If you’re a first-time plant owner and desire a plant that won’t take up too much of your time, then you’re going to want a plant that is low-maintenance, and hard to kill. Tough plants that can withstand a range of growing conditions and (mostly) like to be left alone do exist. In fact, we’ve compiled some of the toughest, hardiest, and forgiving houseplants around for you below. Start with one of these awesome plants and learn from there. You’ll soon grow to love having them in your home and will want more because of all the wonderful health benefits plants provide.

Pothos (Devil’s Ivy)

Pothos is an attractive trailing vine plant with medium-sized leaves that are dark green or yellow and green variegated. They look best on top of a tall bookshelf or in a hanging planter. They are hard to kill and can tolerate nearly any type of growing environment. They can also hand infrequent waterings for those who sometimes forget to water their plants. For your pothos to thrive, place in indirect medium light and water once every one to two weeks.

Heartleaf Philodendrons

Also known as the Sweetheart Plant, this is a trailing plant with dark green, heart-shaped leaves that have a natural high shine to them. There are also varieties with leaves that have a beautiful yellow and green variegated pattern. Adaptable to most lighting conditions, this plant is easy to grow and is a great starter plant. For optimum growth, place in an area with a moderate amount of indirect light and let the soil dry out between waterings. Being mildly toxic, make sure to keep pets and kids away.

Snake Plant

This striking plant has stiff, lengthy vertical leaves with pointed ends. The leaves are dark green with margins of bright yellow. They also come in green and yellow variegated patterns. The Snake Plant, also called the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, is very resilient and hard to kill. It can handle low light or bright light and a spotty watering schedule. The Snake Plant is a great air purifier as it converts CO2 into oxygen during the night.

Peperomia

A striking little plant that comes with beautiful, ornamental leaves. There are numerous species of this plant that have thick, waxy leaves with solid, variegated, marbled red, green, or purple shades. This is plant that gets noticed. Adaptable to a variety of environments, this little beauty makes a great desk plant and will flourish even under flourescents. Water once soil has become completely dry and place in moderate to low indirect light.

Prayer Plant

For a colorful, hardy, tropical plant, the Prayer Plant is a great choice. It comes in varieties of colorufl leaves and patterns. They are called Prayer Plant because some of them fold their leaves up at night resembling hands in prayer. They are not too picky about their lighting conditions, but bright, indirect light is best, and keep the soil moist.

Aloe

Most people know Aloe for its medicinal properties in its leaves, primarily to soothe sunburns, but they also make striking houseplants. Their cool, spiky, thick leaves can grow in length up to 20 inches. They require little maintenance and grow much faster than most other succulents. Aloe loves the sun, even direct sunlight. Place in a pot that drained and wat until soil dries out between waterings.

Fittonias (Nerve Plant)

This pretty plant comes in a variety of leaf colors and has veined leaves giving it a very ornamental look. It loves water so is perfect for those overwaterers out there. They love humidity and warm conditions so misting in between waterings may be necessary. Place in bright, indirect light and wait for soil to dry out before watering.