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Good Housekeeping published a list of 14 houseplants that experts describe as relatively easy to maintain, including aloe vera, spider plants and snake plants. The report presents greenery as a way to bring nature indoors, but it does not establish that the plants improve health or wellbeing. Several listed plants can be harmful if pets or children eat them.
Good Housekeeping has published a guide to 14 houseplants described as low-maintenance, with horticulture experts recommending options such as aloe vera, spider plants and snake plants for people who want greenery at home. The report says indoor plants can help people feel closer to nature, but it does not provide evidence that the plants treat health conditions or produce measurable wellbeing benefits.
The guide draws on advice from plant experts including Eldred Steinkopf and Tammy Sons, and includes plants with different light and watering needs. Spider plants tolerate a range of conditions, while snake plants should be watered only after their soil dries. The report says ZZ plants need about six hours of indirect light daily and watering every two to three weeks. These are care suggestions, not guarantees: conditions in a home and the specific plant can affect what it needs.
Some picks are less hands-off than the headline may suggest. Elephant ear plants need warm temperatures and frequent watering, according to Sons, and can grow large. Rubber trees can reach six to 10 feet indoors, the report says, and need bright, indirect light and watering about every two weeks. A money tree prefers bright, indirect light, with its soil allowed to dry between waterings; it should be kept away from drafts and heaters.
The list also includes aloe vera, philodendrons, succulents and cacti. Steinkopf says aloe gel from a leaf can be applied to a minor burn or sunburn, but the article does not present clinical evidence or advice to replace medical care. Succulents and cacti generally suit people who want to water less often, provided they are planted in well-draining soil. The source material cuts off before completing its care advice for this group.
Bringing Greenery Into Everyday Spaces
The guide offers readers a practical way to choose plants based on available light, watering habits and room size, rather than treating all houseplants as equally easy to care for. Its suggestions may be useful for people in apartments or other settings where outdoor access is limited. Steinkopf says greenery at home can help people feel closer to nature when nature is not immediately outside their door; that is an expert perspective, not a measured health finding in the report.
Care and placement also matter for household safety. The article warns that rubber trees and ZZ plants can be toxic if eaten, and says snake plants are considered toxic to cats and dogs. Elephant ear leaves can cause harmful reactions if ingested, including mouth irritation and swelling. Readers with pets or young children should check a plant’s risks and keep hazardous varieties out of reach.
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What the Plant Guide Covers
The Good Housekeeping report is a consumer gardening guide, not a clinical study. It brings together care recommendations and comments from plant experts, including Steinkopf and Sons. The 14 selections range from drought-tolerant succulents to tropical elephant ear plants, so “low-maintenance” is relative rather than a promise that every plant will thrive without attention.
Among the named choices are aloe vera, rubber tree, money tree, philodendron, ZZ plant, elephant ear, spider plant and snake plant, as well as succulents and cacti. The supplied source text also refers to The Sill, HGTV and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension for particular plant-care details. It does not supply a publication date or full supporting research on potential wellbeing effects.
“They make us feel closer to nature, when nature may not be right outside our door. Living in an apartment or working in a high rise makes it harder to get out and enjoy nature. Greenery in our homes brings nature in.”
— Eldred Steinkopf, plant expert, as quoted by Good Housekeeping
Wellbeing Claims and Plant Risks
The source does not provide clinical studies showing that these 14 plants improve mental or physical health, nor does it quantify a wellbeing effect. Steinkopf’s comments about feeling closer to nature are attributed expert views. The aloe advice is also not a substitute for medical guidance, and the report does not specify when a burn requires professional care.
Care needs can vary with plant variety and home conditions, and the source material does not give detailed instructions for every selection. Its supplied text ends partway through a note about soil for succulents and cacti. Readers should check specific care guidance and toxicity information, especially before bringing plants into homes with pets or small children.
Choosing and Caring for a Plant
The immediate next step for readers is to match a plant to the home’s light, temperature and available space, then follow care instructions for that specific variety. Households with pets or young children should verify toxicity warnings and choose a safe location or a different plant where needed. The source material does not announce a follow-up study or other next milestone, so any broader evidence about wellbeing effects remains outside this report.
Key Questions
Which plants in the guide are described as easy to care for?
The list includes spider plants, snake plants, ZZ plants, philodendrons, aloe vera, succulents and cacti, among other options. Their care needs differ, so the label does not mean they all need identical conditions.
Does the report prove houseplants improve wellbeing?
No. The report quotes an expert who says greenery can help people feel closer to nature, but it does not provide clinical research or measured results showing that these plants improve wellbeing.
Are the plants safe for pets and children?
Not all of them. Good Housekeeping warns that rubber trees and ZZ plants can be toxic if eaten, snake plants are considered toxic to cats and dogs, and elephant ear leaves can cause harmful symptoms if ingested. Check reliable plant-safety guidance and keep risky plants out of reach.
How often should these plants be watered?
It depends on the plant and its conditions. The report gives examples: ZZ plants about every two to three weeks, rubber trees about every two weeks, and money trees every one to two weeks after the soil has dried. Check the soil and specific plant guidance rather than relying on a fixed schedule alone.
Source: rss
