Plants for Beginners

A good first plant is not the cheapest one or the prettiest one. It is the one that forgives the mistakes almost everyone makes in their first year: a missed week of watering, a spot a little too far from the window, a pot moved three times while you work out where it looks best. The four plants here take all of that in their stride.

The plants

The snake plant is our first suggestion for almost everyone. It stores water in its thick leaves, so a forgotten watering does no harm, and it holds its upright shape for years with very little attention. The only way to go wrong with it is to water too often.

The ZZ plant is just as tough, with glossy leaves on arching stems. It grows from fat underground rhizomes that store weeks of water, and it keeps its deep green color even far from a window.

Golden pothos is the one to choose if you want to see your plant grow. It is a trailing vine that can add several inches a month in summer, and it tells you clearly when it is thirsty: the leaves soften and droop, then perk up within hours of a drink.

The parlor palm is slower and softer, a small clump of feathery fronds that suits a desk or a side table. It is also the only one of the four that is non-toxic to cats and dogs. The other three are toxic if chewed, so keep them out of reach of pets and call your vet if one gets eaten.

Three habits that matter more than the plant

• Use a pot with a drainage hole. Water that cannot escape will rot even the toughest roots.
• Water when the soil is dry, not on a fixed day. Our watering guide shows how to tell.
• Give the plant the brightest spot it can have without direct midday sun, and leave it there. Plants dislike being moved around.

Get those three right and any plant on this page will outlive most of the furniture around it. Once one is thriving, you will have the confidence to try something fussier.