Some plants forgive mistakes far better than others. Starting with one or two tolerant species lets you learn the basics before taking on something demanding.
Mississippi State University Extension groups familiar indoor plants by light. For low light it lists cast-iron plant, snake plant, pothos and parlor palm. For medium light: spider plant, peace lily, philodendrons and ficus. For high light: jade plant, aloe vera, coleus and African violet. Pothos is one of the most common houseplants of all.
Tolerant does not mean indestructible. A snake plant can survive a dim corner, but it will grow slowly there, and succulents such as jade and aloe stretch and weaken without enough light. Almost any of these can still be killed by constant overwatering, the most common cause of houseplant death.
If you share your home with pets or small children, also check toxicity before you buy. The species pages in the wiki note toxicity where a source supports it.
Key points
- Start with one or two tolerant plants that match your light.
- Low light: pothos, snake plant, cast-iron plant. High light: jade, aloe.
- Even tough plants suffer from constant overwatering.
Try this
Write a shortlist of two plants from this lesson that suit the spot you chose in the last lesson, and read their wiki pages before buying.
Check yourself
Read more in the reference
Sources
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