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If you find yourself wanting to spruce up your home or apartment, consider getting a plant. You probably think you don’t have enough time to care for a plant, and you’ll probably just kill it. Well, with this list of the top 7 indoor plants for busy lifestyles, you’ll be able to pick out the best plant to liven up an apartment without having to devote all your free time to managing it.
Top 7 Indoor Plants for Busy Lifestyles
Life can be all hustle with minimal downtime, but that doesn’t mean that busy people cannot love having some greenery in the home. Here are the top plants for the active body apartment dwellers.
Snake Plants for Busy Lifestyles
The snake plant, otherwise known as the mother in laws tongue or sansevieria. The sansevieria plant is one of the easiest household plants to manage. Native to South Africa and parts of Madagascar, the snake plant is common in very arid conditions. Due to its resilient nature and ability to thrive in harsh conditions, the snake plant is one of the easiest plants to care for and maintain indoors. If you decide to have a snake plant in your home, only plant it in pots or a contained area. Snake plants are an invasive species; if not controlled, they can quickly overtake an area.
Overwatering and cold temperatures are the two factors that can lead to the detriment of the plant. Overly damp soil will cause root rot and damage the long beautiful leaves of the snake plant. To help avoid over-watering, make sure you are using a well-draining pot. Ensure you are using a well-draining potting mix. A potting mix designed for succulents will help prevent water-logged roots. Snake plants prefer bright yet indirect light.
Snake plants can grow in a shady area, but they may grow slower than they would with brighter lighting. Do not water this plant too frequently. Let the soil dry before watering again. To check and see if your soil is dry, stick your finger into the dirt about two inches. If the potting mix feels moist and damp, it is okay to wait longer before watering again. If the soil sticks to your finger and is dry, it is time to water the snake plant. The large leaves on the snake plant cant get dusty; wipe down the leaves with a damp towel as needed to help prevent pests or diseases.
ZZ Plant
ZZ Plant or the zamioculas zamiifolia which, originates in Kenya and South Africa. In 1996 this popular plant found fame internationally when the government decided to widely distribute it throughout the world. This unique plant has been around for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1905 that it was named.
Although this is a flowering plant, it very rarely produces flowers. ZZ plants are a great indoor plant for those who live a busy lifestyle because they do not require much care. This plant thrives in plenty of sunlight but can exist in low-level lighting. Please do not place your ZZ plant directly in the sun, as it could potentially burn their leaves. If this happens to your plant, just cut off the burnt parts of the plant and move them to a lower-lit area. Generously water this plant at least once a week. Remember, though, under-watering is better than overwatering. Do the soil test with your finger to determine if you must water the ZZ plant or not.
A room containing a ZZ plant should maintain temperatures between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not put your ZZ plant in temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Bright light is good for the ZZ plant but avoid bright and direct sunlight. ZZ plants are tough; able to survive neglect, so don’t panic if you forget about it for a week or two. Just be sure to give it the care it needs as much as possible.
Jade Plants for Busy Lifestyles
Jade plants have a fleshy, oval shape to their leaves, and they also have thick woody stems which resemble tiny tree trunks. Jade plants are usually only grown indoors, making them the perfect indoor plant for apartment dwellers. You can buy a Jade plant or propagate one from a plant you already own.
However, Jade plants are highly toxic to pets; make sure you have your plant in a high-up area if you have furry family members. Do not overwater your jade plant, as that will damage the roots. Jade plants need a lot of light to flourish. About four to six hours a day of light if sufficient. If you can’t find direct, bright sunlight, that is okay. Jade plants will still grow fine in indirect sunlight, but they cannot survive with meager lighting conditions. Jade plants are also native to South Africa, familiar with living in direct sunlight.
Rubber Plants
The rubber plant or the rubber tree is also called the ficus elastica. This unique plant can grow up upwards of fifty feet. Rubber plants love bright and indirect sunlight. Place your plant near a window with translucent curtains. This way, your plant will receive all the benefits from the sun but without the heat. As the rubber plant grows, it needs to be kept moist and watered at least weekly.
Mist the plant once a week or wipe the leaves with a damp towel to maintain proper humidity. Native to South Asia, the rubber plant has thick, dark green leaves that can grow very long, to 100 feet in the wild. The rubber plant is considered a medium-sized houseplant that can grow into a small tree in the household. The maximum height for an indoor tree is eight to ten feet. Keep your robber plant in a small pot to restrict its growth.
Aloe Vera Plants for Busy Lifestyles
Aloe Vera is a popular indoor plant that has thick, juicy leaves. When those leaves are broken open, it produces a sap that aids in skin conditions like eczema or burns. When planting Aloe Vera indoors, use a well-draining pot, preferably with one large hole. Too much water in your Aloe plant can cause root rot. Plant Aloe in soil made for succulents and cacti. The best potting mix for Aloe is one you create from home. Only water Aloe when the soil is arid by pouring water into the soil near the base of the plant.
Peace Lilies
Peace lilies get their names because the white flowers resemble peace flags. Peace lilies are a tropical, perennial plant that gives a peaceful ambiance to any room. These plants can live for many, many years, and the peace lily will continually flower during this time, gracing you with its beauty. This plant can grow approximately 1 to 4 feet tall indoors and live indoors with minimal lighting.
If you want your peace lily to bloom indoors, it will need some type of lighting source. Luckily for apartment dwellers, peace lilies are one of the few plants that can thrive with fluorescent lighting. Keep your peace lily away from any drafts; since it is a tropical plant, it will not succeed in cool temperatures. Keep the soil of this plant consistently moist but do not overwater. In addition to monitoring lighting and watering for these plants, one must keep them out of reach of any indoor pets.
African Violets Plants for Busy Lifestyles
African violets are a trendy household plant. This pretty purple plant thrives in warm, humid conditions. Bright and indirect sunlight benefits this plant. A well-draining potting mix is also essential if you want to have African violets in your home. Like the other plants on this list, African violets are prone to root rot if you leave the soil too moist. The root rot will begin to cause the leaves to fall off. Keep the soil just the right amount moist. African violets will prosper in temperatures between 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Plants for Busy Lifestyles – The Wrap-up
Living a busy lifestyle, you may think you don’t have enough time for a plant. This list proves you wrong, though. These top 7 indoor plants for busy lifestyles have something for everyone, allowing anyone to enjoy beautiful green foliage indoors.
FAQ
No. If you place your rubber tree in direct sunlight, then there is a chance the leaves will burn. If that happens, cut off the scorched part of the leaves and move to a lower-lit area with not as much harsh sunlight.
Yes. You should never leave your peace plant in standing water; only water a peace lily when the soil starts to dry. Never allow it to puddle or become overly saturated. By letting your plant stand in water, you risk it getting root rot, potentially damaging or killing your plant.
If your Jade plant is not getting enough sunlight, supplement the sunlight with grow lights. LED grow lights are the best type because they are energy efficient.
Yes! The ZZ plant and the peace lily are, in fact, toxic to cats, dogs, and children. Keep your ZZ and lily plants out of reach.
The most common issue of snake plants is root rot. If this happens to your snake plant, remove the dying and dead leaves, and allow the plant extra time to dry out before watering again. Snake plants are resilient plants, and they will recover with a bit of care and patience.
