These Are the Finest (and Worst) Houseplants, Our Editors Say

It’s no shock that our editors at The Spruce are positively plant people—and many individuals are longtime plant dad and mother, too.

We love the enjoyment of bringing dwelling a model new plant after visiting someplace explicit, inserting it throughout the cutest planter, and setting it up in a nook of our dwelling to dwell utterly.

Now we have been through the trials and tribulations of underwatering, overwatering, moisture factors, and horrible pest stress (having a look at you, fungus gnats), which is why we’re bringing you a non-definitive guidelines of some of our favorite—and least favorite—houseplants.

through which crops we predict are top-of-the-line and the worst? Be taught on to get our editor’s sort out their prized possessions and which crops should carry on the nursery.

Our Editor’s Favorite Houseplants

Snake Plant

“I actually like an excellent snake plant. They’re primarily indestructible and can be found so many beautiful varieties. They thrive in low delicate, so I can add them to the darkest corners of my residence for barely little little bit of greenery.” —Kate McKenna, senior editor

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Philodendrons

“That’s like asking anyone to decide on their favorite toddler. I do love my philodendrons—heartleaf and Brasil. The heartleaf started as just one stem and has been propagated proper right into a full, sprawling little plant that seems determined to be larger than it really is. The Brasil has such attention-grabbing foliage, and the model new leaves start purple and alter coloration.” —Jenny Hughes, senior editor

Monstera Deliciosa

“My monstera is my proudest plant mum or dad possession. After learning that watering from any aerial roots periodically was key, she has been thriving for years. She offers me a train nonetheless she’s worth it.” —Jamie Abarca, senior editorial enterprise supervisor

“The plant I’m most happy with is my monstera deliciosa. I’ve had it for 3 years and it merely started getting leaves with fenestrations a 12 months or so prior to now.” —Jenny Hughes, senior editor

ZZ Plant

“My ZZ plant is the best-growing plant in my dwelling that I’ve had the longest—we’re taking place 3 years collectively! It’s so full and leafy, and likes to be throughout the shade, which is sweet for any nook of your personal residence.” —Mia Ingui, editor

Golden Pothos

“It’s a tie between my golden pothos that I rescued from my companion’s care (and is now flourishing) and my Chinese language language evergreen that has weathered any storm I throw its methodology. They’re every very resilient crops and forgiving as soon as I forgot to water them for each week or two.” —Aliyah Rodriguez, affiliate editor

Polka Dot Plant

“I utterly love one of the best ways polka dot crops look—they’re so pretty and pleasant with their pink leaves and inexperienced specks. They’re the best kind of houseplant in order so as to add to your home within the occasion you need some greenery and a burst of coloration.” —Jane Kim, affiliate editor

Haworthia

“My haworthia that I’ve had for almost 8 years is definitely my favorite. It started off as barely pup, and now it’s ginormous and easily retains rising.” —Candace Madonna, senior seen editor

String of Pearls

“I actually just like the distinctive string of pearls plant. It’s a cool-looking houseplant that will path down a container for a sculpted and attention-grabbing look. You presumably can propagate it just too, so the container it’s in will develop to be lush and full of many strings of plump, inexperienced pearls. Plus, when you could have success with defending this succulent alive, you’ll merely develop a String of Bananas or a String of Money as correctly.” —Sara Brown, affiliate social media editor

Our Editor’s Least Favorite Houseplants

Calathea

“Any calathea is the worst. They’re so pretty, nonetheless I’ve under no circumstances owned one which didn’t get utterly overrun with spider mites. They’re moreover not very forgiving—within the occasion you don’t water them on a exact schedule and precisely after they need it, the leaves will get brown and crispy on the ends.”—Kate McKenna, senior editor

“Utterly calathea. I had a stunning calathea orbitfolia that I sadly wanted to let go of some months prior to now. Its leaves yellowed and browned and never utilizing a optimistic trigger, and I uncover that the maintenance of these crops is way previous my plant mum or dad talents.” —Mia Ingui, editor

“I am going to under no circumstances get one different calathea as soon as extra. The soil is evenly moist, the humidity is sweet, and however, the leaves flip brown and crisp. I have to do witchcraft to take care of one in every of these alive.” —Jenny Hughes, senior editor

Peace Lily

“The award for a lot of dramatic plant goes to my peace lily. Like a toddler, you possibly can add water for an on the spot perk up. Acceptance is important to her emo tendencies: always on the point of demise at first sight until she lastly will get what she needs. No watering schedule has ever tamed her strategies, nonetheless that’s okay with me. She’s nonetheless alive. ” —Jamie Abarca, senior editorial enterprise supervisor

Monstera Deliciosa

“Monsteras are my least favorite plant, within the occasion you may think it. I merely hate one of the best ways their leaves look—significantly variegated ones. There’s merely one factor about these holes/gaps that robotically make my thoughts suppose, “This is not a healthful plant.” —Aliyah Rodriguez, affiliate editor

Snake Plant

“This one has to go to the snake plant (I’m sorry, snake plant dad and mother). Don’t get me incorrect, their coloration variation is sweet. Nonetheless, I am not an enormous fan of one of the best ways their leaves look. They’re too upright, and it appears unnatural.” —Jane Kim, affiliate editor

Begonia

“I actually like how begonias look nonetheless can not keep mine alive. I are inclined to do correctly with succulents, so that is maybe my concern. It’s such a stupendous sort of plant with so many kinds, nonetheless it won’t ultimate prolonged in my dwelling.” —Sara Brown, affiliate social media editor

Triostar Stromanthe

“I bought a triostar stromanthe after they started becoming trendy. Don’t get me incorrect, I really feel their pink leaves are utterly engaging, nonetheless I could not keep mine alive, sadly.” —Candace Madonna, senior seen editor