Our Top 10: Easy-Care Houseplants

#1: POTHOS, my personal favorite.

A popular choice for households and offices, a tough, drought-resistant houseplant with attractive, glossy foliage. Its vines can spread up to eight feet or more, and you can find varieties with variegated (look for 'Marble Queen') and bright green leaves (like 'Neon'). Pothos earned its popularity by being practically indestructible—it tolerates low to bright light and drying out between watering's. It's also super easy to start new plants from cuttings. Just clip at the joint and throw it in a little glass of water.

#2: ZEBRA PLANT

Great for dressing up a windowsill. It tends to stay less than a foot tall and wide, and it's usually even more compact than that. Like most succulents, zebra plant does best in bright light and it prefers when the soil in its pot dries out a bit between watering's. Because of its unique spikes and striped coloring, it's a favorite for modern décor.

#3: JADE PLANT

It's thick stems and plump leaves can grow to look like a small tree over time. However, it's really a drought-resistant succulent that doesn't mind a bit if you let the soil in its pot almost completely dry out before you water it again. If you move it outside during the summer, the extra sun and warmer temperatures can help trigger a growth spurt, which can help your plant get closer to its maximum six-foot height.

#4: DRACAENA

You can find varieties with silver and chartreuse variegation, too. This easy-care houseplant will tolerate a little neglect in terms of how much you water, bouncing back quickly if it does happen to dry out too much. It can reach three feet tall if it's grown in bright light (though it'll tolerate low light).

#5: PANDA PLANT

Aside from being fun to look at, it is fun to touch, too. Its silvery leaves have a soft, furry texture almost like felt. Make sure this hearty houseplant gets plenty of bright light, and let the soil dry between watering's. Over time, panda plants can get up to three feet tall.

#6: ZZ PLANT

It's leathery leaves almost look plastic because they are so stiff and shiny. This drought-resistant houseplant is happiest in bright light, but it'll also tolerate low-light areas of your home. All varieties of this plant are slow growers, but they can eventually grow three feet tall and wide.

#7: CAST IRON PLANT

As you might guess from its common name, cast iron plant is practically indestructible. If you've struggled to keep plants alive before, this hearty houseplant tolerates low light, low humidity, and infrequent watering's. It has broad, dark green leaves, and some varieties have variegated foliage. They tend to grow about two feet tall and wide.

#8: ALOE, a childhood favorite.

A spiky succulent with toothed leaves, gray-green aloe (Aloe vera) is famous for its ability to help burns heal. It's also an easy-care indoor plant that doesn't need much water so you can let the soil dry out between watering's. Aloe grows slowly, like most succulents, but with patience, it can reach three feet tall and wide. Keep it in bright light, but don't place it in direct sunlight, or this soothing plant could end up with its own sunburn.

#9: SNAKE PLANT

The sword-like, dark green leaves of snake plants give them a bold look, often enhanced by silver, cream, white, or yellow variegation. Even better, these low-water houseplants can go for weeks without so much as a drizzle of moisture, making them perfect for forgetful gardeners. Snake plants tolerate low to bright light and can grow up to four feet tall.

#10: BURRO'S TAIL aka DONKEY TAILS

It's lush leaves overlap on trailing stems. The tiny leaves easily drop off, and if you want, you can propagate them easily. Water this houseplant like you would any other succulent (let the soil dry before giving it more water), and keep it in bright light. With the right care, burro's tail can eventually reach a couple of feet long.

TIP: Use Shell Fertilizer | Eggshells. Leaving eggshells boiling in hot water for a while is a great way to steep out the calcium into the water. Basically: After you boil a bunch of eggs in their shells, the water left over is more calcium-rich than ever, and not a bad option to repurpose for watering your houseplants.