or climbing to 8 feet or more

Note: All parts of this plant are poisonous and can cause severe irritation of the lips, tongue, and throat if eaten or chewed by pets or children.

English Ivy

In many areas, English ivy is commonly grown as an outdoor ground cover. But you can also use it indoors. Grow a pot of ivy on a mantel or shelf where its stems can trail down. For a more formal effect, train the stems onto a topiary form. It's also exceptionally easy to start new plants: Simply cut off a 5-inch-long section of stem, remove the bottom leaves, and pot it up in moist soil. If you keep it moist, the cutting should root in a couple of weeks.

Here's a tip: Spider mites love to attack ivy. Help prevent them by periodically washing your ivy in the shower or bathtub with room-temperature water.

Why We Rate It: It's a versatile vine plant with deep green or variegated leaves. We especially love using it to create topiaries.

Name: Hedera helix

Growing Conditions: Medium to bright light; 55-70 degrees F.; keep evenly moist

Size: Climbs or trails to 6 feet or more

Note: All parts of this plant are poisonous if eaten or chewed by pets or children.

Zeezee Plant

Sometimes called eternity plant because it lasts so long, succulent zeezee plant tolerates low light and neglect. The thick, fleshy leafstalks are so durable that you might even think it's plastic. It is a slow grower, so purchase a large plant if you want a big specimen. Cut stems remain green and healthy in appearance for several weeks, even without water.

Why We Rate It: This plant is so easy it's almost a challenge to kill it.

Name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia

Growing Conditions: Low to bright light; 60-75 degrees F.; allow the soil to dry between waterings

Size: 2-3 feet tall and wide

Note: This plant is poisonous if eaten or chewed on by children or pets.



Arrowhead Vine One of the most common houseplants, arrowhead vine features distinctly arrow-shaped leaves (hence the moniker). Unlike a lot of plants, there are many different varieties from which to choose. Most have variegated foliage; depending on variety, the leaves may be green with white markings or bronzy-green with pink tones. Young plants form a mound about a foot high, but stems begin to vine as they mature, so you can grow them upright on a pole or let them trail in a hanging basket.

By the way, you may also see this plant sold as Nepthytis.

Why We Rate It: The colorful leaves keep their variegation -- even in low-light spots, so this is a top pick for dressing up just about any corner of your home.

Name: Syngonium podophyllum

Growing Conditions: Low to medium light; 60-75 degrees F.; keep evenly moist

Size: To 3 feet tall and wide

Note: All parts of this plant can cause irritation of the lips, tongue, and throat if eaten or chewed by pets or children

Grape Ivy

'Ellen Danica', the variety of grape ivy pictured here is often called oakleaf ivy because its leaves are more deeply cut than other types of grape ivy. Regardless of the variety, grape ivy is a vine with tendrils that readily cling to a trellis or stake. It offers shiny, deep green leaves that create a very nice texture.

Why We Rate It: Even though it's a vine, grape ivy has more of a mounding habit -- so it's a perfect choice for lush, tidy-looking hanging baskets.

Name: Cissus rhombifolia

Growing Conditions: Medium light; 65-80 degrees F.; keep evenly moist

Size: To 6 feet as a vine

Hoya Plant

Hoya, or wax plant, has waxy green leaves and waxy fragrant pink flowers. Golden wax plant (pictured) adds creamy leaf variegation to the plant's appeal. You can let the plant climb, train the stems onto a topiary, or allow them to trail in a hanging basket.

Why We Rate It: Wax plant offers beautiful flowers (that are often powerfully fragrant). It's also a low-water plant, so it doesn't mind if you forget to water it from time to time.

Name: Hoya carnosa

Growing Conditions: Medium to bright light; 55-75 degrees F.; allow the soil surface to dry between waterings

Size: Can climb or trail to 4 feet or more

Corn Plant

Don't confuse this plant with the vegetable of the same name. This beautiful houseplant offers variegated leaves and a single upright stem -- so it resembles a decorative corn stalk without the ears. Plant several together in a large container for a fuller appearance.

Here's a tip: If your corn plant grows too tall, cut back the cane to a foot or two above the soil and new shoots to form below the cut.

Why We Rate It: It bears colorful yellow-and-green-striped straplike leaves on an upright stem.

Name: Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana'

Growing Conditions: Medium to bright light; 60-75 degrees F.; allow the soil surface to dry between waterings

Size: To 10 feet tall and 3 feet tall

Note: Corn plant is poisonous if eaten or chewed on by dogs.

Ponytail Palm

Despite its common name, this plant is a succulent rather than a true palm. Its graceful arching leaves are always attractive and its swollen trunk looks great, too. (The trunk holds moisture for the plant.) Keep your ponytail palm in a container only a couple of inches wider than its trunk base to control its size. It is sometimes sold as Nolina recurvata.

Why We Rate It: Because the trunk actually stores moisture, ponytail palm can survive for long periods without watering.

Name: Beaucarnea recurvata

Growing Conditions: Bright light; 65-75 degrees F., 50-55 degrees F. in winter; allow the soil to dry between waterings

Size: To 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide

Rubber Tree

An old-fashioned classic, rubber tree gets its name from the sticky, milky sap it exudes if injured. It eventually grows into a large tree, but you can easily keep it shorter by pruning back long stems, causing it to branch into a multi-stemmed shrub.

Note: In frost-free areas, you may see rubber trees as a full-size shade trees outdoors.

Why We Rate It: Its big, dark green shiny leaves definitely make a statement. The older plants get, the larger they become -- a good-sized rubber tree makes a big, dramatic accent in any room.

Name: Ficus elastica

Growing Conditions: Medium to bright light; 60-80 degrees F.; allow the soil surface to dry between waterings

Size: To 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide

Note: The milky white sap may cause irritation to people with sensitive skin.