Great Indoor Plants for Your Apartment

Light Requirements

Many people would love to care for houseplants, but they're concerned that their apartments don't receive enough light. There are plenty of plants that do well in low light areas, but you should also pay special attention to your plant selection if your apartment receives abundant sunlight. Believe it or not, many plants do not grow well if subjected to too much light.

For low light apartments, the Chinese Evergreen is a wonderful choice. This plant can thrive in very low levels of light, but it does prefer moderate humidity. Other plants that grow well in partly shaded areas include the Snake Plant (commonly known as "Mother-In-Law's Tongue"), the Peace Lily and English Ivy. The Peace Lily (which may be labeled by its scientific name, Spathiphyllum), is also an appropriate choice if you're looking for a flowering plant. A similar choice would be the Anthurium, which is similar to a Peace Lily but produces red or pink blooms instead of white flowers.

If your apartment gets lots of sun during the day, you'll be able to enjoy a range of tropical plants. The Croton produces beautiful variegated foliage with colors of bright orange, yellow, red and green, and can range in size from a small tabletop accessory to a large floor plant. Ponytail Palms also like high levels of light, and grow beautiful, fringe-like foliage that looks like, you guessed it, a ponytail. Jade and Aloe Vera are other great choices that grow well in bright light. As an added bonus, Aloe Vera can be used for medicinal purposes. The gel inside of the plant is often used to treat sunburns and prevent scars.

Level of Care

Depending on your lifestyle, you may be able to enjoy plants that require lots of care and attention. If you work from home or travel infrequently and are willing to give your plants lots of attention, several beautiful options exist. Poinsettias, a Christmastime favorite, can be kept year-round if cared for properly. Ferns are beautiful, delicate and look great in terrariums, and if you mist them regularly, they can be lovely and rewarding. Though high maintenance, Gardenias produce incredibly fragrant, beautiful blooms that are well worth the effort.

If, like most people, you lead a busy lifestyle and would rather enjoy plants that require minimal upkeep, there are dozens of plants to choose from. Cacti and succulents require infrequent watering and can be a great choice if you travel regularly. Popular options include Jade, Old Man Cactus and Christmas Cactus. Golden Pothos is a common vine that thrives in a variety of light levels and is one of the easiest plants to care for. Spider plants, which grow offshoots of themselves that look like little pompoms, are low maintenance, popular choices for hanging baskets. They're also easy to reproduce. Simply pinch or cut one of the tiny offshoots from a spider plant, root it in water for a couple of weeks and repot it or give it to a friend.

Flowering Plants

Many people prefer colorful, fun and fragrant flowering plants. Though most flowering plants need to be grown outdoors, several indoor plants can produce beautiful blooms. African Violets, which feature fuzzy leaves and delicate, frosty-looking blooms, are available in a wide variety of colors, including white, purple, pink and blue. If you remove the blooms after they're spent, African Violets will continue to produce plenty of healthy flowers. Orchids, though somewhat difficult to care for, produce exotic, breathtaking blooms of different shapes and colors. Kalanchoe is a readily available and easy to grow succulent plant that requires infrequent watering and produces clusters of tiny, brightly colored flowers in magenta, yellow, orange or white. There are many different varieties of Begonias, which feature thick leaves and flowers that are rose-like in appearance. Some grow quite tall and cascade beautifully over the sides of hanging baskets, while others grow better in a small pot. Begonias are available in a wide variety of colors, including orange, pink, yellow, white and red.

There's no doubt that whichever type of indoor plant you choose, you will love bringing a bit of the outdoors into your apartment.