8 Best Houseplants for Apartments

Whether you want to add pops of color, bring more personality into your home, or even cleanse the air quality, house plants are a great option. However, when you’re living in an apartment, indoor gardening can be a bit of a challenge due to space, low light, or lack of gardening knowledge. To help you find the right plants for your Uptown, MN apartment, we’re sharing the 8 best houseplants for apartments, divided into groups to improve your chance of success.

Best Houseplants for Apartments with Minimal Light

If you have an apartment where natural light is limited, you can still nurture your green thumb. These plants do well in areas with minimal natural light, even bathrooms and kitchens.

ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant, short for zamioculas zamiifolia, is native to East Africa and Tanzania, where it adapted to heat and drought. It can reach two to three feet in height and has large, waxy dark green leaves on slim, upright stems. This plant also grows well with minimal natural light or even fluorescent lighting, and can go several days between watering.

Peace Lilies

Peace lilies, or spathiphyllum floribundum, are drama queens, quick to wilt if they begin to get dry, but they perk back up quickly once they get water, so they aren’t as high maintenance as you may think. While they are less likely to flower in dimly lit spaces, they still offer lush, vibrant green leaves that will brighten the corners of your apartment.

Best Houseplants for the Forgetful Gardener

You dream of having flourishing houseplants, but once you bring them home, you tend to forget about them. Don’t worry, these houseplants can thrive, even during dry spells and with minimal care.

Snake Plant

Sansevieria trifasciata laurentii, also called a snake plant, is a tough, hardy evergreen that is native to tropical and sub-tropical areas around Asia, Africa, and Europe. Their size ranges between 8 inches and 12 feet tall, depending on the variant, and they are known for long, stiff, pointed leaves emerging from the soil and with deep green banding and a yellow-green border. Snake plants can go long stretches without water and also do well with minimal light.

Jade Plant

The jade plant, or crassula ovata, is a succulent with thick, oval-shaped leaves and hardy, woody stems. Native to South Africa, this plant symbolizes good luck and is often given as a housewarming gift to new renters or homeowners. While it grows slowly, with the right care, a jade plant can grow up to six feet tall. Water only when the plant is dry and keep it in bright, indirect light for optimal growth.

Best Hanging Houseplants

If you don’t have room for shelving or floor space for large potted plants, a hanging basket in front of a window may be the right solution! These hanging houseplants are durable and attractive, making it easy to add beauty and greenery to your home.

Pothos

Pothos, or epipremnum aureum, is a tropical vine that originated in French Polynesia. Depending on the variety, its heart-shaped leaves range in shades from deep green to mottled white-and-green to bright chartreuse.

While this is another plant that thrives in low light and can dry out between waterings, its long, trailing vines are ideally suited for a hanging basket. If you have a window that is shaded, consider hanging this plant over the window or give it a spot of honor over your kitchen sink.

Spider Plant

Spider plants were popular in the 1970s and 1980s, and they’re starting to make a resurgence. While the initial plant will grow long, arching leaves, as they mature, long stems with star-shaped flowers are produced. These will grow their own roots and can be snipped and propagated to grow new plants. These plants do well in bright windows with indirect sunlight and moist soil that’s never too wet.

Best Statement Houseplants for Your Apartment

Whether you have ample floor space and want a large plant to fill it or want to shift from green and leafy to bold and vibrant, these statement houseplants will draw the eye and brighten your space.

Fiddle Leaf Fig

The fiddle leaf fig tree, or ficus lyrata, is seeing a lot of popularity right now, and it’s not surprising that designers love fiddle leaf figs. These tall plants have single, straight trunks flowing into large, beautifully sculpted leaves that naturally draw the eye. However, these trees are not for the beginner grower, as they need bright, filtered light, consistently warm temperatures, and plenty of space to grow. But when it thrives, you’ll have a statement houseplant that will add beauty to your home.

Rex Begonia

The rex begonia, or begonia rex, is a beautifully dramatic plant with large, variegated leaves that grow in shades of purple, red, silver, and green. This plant is more compact and can sit on a table or on a plant stand but avoid crowding it with other plants so its beauty can stand out.

The rex begonia is a bit tricky, requiring regular watering to keep it moist but not too overwatered, and it needs bright, but indirect sunlight or fluorescent lighting.

Best Plants for Pet Owners

If you have pets, it’s important to know what houseplants are toxic to cats and dogs if they decide to take a bite of a leaf. Most of these plants we have listed are mildly toxic due to the presence of calcium oxalate in their sap, but most plants should be safe if kept in a place where the pets can’t get them. However, we listed more detail below:

• ZZ Plant – mildly toxic, may cause mouth irritation and vomiting if swallowed;
• Peace lilies – mildly toxic with mouth irritation and vomiting (may require a vet visit);
• Snake plants – tongue and throat swelling, nausea, and vomiting if large amounts are ingested. This plant is more toxic to cats.
• Begonia rex – this plant is poisonous to cats may cause kidney failure.
• Fiddle leaf fig – mildly toxic, causing irritation to the mouth or vomiting;
• Pothos – More toxic to cats and the dangling vines may be more attractive to them.
• Jade plant – highly poisonous to cats and dogs
• Spider plant – This is not toxic to cats and dogs. However, cats often nibble on spider plants to settle an upset tummy, so if your cat vomits after eating it, don’t panic. Also, it may have a slight catnip effect, so your cat may be fascinated by this hardy plant.

Other non-toxic houseplants that are easy to grow:

• Ponytail palms
• Bromeliads (We’re partial to the earth star bromeliad)
• Cat grass (dactylis glomerata)
• Moth orchid (phalaenopsis)
• Chinese money plant (pilea peperomioides)
• Baby rubber plant (pepomia obtusifolia)

Find Your New Apartment in Uptown Today

Before you begin buying the perfect houseplants, you need the perfect apartment to put them in. We have spacious Uptown, MN apartments for rent in historic buildings near Lake of the Isles and Bde Maka Ska. To schedule a showing, reach out to us today at 952-927 4144 or fill out the form below to get started.