Our Favorite Indoor Plants & How to Take Care of Them by STUMP

Tips & Guides

Jan 24

By STUMP

When we’re asked what our favorite plants are, it can be hard—with working in and running a plant shop, our favorites can easily change week to week. We’ve managed to narrow it down to five tried-and-true plants that we love, and that we think you’ll love too.

We’ve chosen these five plants based on their looks and ease of care. Read on to find out more about them, how to care for them, and how they can be incorporated into your space.

Images: Ashley Mercer

ZZ PLANT

ZZ Plants, without a doubt, are one of the easiest houseplants to care for. With a fun, slight arch to their stems, glossy emerald-green leaves, and their ability to store an incredible amount of water on reserve, we love these plants for just about anyone, but especially those who are on the go or aren’t home frequently.

Care:

ZZ Plants will thrive in bright, indirect sunlight, but are also tolerant of lower light conditions, as well. Depending on the size of your plant, we usually recommend giving a thorough watering roughly once a month, or whenever the soil is completely dry.

Price:

$18 for a 6” diameter plant, $47 for a 6” diameter plant in matching planter + drip tray.

SNAKE PLANT

Sword-shaped leaves and their modern, architectural style give the Snake Plant a high spot on our list of favorite plants. While slow to grow, Snake Plants will send new offshoots up through the soil, eventually forming tight clusters of broad leaves with gorgeous striations and colors.

Care:

Snake Plants are versatile in terms of lighting, doing best in anywhere from direct sunlight, to tolerating even low light conditions. We recommend watering, depending on the size of your plant, every couple of weeks to once a month, or when the soil is completely dry.

Price:

$18 for a 6” diameter plant, $47 for a 6” diameter plant in matching planter + drip tray.

POTHOS

Pothos are a classic plant from the 70s that never went away—for good reason. Resilient and charming, we love their long, semi-woody vines of heart-shaped green leaves that trail down as they grow.

Care:

Pothos will thrive in bright, indirect sunlight and tolerate lower light as well. We usually recommend watering Pothos about once a week on average, or you can wait for the leaves to droop slightly to water.

Price:

$18 for a 6” diameter plant, $47 for a 6” diameter plant in matching planter + drip tray.

DRACAENA

Dracaenas are tropical trees which come in a wide variety of styles and colors, with twisting trunks and narrow, blade-like leaves. We love them for the unique shapes and character in older species—not to mention their fuss-free ease of care.

Care:

Dracaena do best in bright, indirect light, but are well-known for their ability to tolerate a little bit lower sunlight. We recommend watering thoroughly about once a week, to every week and a half.

Price:

$18 for a 6” diameter plant, $47 for a 6” diameter plant in matching planter + drip tray.

PHILODENDRON

A vining plant sure to evoke nostalgia, heart-leaf Philodendrons have stood the test of time in the houseplant market. Heart-leaf Philodendrons have deep, jade green leaves that cascade down gracefully once mature. Other varieties, like the Philodendron Brazil, have neon green leaves with splashes of darker green.

Care:

Philodendrons thrive in bright, indirect light, but are very tolerant of lower sunlight. We recommend watering thoroughly about once a week on average.

Price:

$18 for a 6” diameter plant, $47 for a 6” diameter plant in matching planter + drip tray.

While our favorites are always changing, these consistently make the top of our list for their general care requirements and their ability to work in nearly any space.

At STUMP, we offer a curated selection of plants, planters, and wares. We wholeheartedly believe we are all better with plants, and our goal is to educate and make sure you leave with the confidence to take care of your plants. We currently have two retail locations in Columbus: one in German Village at 220 Thurman Avenue, and one in Italian Village at 305 E 5th Avenue.