ANN/THE DAILY STAR – Yearning for a touch of nature without the hassle of high maintenance? Low-maintenance plants are the perfect answer.
These resilient greens flourish with minimal attention, ideal for anyone with a busy schedule or a laid-back approach to gardening. From durable succulents to lush, vibrant foliage, explore an array of easy-care plants that bring natural beauty to your space without consuming much of your time.
POTHOS
This herb is one of the easiest houseplants to grow and tend to. It only requires very little light indoors with no direct sun, ideal for your room if it can’t avail too much natural light. Tolerant to almost any indoor condition, the plant can take its place in any container, be it a hanging basket or a pot. If needed, it can be placed outdoors during warm weather.
This plant can grow in both soil and water. If grown in soil, make sure the container has a drainage hole and also that you water it once a week to let the beautiful vine grow. The mature plant extends as far as 12 feet.
ALOE VERA
Aloe vera is mostly known as the skin-healing sap. The spiky-looking succulent holds more merit than just being used for cosmetic use.
The aloe leaves remove formaldehyde from the air you breathe, on top of bringing a tinge of western vibes to your space. The plant requires six hours of direct sunlight a day to fortify itself.
The container for aloe vera must be chosen carefully, so opt for wooden or plastic ones and avoid metal pots. The plant must be watered only when it is dried completely.
FAIRY CASTLE CACTUS
This endearing species, shaped like a towering castle, are for those plant parents who forget that they are one. All they need is a sunny window to enjoy the light and retain their green hue and water every few weeks.
The cactus is a prickly being, so while you handle the watering, try using gloves or tongs to hold onto them carefully.
SPIDER PLANT
The name is quite self-explanatory – it actually looks like a spider! Spider plant is a very popular houseplant since it’s nearly impossible to kill, even if you forget to nurture it at regular intervals. The mature two-foot-long herb appears grass-like, with long arching leaves and trailing baby plants. It’s best that you put it in a hanging planter, but it would look good anywhere, regardless of its position.
Though it can handle ranges of sunlight, from partial sun to shade and periods of drought, you should keep the soil lightly moist. Overwatering is a common pitfall, so let the soil dry out before watering again.
ZZ PLANT
Also known as Zanzibar Gem or Eternity Plant, this popular houseplant is sure to bring a touch of perennial tropics into your space. The herb boasts shiny, oval-shaped, deep green or purple leaves that need cleaning from time to time. Its sun exposure ranges from low to bright indirect light to ensure optimum growth, even thriving in complete shade.
It is drought-tolerant, so underwatering is better than overwatering. You should water it every few weeks to ensure it lives. The plant’s full height stands at two to four feet, so pots between four to 14 inches in diameter should do, depending on its size.
PEACE LILY
If your home has no way of getting natural light, Peace Lily might be the plant baby you were looking for. This perennial is a lily by name, not by its appearance. It may live in artificial light, but when natural light is available, it comes in full bloom. One amazing fact of the herb is that it filters toxins from the air, wherever it’s placed. Peace Lily loves moderately moist soil, so you have to water it every one week and spritz it often. They don’t grow fast, reaching a mature height of one to four feet in three years.
PHILODENDRON RIO
This tropical evergreen is a perfect collector’s item for ones with a black thumb. The seemingly bushy-palm foliage is a sight for sore eyes with streaks of red, yellow, pink, and green in it. The variegation patterns of Rio are dependent on the presence of light, so it needs bright indirect light if you want to see the colours remain in its leaves. The plant isn’t a heavy water user, so you must water them when the soil is dry, by one or two inches from the top. The mature plant extends to a height of up to eight feet. – Tasneem Azim
